Projects for 2009

There are a number of systems improvements that we plan to undertake for next season in the area of high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks, ultra-capacitors in place of batteries and electro-mechanical layout. Since we are now able to supply substantial amounts of power from 12 volts D.C. through to 240 volts 3 phase AC we are evaluating such applications as forced air heating, a heat pump system and a portable emergency water and power module for disaster applications.

This season's efforts have led to the testing of a 10HP electric outboard for small craft. The motor was designed by a Uinversity of Victoria Mechatronics course team of students and was built by A.G.O. to their specifications. It was later modified by A.G.O. for the final tests. See the test in the Gas to Electric 10 HP Honda video online.

Suggestions for other possible applications are appreciated.

Fuel Cell Project for 2008 - YouTube Video

We sailed to Goldstream in the fall of 2007, in the sloop "Jim D", which was assisted with a Horizon H300 fuel cell. After an evaluation of the trip, we estimated that the electric motor powering the boat needed to be in the range of 2 to 4 horsepower. As off the shelf solutions were not immediately evident, the plan to modify a Yamaha motor from gas to electric was conceived. Gas to Electric Outboard Demo Video The design was based on available technologies that were easily combined and affordable. The first system was deployed in early June on Ian Soutar's 18-foot cabin cruiser, "Pepper Pot". It was on display with the sloop "Jim D" at the Tall Ship Festival in Victoria. The "Jim D" had been fitted with a Minn Kota, model RT202/EM, a 4 horsepower dual electric motor system capable of producing over 200 pounds of thrust. This was a 36 VDC, 98-amp unit that required an even larger fuel cell system than we had originally planned.

In an attempt to accelerate our development plan, we became involved with the Mechatronics program at the University of Victoria. A group of 5 fourth year mechanical and electrical engineering students undertook the development of a dual 1.2-kilowatt fuel cell system along with finalizing the Yamaha conversion kit. In mid August, a working prototype was ready for deployment. The resulting architecture was even better than we had expected, allowing the operation of up to 4 parallel fuel stacks by one master controller. This would allow for redundancy in the system and permit up to 4.8-kilowatts of power at a much reduced cost.

While the pair of 1.2-kilowatt fuel cells were being worked on at the University and using the B.C government carbon tax refund, the boat was outfitted with 35 watts of Canadian Tire solar panels. They provided sufficient power for local operations of the Jim D on a daily basis. During this period of testing, it was found that only one of the RT202/EM motors was required for the boat to reach a maximum speed of 4 miles per hour, the speed being limited by the 4-inch pitch of the propeller. It was also established that only 550 to 600 watts of power was required to maintain this speed for extended periods of time. As a result, the fuel cell system was trimmed back to a single Palcan PC5, 1.2-kilowatt fuel cell stack.

September and October has seen continued testing of the combination fuel cell/ solar power system with very satisfactory results. My appreciation to Palcan for all of their technical assistance and to the Selkirk Station Kayak and Bike for supplying hydrogen this year.

In May of this year, I purchased 40 litres of gasoline for the sailboat and after some 150 miles and 5 months of use, I still have about 30 to 35 litres left. The gasoline is used as ballast to help keep the electric motor portion of the gas/ electric hybrid outboard motor under the surface of the water. The other benefit of using only one of the electric motors is that the weight reduction has made it easer to manually lift the outboard into its normal out of water storage position.

As a result of seeing the news stories about Canada's first fuel cell assisted sailboat, the Alumni Association of Loyalist College, Bellville Ontario has nominated me for this year's Ontario Premiers Award for Technology. I will also receive the "Best Innovation Award" from the Esquimalt Chamber of Commerce at the Annual General Meeting, Novemeber 19, 2008. I wish to thank those involved for these honours.

Jim Harrington

Are you interested in your own fuel cell powered boat?

Here are some motor options to consider.

PDF format plans are available for sale to convert a Honda 9.9HP outboard to an electric motor. Please contact us for more information.

Stage 1: completed (fall 2007)

Using the Horizon H300, empirical testing has provided the information needed to further develop a fuel cell drive system capable of reaching 5 to 6 knots with the 6-meter bilge keel sailboat. It has pointed to the strengths and weakness of the overall method and systems available. It has also shed light on how to do this for a very reasonable price. This small system is a good emergency motor power system and a good APU set up for the sailboat.

Stage 2: 1 KW fuel cell implementation (complete)

Using the basic set up from stage 1, and Palcan's newly developed 1 KW, air cooled fuel cell with its stand alone micro controller system we will be introducing the use of a high pressure tank arrangement. We are planning on using scuba divers gas bottles and their small pony bottle for cost and portability reasons. We are also trying out a carbon fiber hydrogen container but overall cost and safety of the system are the main concern. We will also be installing a better hydrogen leak / alarm system.

