Hydrogreen Team: Hydros Prototype Hydrogen Vehicle

By project Green Hydra

Published on 21 August 2024

Poland

Lubelskie

Lublin

About this good practice

The Hydrogreen Aerodynamic Propulsion Student Association, based at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in the Department of Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics of Lublin University of Technology, is an association of students from various faculties of The Lublin University of Technology, such as Mechanics, Electricity, Mechatronics, Environmental Engineering, and Management. The Hydrogreen Pollub Team, formed within the Association, has been working for 10 years on a hydrogen-powered prototype vehicle - Hydros.
The project's mission is to spread technological thinking among young people. The project teaches and prepares young students to work in a team. It enables them to develop their passions and gain experience. Cooperation with companies enables the students to learn more about the labour market and prepares for professional work. Students, by devoting their time to the assigned tasks, support their self-development - learn responsibility and regularity, and discovers their strengths. The main goal of the project is to achieve the best possible performance of the car and thus win first place at the Shell Eco-Marathon in the Prototype Hydrogen category. The priority is to reduce the weight of the vehicle to a minimum (now 34 kilo) by using modern composite materials and to make all components as efficient as possible. As a result, the best outcome achieved is the consumption of 1m3 of hydrogen per 400 km - record for the most economical use of hydrogen in a polish vehicle.

Resources needed

HR - about 20 people - students of Lublin University of Technology – around 200 students involved from the beginning
Funds - obtained through sponsorship - 15 - 20 thousand € per year
Machine resources: CNC machine tool, 3D printers, systems for testing electronics and hydrogen systems, tools.

Evidence of success

The Hydrogreen has partaken in 5 editions of the Eco Shell Marathon, placing highly in the hydrogen prototype category having passed at once rigorous tests and improving the hydrogen consumption for over the years from 280km to the 400km per 1m3. In 2020 the Hydros won the Off-Track Awards for Vehicle Design for Prototype Vehicles. For 11 years, the association has had around 200 students who learn to work together on various technologies including hydrogen being now multi-skilled professionals.

Potential for learning or transfer

Building such a vehicle is both time- and labour-intensive, especially as hydrogen cells are used. It is a chance to acquire new social and technical skills, which include hydrogen and its management, cooperation as a team, solving problems which helps young people to enter the job market with unique abilities. All above makes the Association a place that transforms members into highly qualified personnel.
Participation in the Eco Shell Marathon is widely reported in the media, and the vehicle is presented at conferences and events, helping to promote awareness of composites and the potential for hydrogen use in society.
Financial support, which includes funds from the Lubelskie Voivodeship and from the university's own funds, is used for both the creation of the car, its ongoing maintenance and participation in competition. This allows the student association and the team to further develop and share passion for new technologies also on the hydrogen ones and construction of vehicles.