1. Hydrogen fuel of the future
TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF RADOM
KdG
Mark Pecqueur
Hydrogen fuel of the future
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force
in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

2. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
Hydrogen fuel of the future
Mark Pecqueur
Professor at KdG University college
Independent expert on Engines and vehicles
More than 15 years act if in the world of gausses fuels
Founding father and member of the board of Hydrothane
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

3. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
Whay looking for alternative fuels?
The world consumes around 90 million barrels of oil every day
One barrel contains 159 litters of oil
This means a total consumption of 14,31 billion litters a day
The average American consumes 21 litters of oil every day
The average European around 11 litters
In Ethiopia the average consumption is 0,01 litter
In China 0,4 litter
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

4. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
Welcome to the world of Hydrogen
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

5. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
Why hydrogen?
Hydrogen can be used in different applications like fuel cells and internal combustion engines
Hydrogen can be made out of electricity using the electrolysing principal
Most of the alternative energy systems like wind and solar energy produce electricity
Hydrogen can be used in different mixtures with biogas in ICE
This makes an easy transition possible
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

6. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
How do you introduce Hydrogen in our Society?
First waiting for fuel cells?
First install the infrastructure-filling stations?
This could be possible after 30 or 50 years.
We don’t have so much time anymore
Even 20 years without a huge reduction of CO2 would by catastrophic for the environment .
Consequences for the reduction of 20 % CO2:
Disastrous for the industry
Reduction of the CO2 only on world wide level
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

7. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
Are there other possibilities?
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

8. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
Why the ICE?
The ICE exists for more than a century
In the ICE it is possible to use two fuels like hydrogen and petrol
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

9. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
How we look at it
Petrol and Hydrogen fuel
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

10. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
Where do we get the energy from?
Balancing via electrolysis – producing Hydrogen E1 E2
Energy for producing Hydrogen E1 E2 E3
Energy for the net
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

11. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
Belgium is in a unique position
France-Belgium-Netherlands > 1000 kms at 100 bars
Germany > 200 kms at 40 bars
> 1700 km worldwide
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

12. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
relevant hydrogen properties
In cooperation with Gent University
Specific engine features taking into account:
High auto-ignition temperature: H2 858 K vs. gasoline ~ K (f = 1)
Low minimum ignition energy: H mJ vs. gasoline 0.25 mJ (f = 1)
Very wide flammability limits: H vol% vs. gasoline vol%
Small quenching distance: H mm vs. gasoline ~ 2 mm
Higher adiabatic flame temperature: H K vs. gasoline ~ 2275 K (f = 1)
 Hardly any knock
Pre-ignition and backfire occurs easily
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

13. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
Abnormal combustion
In cooperation with Gent University
For H2:
Knock: auto-ignition of end gas region
Pre-ignition: hot spot induced, uncontrolled ignition, before spark
Backfire: premature ignition during intake stroke
Low minimum ignition energy and wide flammability limits; it means high pre-ignition and backfire probability!
Backfire and pre-ignition limit maximum power output of external mixture formation H2 engines (for DI: pre-ignition)
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

14. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
Causes of backfire
In cooperation with Gent University
Hot spots
Ignition system
Crevice combustion
Runaway pre-ignition
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

15. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
Knock in hydrogen engines
In cooperation with Gent University
End-gas auto-ignition: unlikely (high auto-ignition temperature) → high RON
Knock-like combustion is probably due to excessive flame speeds (careful with ‘knock meters’ – always measure cylinder pressure)
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

16. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
Pre-ignition
In cooperation with Gent University
This is the limiting factor for H2 ICE (power output, efficiency)
Optimum compression ratio: as for any fuel, choose as high as possible for highest efficiency
Limited by increasing heat losses or appearance of abnormal combustion: H2 → pre-ignition
Examples:
Ford: CR=14.5:1; f=0.55
BMW: CR=12:1 stoich CR=11:1 stoich, 0.85 barg charging pressure
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

17. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
Mixture formation
In cooperation with Gent University
Historically: dictated by backfire
External mixture formation, gas carburetor
External mixture formation with “parallel induction”
External mixture formation, PFI
Internal mixture formation, DI
Now:
External mixture formation, PFI, late injection
External mixture formation, cryogenic PFI
Internal mixture formation, DI: early/late
PFI+DI combination
Pe 
retrofit, cheap
dedicated, complex
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

18. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
PFI versus DI
In cooperation with Gent University
PFI:
+ cost and simplicity
+ efficiency, NOx
+ extended lean operation
+ any storage method
+ injectors commercially available
- power output
- backfire
DI:
+ power output
+ backfire
+ versatility (e.g. multiple injections)
- needs LH2 storage
- cost, complexity
- DI injectors to be developed
PFI+DI?
PART LOAD
FULL LOAD
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

19. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
Versatile fuel
In cooperation with Gent University
TWC
or EGR H2
bmep f
NOx
0.5
0.8
WOT
0.25
1.0
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

20. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
Example: lean burn versus EGR
In cooperation with Gent University
f=1
before TWC
before TWC
after TWC
after TWC
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

21. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
Numbers
In cooperation with Gent University
Power output compared to gasoline (imep=12-13 bar)
PFI: -18% (theory), imep=9 bar (BMW)
DI: +17% (theory), imep=14-15 bar (BMW)
PFI+charging: imep=18 bar (BMW)
TARGET: > gasoline
Efficiencies
Ford P2000: BTEmax=38%, ITEmax=52%
BMW part load ITE>40%, full load ITE 33%
TARGET: > diesel, or FC
Emissions
TARGET: SULEV
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

22. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
Aftertreatment
In cooperation with Gent University
NOx reduction (using H2 as reducing agent)
Emissions: only at higher loads
TWC: further downstream to limit T at full load no problem: no cold start emissions
H2 ICE in hybrid powertrain: no aftertreatment needed for SULEV (lean operation)
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

23. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
ICE versus FC
In cooperation with Gent University
H2 ICE:
+ well-known technology
+ cheap
+ versatility, e.g. bi-fuel
+ efficiency potential!
+ retrofit possible
+/- noisy?
FC:
+ no NOx
+ efficiency potential
+ modularity
+/- silent
- cost
- fuel purity
- power density
- (cold start)
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

24. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
Conclusions
In cooperation with Gent University
Hydrogen ICE: rapidly developing, serious competitor for FCs
Hydrogen PFI: ready for large scale demonstration purposes This would enable assessment of durability, effects on engine oil etc.
H2 ICE hybrid vehicle and H2 DI: lots of potential
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008

25. Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force in the Development of Vehicles
TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF RADOM
Thank you for attention
Ecology and Safety as a Driving Force
in the Development of Vehicles
IP Radom, 02 March – 15 March, 2008