Optimizing the design of a hydrogen engine with pilot diesel fuel ignition Online publication date: Wed, 28-May-2014
by S.M. Lambe, H.C. Watson
International Journal of Vehicle Design (IJVD), Vol. 14, No. 4, 1993
Abstract: A diesel engine was converted to dual-fuel hydrogen operation, ignition being started by a 'pilot' quantity of diesel fuel but with 65 to 90% of the energy being supplied as hydrogen. With later injection timing, use of delayed port admission of the gas, and a modified combustion chamber, thermal efficiencies were achieved nearly 15% greater than those for diesel as the sole fuel. A 'solid' water injection technique was used to curb knock under full load conditions when the power output equalled or exceeded that of a similar diesel engine. The indicator diagrams under these conditions closely approach those of the Otto cycle. The development was assisted by computer simulation using a novel self-ignition and flame propagation model. The very fast burning rates obtained with stoichiometric hydrogen-air mixtures show combustion to occur within 5 degrees of crank rotation yet Otto cycle thermal efficiency was not achieved. However, greenhouse gases are shown to be reduced by more than 80%, nitrogen oxides by up to 70%, and exhaust smoke by nearly 80%.
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Vehicle Design (IJVD):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:
Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.
If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com
Our Blog 
Follow us on Twitter 
Visit us on Facebook