Ross Barlow

Ross Barlow

At the Black Country Living Museum in 2014
History
Launched	21 September 2007
General characteristics
Type	Narrow boat
Installed power	hybrid hydrogen fuel cell
Propulsion	Permanent magnet brushed DC electric motor

The canal boat Ross Barlow is a hybrid hydrogen narrowboat, power-assisted by an electric motor whose electricity is supplied by a fuel cell or a battery. It debuted on 21 September 2007.

History

The Protium Project ^[1] at the University of Birmingham started at the beginning of 2006. The boat is named in memory of a postgraduate student who was killed in a hang gliding accident in March 2005 at the age of 25. He had worked on the project in its early stages and was an enthusiastic supporter of sustainable energy. ^[2]

Refueling

The fixed tanks are refuelled at a waterway hydrogen station. The hydrogen is generated by electrolysis using solar or wind turbines.

Specifications

Motor and toothed belt drive to propeller shaft

Storage: 2.5 kilograms (5.5 lb) of hydrogen at 10- bar (1,000  kPa ) in 5 Ti-V-Mn-Fe^{[ clarification needed ] [3]} metal hydride solid-state hydrogen tanks, ^{[4] [ failed verification ]} a lead acid battery stack, a 5-kW PEM fuel cell and a high torque NdFeB permanent magnet brushed DC electric motor.

See also

• Hydride compressor
• Hydrogen ship
• Hydrogen storage#Metal hydrides
• Hydrogen vehicle
• Hydrogen economy

References

1. "Protium: Hydrogen canal boat". Hydrogen Materials Group. University of Birmingham.
2. "The Ross Barlow: a zero-emission hydrogen hybrid canal boat". Antidote Counteragent. 26 February 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
3. "Hydrogen Hybrid Canal Boat". Green Car Congress. 24 September 2007.
4. "In detail" (PDF).

External links

• "Hydrogen Hybrid Canal Boat: Clean and Silent Propulsion for the Inland Waterways" (Press release). University of Birmingham. Archived from the original on 2 October 2007.