A Zahn 400 watt DC-DC converter was successfully used in stage 1 and we were extremely pleased with its performance.

A Zahn CH63250F-SS converter (pictured at right) will now be used to increase maximum output current capacity from 32 amps to 250 amps.

An adapter kit to retrofit an old 9.9 Yamaha gas outboard will be developed. The gas power head will be removed and replaced with the electrical adapter kit.

We now have proof of concept as originally conceived. Using readily available off the shelf parts, an old gas outboard was changed over to electric drive, giving us our first operational gas-to-electric conversion prototype. It took about 6 hours to disassemble, design, fabricate, re-assemble, and test the new Electric Yamaha (pictured at right). The power head is a Baldor 3450 RPM, 1/2 hp, 230 VAC, 3 phase motor. It runs smoothly and quietly, and is controlled by a KB frequency drive. Power is sourced from a 1200 watt Canadian Tire inverter, powered from a fuel cell through a Zahn DC to DC converter. It was surprising that the conversion was so easy to do.

We will continue to refine the mounting technique and upgrade to higher horsepower motors as the fuel cell and converter electronics capacities are increased. We have now field tested the prototype on the boat on April 12. The 1 kilowatt Palcan fuel cell is now operational. This is the least expensive way to get a fuel cell powered boat.

Thank you to Canadian Electro Drives for supplying three phase motor speed controllers.

Gas to Electric Outboard Demo Video

Stage 3: achieve 3 knots approximately 100 lbs of thrust

In stage 3, we will series (or parallel) 2 of Palcan's new 1 KW fuel cells and produce 110/220 VAC to power a 2 horsepower high voltage electric outboard using standard off the shelf motors and speed controllers. I expect to get about 100 lbs of thrust with this arrangement and it will have minimal cost. We are also hoping to access an ultra capacitor to help in the reduction of overall systems weight by reducing battery ballast size. (get the lead out)

Controllers supplied by Canadian Electro Drives

Motors provided by Alliance Power

Stage 4: achieve 5 to 6 knots 200 to 250 lbs of thrust (hull speed), (planned for spring 2009)

At this stage we will use in series 2 of Palcan's new 2 KW fuel cells and produce 220 VAC 3 phase to power a 5 horsepower high voltage electric outboard using standard off the shelf motors and FET speed controllers. This requires developing another adapter kit to retrofit an old 9.9 Evinrude or Mercury gas outboard. The gas power head will be removed and replaced with the electrical adapter kit. I expect that we will get about 200 to 250 lbs of thrust with this arrangement and again it will have minimal cost. This approach will also allow for splitting the fuel cell stacks and operating on just one unit if a problem develops with them at any time (redundancy).

Stage 5: finalize the form and functional 5 hp. electric outboard & market it as a kit or complete product.

At this point the prototype 5 hp. outboard will be combined with the fuel cell, control system and power head in a form factor layout that looks and feels like today's outboard with only the removable hydrogen bottles being plugged into the motor system from the outside. At this stage the system will be handed over to some group that would like to sell the systems.

Stage 1 Complete: successfully completed a 21 nautical mile trip, started and finished with hydrogen. What a beautiful ride it was, especially the portions while under fuel cell drive. The boat slipped quietly through the water almost totally quiet except for the occasional puff of water vapor coming out of the fuel cell's exhaust.

My appreciation to iGreen Technologies for providing the Horizon H-300 fuel cell that led to the successful completion of this stage of the project.

Hydrogen
The hydrogen for this test was supplied by NRC in Vancouver. NRC uses photovoltaic panels that transform solar energy into hydrogen to power fuel cells

James R. Harrington

Jim Harrington is an electronics and mechanical product designer and is the founder and president of AGO Environmental Electronics, Ltd. His wife describes him as an inventor of practical products and he has been developing research and exploration equipment since 1970 in astrophysics, geophysics, and oceanographic applications. Throughout the 1970's, he was instrumental in the development and application of transient electromagnetic exploration equipment used in the mining industry. In 1980, he joined the National Research Council of Canada's Hertzberg Institute of Astrophysics, Space Physics Division. He assisted in the development of the high flux telescope for the Ulysses spacecraft, which has explored the sun and Jupiter. Moving west, he then took over the electronics special projects lab of Dobroky Seatech. In 1986, he started AGO Environmental Electronics Ltd, and under his direction, it has continued to expand, manufacturing specialized support equipment for the mining, oceanographic, and scientific communities around the world.

Sailworld article: "The Making of a Dream"

Ian Soutar