The hydrogen heat engine represents one of the most promising solutions on the alternative energy scene.
This type of engine uses hydrogen as a fuel to generate mechanical power, with a number of environmental and operational advantages. However, like all innovations, it also has controversial aspects and challenges to face.
How the hydrogen heat engine works
The hydrogen heat engine is a true internal combustion engine that burns hydrogen as fuel. In practice, it works in a similar way to conventional internal combustion engines, only it uses hydrogen instead of fossil fuels.
Specifically, hydrogen is stored in high-pressure tanks and injected into the engine’s cylinders, where it mixes with air and is combusted. This combustion generates mechanical energy, which is used to move the vehicle.
The main components of a hydrogen engine are:
- hydrogen tank
- injectors
- ignition system
- exhaust system
During combustion, hydrogen reacts with oxygen in the air, producing mainly water steam as a by-product. This is why this type of engine is particularly clean when it comes to producing emissions.
The advantages of the hydrogen engine
From the outside, a hydrogen engine is very similar to a classic petrol engine. In fact, both have the same duty cycle and the same components. This strong similarity of engine components is a great advantage in terms of economy of scale. Therefore, it makes it possible to reduce conversion costs and take advantage of the proven reliability of internal combustion engines.
In particular, the advantages of the hydrogen combustion engine are:
Let us look at these advantages in more detail.
Energy efficiency of the hydrogen heat engine
The energy efficiency of hydrogen is related to its high energy density. This means that it can store and release a large amount of energy per unit weight. This makes hydrogen engines more efficient than petrol or diesel engines, as a hydrogen engine can produce the same energy as a petrol engine using less fuel.
Hydrogen engine: reduced environmental impact
One of the main advantages of the hydrogen engine is its reduced environmental impact. Hydrogen combustion produces mainly water and eliminates CO2 emissions and other harmful greenhouse gases associated with fossil fuels. This contributes significantly to reducing air pollution and combating climate change.
Controversial aspects of the hydrogen heat engine
The hydrogen heat engine also has some controversial aspects. In fact, this type of engine lends itself to some criticism related to:
Let us analyse the reasons for these criticisms.
Missing infrastructure for the hydrogen engine
The spread of hydrogen engines is limited by the lack of refuelling infrastructure. In particular, building a network of hydrogen refuelling stations requires significant investment in terms of resources, time and money. This represents one of the main barriers to the large-scale adoption of the hydrogen engine.
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Hydrogen production: poor efficiency in thermal engines
There is also a problem with the poor efficiency of the hydrogen production process, which today represents a major limitation to the spread of the hydrogen heat engine.
Currently, much of the hydrogen is produced by processes using fossil fuels, which reduces the environmental benefits of using hydrogen engines. However, the development of technologies for producing hydrogen from renewable sources, such as the electrolysis of water, is advancing rapidly. Therefore, the rapid progress of these technologies will make it possible to solve this limitation in the medium to long term, which is currently holding back the spread of the hydrogen engine as a solution for sustainable mobility.
Hydrogen safety issues
The safety problems with hydrogen mainly depend on the fact that it is a highly flammable gas, like methane and LPG. Therefore, the use and handling of hydrogen require strict safety measures. Its being a gas that is lighter than air and extremely volatile makes it necessary to adopt advanced technologies for its storage and transport, different from those applied to other gases, which may be more dangerous than hydrogen due to their characteristics.
Possible future developments of the hydrogen heat engine
Research and development in the field of hydrogen engines is constantly and rapidly evolving. It is no coincidence that companies such as Hyundai Motor Company, BMW and Bosch are investing significantly in this technology. Indeed, these engines promise to combine the efficiency and performance of diesel engines with zero pollutant emissions and are an attractive alternative to fuel cell electric vehicles.
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Simplifhy solutions for more sustainable mobility
At Simplifhy, we design and build complete, customised solutions for the production and use of hydrogen, to make our contribution to the creation of sustainable mobility. In fact, we are involved in the construction of hydrogen infrastructure and, in particular, we design and build facilities for the production, storage and refuelling of hydrogen for mobility.
Contact us to learn more.
