DLR German Aerospace Center

DLR is Germany's national research center for aeronautics and space with about 5100 employees. DLR's business fields are space, aeronautics, energy and traffic. In 2001 the Institute of Vehicle Concepts (IFK) has been founded in the DLR research center Stuttgart. The IFK handles and coordinates all research subjects related to traffic and transportation at the DLR location in Stuttgart. The institute is headed by professor Horst E. Friedrich. The activities at the institute contribute to the sustainable development of technological systems for future generations of road and railway vehicles. The main subjects covered at the IFK are: (1) alternative power trains and energy conversion, (2) fuel and energy storages, (3) lightweight and hybrid assembly methods and (4) innovative technological systems and technology evaluation. Since its establishment the IFK develops intensively in the research field of "Alternative Power Trains" in the frame of industrial cooperation projects on alternative drive trains (e.g. project HYLITE), on energy supplies for small industrial vehicles (e.g. project FTS / VFF) with two different fuel cell system concepts and in the area of advanced hydride storages. All those projects represent the institute's activities successfully in the public and in industry. The development of fuel cell operated small vehicles within the power range up to a few kilowatts has tradition in the IFK from the beginning on and is a separate development focus. The basis of these developments is a modularized concept of a simple low pressure PEFC system for hydrogen / air operation. Up to now various different vehicle demonstrators have been equipped and successfully operated with different development stages of this PEFC system concept. The use of industrially manufactured hydride storages is already standard with these systems. Therefore, the necessary accessory systems such as quick-coupler systems and simple refuelling devices were developed and realized together with industrial partners.