Introduction to H2ICE
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Advantages
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Disadvantages
ICE's still face two of the problems that fuel cells face, that being Storage of Hydrogen and a Lack of a Standard. The storage of hydrogen on-board the vehicle is the biggest obstacle facing the implementation of Hydrogen as a fuel. |
How does an ICE provide power?
A H2ICE works the exact same way as a petrol based ICE. There are four different stages involved in an engine, hence the term 'four stroke' engine. It is called the Otto Cycle, named after Nikolaus Otto, who is the inventor of this technology.
- Intake: The piston starts at the top and moves downward. The intake valve opens, allowing fuel to flow into the vacant space. This is the light blue fuel seen in figure 3.
- Compression: The piston moves back upward to compress the fuel/air mixture. By compressing the mixture, it makes the combustion more powerful. The dark blue fuel shows the compression step in figure 3.
- Power: When the piston moves to the top of its stoke, the spark plug emits a spark that ignites the fuel. The fuel in the chamber explodes, pushing the piston back down. The red/orange/yellow explosion is seen in figure 3.
- Exhaust: Once the piston has reached the bottom of its stoke, the exhaust valve opens and the remaining exhaust exits the engine. The exhaust is the red color in figure 3.
Article Sources
[1] Hydrogen fueled internal combustion engines by Verhelst & Wallner, 2009
[2] Recent progress in the use of hydrogen as a fuel for internal combustion engines By Verhelst, S., 2013
[3] Towards Sustainable Road Transport by Ronald M. Dell, Patrick T. Moseley, David A. J. Rand, 2014
Other sources
[1] Hydrogen fueled internal combustion engines by Verhelst & Wallner, 2009
[2] Recent progress in the use of hydrogen as a fuel for internal combustion engines By Verhelst, S., 2013
[3] Towards Sustainable Road Transport by Ronald M. Dell, Patrick T. Moseley, David A. J. Rand, 2014
Other sources
- BMW Group. (2014). Technology: Efficient Dynamics. Retrieved June 5, 2014, from http://www.bmwgroup.com/bmwgroup_prod/e/0_0_www_bmwgroup_com/forschung_entwicklung/technologie/efficient_dynamics/efficient_dynamics.html
- Hoffmann, P. (2012). Tomorrow's Energy Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, and the Prospects for a Cleaner Planet (Rev. and expanded ed.). Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.
- Verhelst, S., Demuynck, J., Sierens, R., Scarcelli, R., Matthias, N. S., & Wallner, T. (2013). Renewable Hydrogen Technologies: Production, Purification, Storage, Applications and Safety, 381-400. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-56352-1.00016-7