SPRING 2004 — Engine and Emissions
CTR Exploring Hydrogen-Fueled Internal Combustion Engines
Hydrogen vehicle engines will help promote a hydrogen economy and serve as a bridging technology for a hydrogen infrastructure. A major FreedomCAR goal, adopted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and industry, is to develop internal combustion engine (ICE) powertrain systems operating on hydrogen with a cost target of $45/kW by 2010 and $30/kW in 2015, having a peak brake engine efficiency of 45%, and meeting or exceeding emissions standards.
To this end, Argonne's Center for Transportation Research (CTR) is conducting several hydrogen research initiatives. In one effort, the CTR is collaborating with Ford Motor Co. and Sandia National Laboratories to conduct applied combustion research on direct-injection hydrogen engines. Developing a direct-injection hydrogen-fueled engine poses unique combustion challenges. Researchers will explore challenging hydrogen operating conditions, such as wide flammability limits, pre-ignition issues and knocking, air-to-fuel (A/F) ratio, and other ignition characteristics. They are also looking at high speed and load conditions.
By using an AVL VisioScope — an integrated system that uses endoscopes, data acquisition, and digital imaging to visualize in-cylinder combustion on the Ford single-cylinder metal research engine — CTR researchers will gain insight into such pre-ignition issues as high speed and load, metal engine heat transfer, and location and timing of pre-ignition phenomena. The VisioScope, used with UV-sensitive optics, will track the OH radical as a means of following hydrogen flame propagation. OH is a combustion product that emits photons during a combustion event. These photons are emitted at a specific UV wavelength. This photon emission, called chemiluminescence, occurs as a product of the chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. Tracking this chemiluminescence will allow CTR researchers to determine ignition location and timing, along with tracking flame propagation.
Researchers are currently working on making one of CTR's test cells "hydrogen compatible." Testing of the Ford engine will begin in early winter.
In another initiative, CTR researchers in the Vehicle Systems section are testing hythane fuel — comprised of 50% compressed natural gas and 50% hydrogen by volume — in a modified Ford F150 pickup truck. To date, they've measured emissions, fuel economy, and particulates over the Federal Test Procedure (FTP) and Highway Fuel Economy Test (HWFET). Researchers also tested the US06 and a modified New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). Particulate matter was measured with the most sensitive instruments, such as the Scanning Mobility Particle Sampler. Effects of water condensation in the exhaust gas on emission measurement were investigated as well. Researchers performed the testing in the chassis dynamometer cell of the CTR's Advanced Powertrain Research Facility.
The hythane-fueled truck performed well without any detected performance problems. Results to date are very promising:
- Exhaust emission results were extremely low.
- FTP and HWFET emissions results and fuel consumption measurements were repeatable from test to test. A single driver used throughout the testing and highly controlled air conditions resulting from the CTR's state-of-the-art test and dilution air-handling systems most likely contributed to this successful outcome.
- Fuel economy in three FTP and two HWFET tests averaged 14.3 and 21.6 mi/gal respectively.
- Particulates were so low that even the most sensitive particle analyzer couldn't detect any.
Sponsor
U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy with assistance from Ford Motor Company and Sandia National Laboratories
Contact
Steve Ciatti (combustion research) and Henry Ng (hythane research)
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