Article A Conceptualized Hydrail Powertrain: A Case Study of the Union Pearson Express Route Mehran Haji Akhoundzadeh 1 , Kaamran Raahemifar 1,2, Satyam Panchal 3, Ehsan Samadani 1, Ehsan Haghi 1 , Roydon Fraser 3 and Michael Fowler 1,* 1 Chemical Engineering Department, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada; [email protected] (M.H.A.); [email protected] (K.R.); [email protected] (E.S.); [email protected] (E.H.) 2 Electrical and Computer Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box: 31, Al-Khound 123, Sultanate of Oman 3 Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering Department, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada; [email protected] (S.P.); [email protected] (R.F.) * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +1-519-888-4567 (ext. 33415) Received: 11 January 2019; Accepted: 29 April 2019; Published: 28 May 2019 Abstract: A hydrogen rail (hydrail) powertrain is conceptualized in this study, using drive cycles collected from the trains currently working on the Union Pearson Express (UPE) railroad. The powertrain consists of three preliminary different subsystems: fuel cell, battery, and hydrogen storage systems. A backward design approach is proposed to calculate the time-variable power demand based on a “route simulation data” method. The powertrain components are then conceptually sized according to the calculated duty cycle. The results of this study show that 275 kg of hydrogen is sufficient to satisfy the daily power and energy demand of a hydrogen locomotive with drive cycles similar to the ones currently working on the UPE rail route. Keywords: hydrogen fuel cell train; fuel cell locomotives; hydrail powertrain; Li-Ion Batteries 1. Introduction The transportation sector accounts for a significant portion of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions [1,2]. In 2016 in Canada, 28.3% of the total CO2 emissions were due to the transportation and energy sector [3]. Ontario, one of the highest CO2-emitting provinces in Canada, has been able to reduce its GHG emissions in the electricity sector through replacing coal power plants with renewable power generation technologies. However, the transportation sector has remained a major contributor to GHG emissions in the province [4]. Promoting green public transport is an important step in moving towards sustainability and reducing GHG emissions [5]. In this context, rail transportation development in Ontario is a key issue for both provincial and federal governments of Canada. GO Transit System (GTS), a regional public transit system serving the Greater Golden Horseshoe region of Ontario, has seven rail lines in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) with diverse transit schedules. Diesel multiple units (DMUs) operating in these lines are the main rail public transportation technologies in Ontario with 60,000 daily ridership. The Union Pearson Express (UPE) line placed on the Kitchener GO rail route also has several common segments with the Lakeshore GO line [6]. A major challenge for rail electrification in an urban area like the GTA is the electricity consumption of the transportation system and the consequent grid stability issues [6]. Contrary to electricity, hydrogen transportation systems will not impose excessive loads to the grid because the hydrogen can be produced at times of surplus power and stored for later use, to meet heat and electricity demands World Electric Vehicle Journal 2019, 10, 32; doi:10.3390/wevj10020032 www.mdpi.com/journal/wevj World Electric Vehicle Journal 2019, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 14 World Electric Vehicle Journal 2019, 10, 32 2 of 14 fluctuations and improve the flexibility of the electricity grid and help in controlling the intermittency of renewable systems [7-12]. specifically for transportation applications. This can also prevent grid fluctuations and improve the flexibility of the electricity grid and help in controlling the intermittency of renewable systems [7–12]. 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