Effective indicators of a hydrogen engine operating on a lean mixture and equipped with a modified fuel supply system

Abstract

Introduction (problem statement and relevance). Limited oil reserves and tightening environmental standards are forcing engine manufacturers to switch to alternative fuels in the near future, among which hydrogen is the most promising. The advantages of hydrogen are high specific heat of combustion and high combustion rate. Wide concentration limits of hydrogen combustion make it possible to use high-quality power control, thereby providing an increase in the efficiency of a hydrogen engine when compared to the basic internal combustion engine.The purpose of the study was to ensure the operation of a serial gasoline engine running on hydrogen with a new experimental fuel supply system, as well as the modification of the intake manifold design without abnormal phenomena during combustion when operating on a lean mixture, and to obtain efficient and ecological characteristics of a hydrogen engine under bench test conditions, as a result.Methodology and research methods. The work is experimental, the reliability of the results obtained is confirmed by the use of modern means for measuring and processing experimental data. The obtained results of measuring nitrogen oxides are adequate to the known Zel'dovich thermal mechanism. The value of the results lies in the fact that they show the feasibility of transferring serial internal combustion engines to hydrogen; in addition, these results are used to develop and verify mathematical 3D models of the hydrogen engine working process.Scientific novelty and results. A new system providing the necessary characteristics (pressure, duration and cycle dose) for supplying hydrogen to the intake system with two injectors for each cylinder was designed, installed and tested on the prototype engine.Practical significance. The expediency of the working cycle creation and efficiency of a hydrogen engine with an experimental lean-burn fuel supply system was confirmed, which made it possible to provide high-quality power control with external mixture formation and forced ignition.