Hobby RC - Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies

1/10 Scale Model Hobby RC

Introducing Horizon’s new 2009 version of the“H-cell” hydrogen fuel cell hybrid power-train for 1/10 scale model hobby RC, designed around the award-winning TAMIYA TRF-416 carbon fiber chassis kit.

In 2007 Horizon introduced a first version fuel cell system compatible with the TT-01 from Tamiya. Earlier this year we decided to begin work on a dramatically improved new version with much higher performance, as well as a home refueling station option able to refill the car’s solid hydrogen tanks automatically. The home refueling station to be released in July will create the possibility for users to draw hydrogen from water using a device called HydroFILL. Hydrogen is extracted from water and stored automatically in solid form in small battery-shaped devices called HydroSTIK. The HydroFILL can connect to optional solar panels or wind-turbines to produce 100% renewable fuel.

The new TRF-416 chassis is a step-change from the TT-01 chassis used previously. Two HydroSTIKs each carrying about 15Wh of energy or 13L of hydrogen are integrated to the fuel cell electric power-train on either side of the chassis, enhancing weight distribution on board the car. The result is definitely a faster vehicle with no power loss.

As in real-scale hybrid hydrogen-electric cars being engineered today, a smaller-size lithium battery provides peak power for accelerations and fast speed requests from the brushless motor, while the fuel cell provides cruise power and recharges the battery for extended runtimes.

hcell

The TRF-416 chassis from Tamiya comes as an assembly kit and can be supplied by Horizon along with all other required parts (above), or found at your local hobby RC shop. This high performance chassis does not include wheels, brushless motor, speed controller, servo-motor, receiver and transmitter. In the near future, recommended parts as well as the HydroFILL, HydroSTIK, solar panels and wind turbines can be ordered together with the H-cell on the Horizon online store.

solid-state hydrogen cartridges (refillable)

The fuel cartridge used in the new H-cell is called HydroSTIK, it has a battery-like form factor and contains a special metal alloy that allows hydrogen to be stored in a solid-state, as part of the metal alloy matrix inside the cartridge. In contrast with ordinary compressed hydrogen tanks, the pressure inside the canister is very low (under 10 bars in normal temperature conditions, and not exceeding 20 to 30 bars at elevated temperatures), making this device the safest and most practical means of storing hydrogen. The HydroSTIK has the additional advantages of being refillable (from pressurized gas bottles, or from water-electrolysis based devices). Each HydroSTIK can store 15Wh of energy, and with two located on either side of the new H-cell power-train, about 30L of hydrogen can be stored on-board the model scale vehicle.

: hydrogen refueling station

The HydroFILL is a “world-first” small-scale home hydrogen station that allows you to refill solid state canisters in a simple way, using water and electricity as only input. By adding water, and plugging the HydroFILL into a electrical wall-socket (or a solar panel), hydrogen can be generated by means of electrolysis, and captured in a solid form into our HydroSTIKS – automatically. A special connector device has been designed to pump hydrogen directly to the vehicle’s storage tanks. Horizon has also adapted a solar and a wind turbine kit which is able to power the production of hydrogen using renewable energy – thereby creating renewable fuel for the model scale vehicle.

To order your new H-cell 1/10 model scale hydrogen fuel cell car powertrain, HydroFILL refueling station, and renewable fuel generation accessories such as solar panels or wind turbines – please contact us here.