A hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicle (HICEV) is a type of hydrogen vehicle using an internal combustion engine.[1] Hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles are different from hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (which use hydrogen + oxygen rather than hydrogen + air); the hydrogen internal combustion engine is simply a modified version of the traditional gasoline-powered internal combustion engine.[2]
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Francois Isaac de Rivaz designed in 1806 , the De Rivaz engine, the first internal combustion engine, which ran on a hydrogen/oxygen mixture.[3] Étienne Lenoir produced the Hippomobile in 1863. Paul Dieges patented in 1970 a modification to internal combustion engines which allowed a gasoline-powered engine to run on hydrogen.[4]
Mazda has developed Wankel engines that burn hydrogen. The advantage of using ICE (internal combustion engine) such as wankel and piston engines is that the cost of retooling for production is much lower. Existing-technology ICE can still be used to solve those problems where fuel cells are not a viable solution as yet, for example in cold-weather applications.
Recently, BMW tested a supercar, powered by a hydrogen ICE, which achieved 187 mph (301 km/h) in tests. At least two of these concepts have been manufactured.
HICE forklift trucks have been demonstrated [5] based on converted diesel internal combustion engines with direct injection.[6]
The combustion of hydrogen with oxygen produces water as its only product:
The combustion of hydrogen with air can also produce oxides of nitrogen, though at negligibly small amounts. Tuning a hydrogen engine to create the most amount of emissions as possible results in emissions comparable with consumer operated gasoline engines from 1976.[7]
Difference between a hydrogen ICE from a traditional gasoline engine could include hardened valves and valve seats, stronger connecting rods, non-platinum tipped spark plugs, higher voltage ignition coil, fuel injectors designed for a gas instead of a liquid, larger crankshaft damper, stronger head gasket material, modified (for supercharger) intake manifold, positive pressure supercharger, and a high temperature engine oil. All modifications would amount to about one point five times (1.5) the current cost of a gasoline engine.[8] These hydrogen engines burn fuel in the same manner that gasoline engines do.
The power output of a direct injected hydrogen engine vehicle is 20% more than for a gasoline engine vehicle and 42% more than a hydrogen engine vehicle using a carburetor.[9]