Electric buses for passenger transport
Heat consumption has a significant impact on the range of electric buses and often remains an unknown factor—an exciting, forward-looking project in collaboration with Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences to measure the energy requirements of heating systems in public buses.
On the Trail of the Truth
Since the actual ranges of electric public buses depend heavily on heat consumption and manufacturers do not provide real-world data on this, this creates a major unknown regarding true ranges. Now, for the first time, the heat consumption of a public bus is being scientifically measured.
The project aims to determine the energy requirements of the heating systems in order to better calculate this unknown consumption when considering the potential purchase of electric buses. This is considered a small milestone in the efficient implementation of electric mobility in passenger transportation.
Prof. Dr. Olaf Goebel and Verena Dohmwirth, a student at the Chair of “Energy Technology and Resource Optimization” at Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences (HSHL), jointly developed this forward-looking concept in cooperation with HSHL, the workshop management at Stadtwerke Hamm, and the measurement technology manufacturer Katronic.
After the concept was developed, an on-site assessment of the bus was conducted to verify feasibility and to draw on Katronic’s expertise. Katronic was subsequently awarded the contract to supply a KATflow 150 ultrasonic flow meter for permanent installation. Testing of the measurement system in the HSHL laboratory, on-site installation and commissioning, as well as ongoing support, are being carried out by Katronic engineers in collaboration with all parties involved.
This application utilizes a specialized version of the KATflow 150, which, thanks to its modular design, can be configured to meet specific customer requirements and is thus integrated into the bus’s system. During normal bus operation, the measurement system will, among other things, perform and record two heat flow measurements as well as two temperature measurements—inside and outside the passenger compartment. Using integrated remote data transmission, the data will be sent to a server for one year and evaluated by the university.
We are pleased about this collaboration and look forward to the results.
Photo – People from left to right: Oliver Höfelsborn (Sales Manager at Katronic), Verena Domwirth, Mr. Tiggemann (Technical Director of the public transit authority)
