New Holland previewed the farm-ready version of the hydrogen fuel cell NH2 tractor (earlier post) at the Agritechnica international agricultural machinery show in Hannover in November. Derived from the New Holland T6.140 production model, the new tractor will operate all the implements required for different seasonal operations: soil preparation, seeding, baling, transport, and front loader applications.
Compared to the first NH2, the new model has fuel cells that deliver double the power, increased from 50 to 100kW, as there are now three stacks. The number of on-board electric motors remains the same, one for traction and one to operate the PTO and auxiliary circuits, but their rated power and torque are doubled.
The new NH2 has evolved from the concept that won the Gold Innovation Medal at SIMA 2009. It was developed in collaboration with CRF [Centro Ricerche Fiat], a process that has involved equipping the new machine with all of the features required to ensure it will deliver the kind of performance associated with a conventional diesel tractor, both in the field and on the road.
—Riccardo Morselli, Innovation Product Development
Each of the new electric motors has a power output of 100kW, with continuous torque of 950 N·m (701 lb-ft) and maximum torque of 1,200 N·m (885 lb-ft). Top crankshaft speed is 3000 rpm, and efficiency at maximum power output is 96%.
A larger hydrogen tank has been installed to support the three fuel cells. The tank of the new NH2 can hold 8.2 kg of hydrogen at a pressure of 350 bar, opposed to 2.4 kg for the previous model—enough to keep the tractor for working up to three hours, depending upon the load.
Other new features include a 12 kWh, 300V battery, with peak power output of 50 kW; the new Continuously Variable Transmission, replacing the conventional manual gearbox; a suspended front axle; and the inclusion of front loader mounting points as standard.
Performance levels of the new NH2 are more than equal to those of a tractor similar size with a conventional engine, according to New Holland, without the operational exhaust emissions. With a top speed of 50 km/h (31 mph), pulling power comparable to that of a standard 120 hp diesel tractor, and a hydraulic system that delivers a maximum of 113 l/min (the same as that of the T6.140 model from which it derives), the new hydrogen-powered NH2 is farm-ready, according to...
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