Perkins tests hydrogen hybrid IOPU on Ecotec shredder
The test is part of Perkins' advanced fuel-configurable IOPU project supported by the U.K.'s Advanced Propulsion Centre
Designed as a replacement for a diesel engine IOPU (industrial open power unit), the new hydrogen hybrid IOPU from Perkins has completed development testing and is now being fitted into the Ecotec TDS 820 shredder to further test the hybrid IOPU's capabilities in the field.
A new hybrid platform promises to deliver robust power in remote locations
Project Coeus is a three-year project that has seen Perkins partner with e-powertrain specialists Equipmake and Loughborough University's Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering to develop an innovative, advanced fuel-configurable hybrid IOPU. The project is supported by U.K. Government funding of £11.14M through the Advanced Propulsion Centre U.K. (APC).
The four fuels selected for inclusion in the project — ethanol, methanol, bio-methane, and hydrogen — have one characteristic in common: they are all spark-ignited fuels. To utilize these fuels, Perkins has created a configurable spark-ignited combustion platform on which the project relies.
The project has developed a hybrid IOPU to deliver a plug-and-play solution that produces reliable performance designed to meet global emissions standards, ensuring flexibility for the user.
The project relied on collaborative input from several organizations
"Demonstrating in machine is a key milestone for the team," says Andy Curtis, customer solutions director at Perkins. "Showing the system operating in a real-world application recognises the progress made over the past two years. From early in the project, we knew we wanted to work with Terex and its Ecotec environmental equipment business.
"Terex is one of the world's leading OEMs for mobile wood processing, biomass, and recycling equipment — which we believe is a great fit for the hybrid IOPU. We were delighted when they accepted our proposal, and we're now working together at our research and development facility in Peterborough to install and demonstrate the system," Andy added.
"Ecotec equipment processes waste materials such as wood waste, biomass and construction debris, helping customers recover reusable resources and reduce reliance on landfill," says Conor Hegarty, business line director for Ecotec. "While our products are already making a positive environmental impact through the work they perform, we're continually innovating to make the machines themselves more sustainable. Projects such as Coeus allow us to explore lower-emission technologies that can help meet future environmental requirements while continuing to deliver the power, reliability, and productivity our customers expect from Ecotec equipment."
"The Peterborough Customer Machine Engineering Team (CMET) are currently integrating the hydrogen hybrid engine into the high-performance shredder," says Andy. "Once that work's complete, the machine demonstrator will undergo a series of tests at our proving site. We'll be looking to demonstrate the proof of technology concept and that it achieves the peak load demands and transient response requirements of the machine."
He adds: "The machine demonstrator will also help us define how to handle and utilise hydrogen within a real-world job site environment. This learning will allow us to support our customers' machine development goals during future project phases."
Based on the Perkins 1200 Series platform, the 1206 hydrogen hybrid IOPU is engineered to deliver a total of 379 kW (508 hp) — made up of the engine and the integrated motor-generator unit (MGU), which boosts performance — and 1938 Nm at 1200-1500 rpm. The advanced hybrid cooling system is designed to reduce fuel consumption and noise from the IOPU by utilising on-demand cooling technology.
