Diesel engines can now run on 90% hydrogen, thanks to new retrofit system
October 14, 2022 By Prelo Con
(Image Credit Google)
Researchers from the University of South Wales (UNSW) have prototyped and tested a retrofit system that allows diesel engines to run on 90% hydrogen. According to New Atlas, who broke the news first, this technology dramatically lowers emissions of nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide while simultaneously increasing efficiency by an astounding 26%.
The process, which entails running 10% diesel, does not fully green-convert diesel engines, but it does give certain businesses a chance to significantly lower their carbon output without needlessly destroying old assets that may still be valuable to them.
The retrofit system, which keeps the diesel injection system, adds the direct injection of hydrogen into the cylinder and separates timing management for the diesel and hydrogen systems.
The team has demonstrated that the frequency of nitrous oxide emissions is reduced below that of a straight diesel by using a "stratified" hydrogen injection technique, which places pockets of higher and lower hydrogen concentrations in the cylinder. It also doesn't need hydrogen that is of a very high degree of purity.
The Hydrogen-Diesel Direct Injection Dual-Fuel System took the team, led by Professor Shawn Kook from the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, around 18 months to design.
With all of Australia's mining, agricultural, and other heavy industries that utilize diesel engines frequently, Prof. Kook said in a statement that "this novel technology considerably cuts CO2 emissions from conventional diesel engines," which could help us leave a smaller carbon footprint.
By Prelo Con
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