Hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicle
[2][3] The absence of carbon means that no CO2 is produced, which eliminates the main greenhouse gas emission of a conventional petroleum engine.
It was used in a research project examining and measuring losses from the power conversions sun -> electricity -> electrolysis -> storage -> motor -> transmission -> wheels.
Compared to its previous battery-electric mode, the range proved higher but the system efficiency lower and the available alkaline hydrogen generator too large to be carried on board.
[citation needed] HICE forklift trucks have been demonstrated [9] based on converted diesel internal combustion engines with direct injection.
[12] Hydrogen internal combustion engine development has been receiving more interest recently, particularly for heavy duty commercial vehicles.
[citation needed] In May 2023, Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki received approval from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to form a technological research association called HySE (Hydrogen Small mobility & Engine technology) for developing hydrogen-powered engines for small mobility.
[13] In the year 2000, a Shelby Cobra was converted to run on hydrogen in a project led by James W. Heffel (principal engineer at the time for the University of California, Riverside CE-CERT).
[18] Toyota intends to apply its safety technologies and know-how that it has accumulated through the development of fuel cell vehicles and the commercialization of the Mirai.
[19] In November 2021, five automotive manufacturers in Japan (Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Subaru, Toyota, Mazda and Yamaha Motor) jointly announced that they will take on the challenge of expanding fuel options through the use of internal combustion engines to achieve carbon neutrality, at the (three-hour) Super Taikyu race Round 6 held at Okayama International Circuit.
[20] Their common view is that the enemy is not internal combustion engines, and we need diverse solutions toward challenging carbon neutrality.
[23] In July 2022, Isuzu, Denso, Toyota, Hino Motors, and Commercial Japan Partnership Technologies Corporation (CJPT) announced that they have started planning and foundational research on hydrogen engines for heavy-duty commercial vehicles with the aim of further utilizing internal combustion engines as one option to achieve carbon neutrality.
In comparison, the efficiency of a fuel cell is limited by the Gibbs free energy, which is typically higher than that of Carnot.
[34] From this, one can deduce that hydrogen combustion engines are a match in terms of efficiency for fuel cells for heavy duty applications.
A 67 ml 4-stroke engine converted to hydrogen and tested with a dynamometer at the best operating point (3000 rpm, 14 NLM (normal liters per minute), 2.5 times stoichiometric air/fuel ratio) achieved 520 W and 21% efficiency.
Equation when ignoring EGR: This technology potentially benefits hydrogen combustion also in terms of NOx emissions.
The differences between a hydrogen ICE and a traditional gasoline engine include hardened valves and valve seats, stronger connecting rods, non-platinum tipped spark plugs, a higher voltage ignition coil, fuel injectors designed for a gas instead of a liquid, larger crankshaft damper, stronger head gasket material, modified (for supercharger) intake manifold, positive pressure supercharger, and high temperature engine oil.
Since both the carbureted and port injection methods mix the fuel and air prior to it entering the combustion chamber, these systems limit the maximum theoretical power obtainable to approximately 85% of that of gasoline engines.
Therefore, depending on how the fuel is metered, the maximum output for a hydrogen engine can be either 15% higher or 15% less than that of gasoline if a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio is used.
However, at a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio, the combustion temperature is very high and as a result it will form a large amount of nitrogen oxides (NOx), which is a criteria pollutant.
[46] In the Netherlands, research organisation TNO has been working with industrial partners for the development of hydrogen internal combustion engines.
[47] In Australia, The engineers further insert fit diesel ICE into run hydrogen fuel for car and truck.
