Hydrogen engines will be replacing gasoline powered engines in
automobiles. The question is when. Hydrogen engines come in two
varieties, electric engines powered directly by hydrogen fuel cells
and those engines that are converted from traditional gasoline powered
combustion engines and powered by compressed hydrogen. The natural
transitional vehicle, on a consumer level, most likely will be to
have a car that has a hydrogen engine that has been converted from
a gasoline powered engine and is fueled by pressurized hydrogen
Hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines (H2ICEs) as they are
called will most likely hit the consumer market first. For the long-term,
though, fuel cell driven engines will become the standard within
the next 10 years.
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This "transitional" hydrogen H2ICE engine is already
taking hold as both Mazda and BMW have introduced into limited production
"dual-fuel" engines. With the flip of a switch, each car
can switch back and forth between gasoline and hydrogen fuel. The
Mazda
RX-8 uses a RENESIS Hydrogen Rotary Engine, which is
ideally suited to burn hydrogen without inviting the backfiring
that can occur when hydrogen is burned in a traditional piston engine.
Twin hydrogen injectors and a separate induction chamber help maintain
safer temperatures with the hot running hydrogen fuel.
Mazda RX-8
with RENESIS Hydrogen Rotary Engine
Ford
Fuel Cell Engine
The BMW H2R Record car, on the other hand has recently
set 9 land records for hydrogen-powered cars with its six-litre
12-cylinder power unit developing an output of more than 210 kW
or 285 bhp. The H2R is equipped with dual gasoline / hydrogen
tanks, but for the purposes of the land speed records only the
hydrogen tank was engaged. The difference between the standard
BMW internal combustion engine and the modified engine involve
the hydrogen injection valve (seat rings) and the choice of materials
for the combustion chambers. The reason for the modifications
is that hydrogen does not have the inherent lubricating properties
that a gasoline / air mixture does.
BMW H2R with
Six-Litre 12-Cylinder Engine
A look a little bit further into the future has the hydrogen
fuel cell cars starting to dominate the market. Fewer moving parts,
less engine shimmy, cleaner burning and electricity regenerating
properties will make the hydrogen fuel cell / electric engine
a clear choice for many years to come. Toyota has already developed
an SUV Fuel Cell Hydrogen Vehicle (FCHV as they call it) with
a great design and a nifty dashboard that tells you how the fuel
cell is operating.
Toyota
has also developed two high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks
for use in its fuel cell vehicles. Both tanks (a 35MPa and 70MPa)
have been certified by the High Pressure Gas Safety Institute
of Japan.
Toyota
FCHV Fuel Cell and Electric Engine
Honda has developed the FCX hydrogen fuel cell / electric vehicle
as an integral way to reduce our global dependence on oil and
marks a major breakthrough in fuel cell performance by delivering
improved performance, range, energy efficiency and recycle-ability
and even the ability to operate in sub-zero temperatures. The
FCX uses 8.3 pounds of H2 is stored in two 5000-psi (41-gallon
total capacity) aluminum tanks eveloped with carbon fiber and
fiberglass layers. Honda has been the only automotive manufacturer
to certify its fuel cell vehicle for regular daily consumer use
and the first to offer its technology to an individual customer,
the Spallino family (Jon and Sandy), of Redondo Beach, California.
Honda FCX with
Fuel Cell and Eelctric Engine
Some manufacturers such as Honda are determined
to skip this transitional step so often talked about and introduce
the hydrogen fuel cell / electric powered engines from the get-go.
With this race for the king of the hydrogen highway firmly underway,
in the end, it will be the consumers who will be the real winners.
