Jungheinrich Takes Part in Methanol Fuel Cell Study
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June 5th, 2007 08:36 AM EDT
Hamburg, Germany: Jungheinrich AG is conducting a concept study of an electric fork lift truck powered with a direct methanol fuel cell.
The study will determine whether the methanol fuel cell would be technically and economically feasible as a drive concept for industrial trucks.
In contrast to hydrogen fuel cells that are currently being researched by the automobile and lift truck industries, direct methanol fuel cell technology is specifically geared for applications in the so-called "low power range."
The fuel cell technology could be used in electric pedestrian trucks and pedestrian stackers after the appropriate research and development has taken place.
Instead of changing the battery, a stacker operator would only need a few minutes to refuel his truck with a mature direct methanol fuel cell. An added benefit is that a fuel cell would last at least twice as long as a battery. And, the infrastructure for filling up with methanol could be realized quickly and cost-effectively.
"Methanol can be handled as easily as gas or diesel fuels," explains Ralf Baginski, head of pre-development at Jungheinrich AG, "and methanol is also used on a large scale in the chemical industry, so availability is no problem."
Should this technology become accepted, it would give designers of industrial trucks greater freedom. "As the fuel cell system is divisible into several subsystems, this might provide additional constructional scope that could be used for more compact pedestrian trucks or more comfortable ride-on trucks," Baginski concludes.
