New hydrogen engine design unveiled to overcome reliance on fuel cells
May 21, 2021Aquarius Engines has developed a small 10kg emission-free unit operating entirely on H2.
Aquarius Engines (Tel Aviv Stock Exchange symbol AQUA) has unveiled its new hydrogen engine design developed for the purpose of eliminating the need for reliance on both fuel cells and H2 fuel cells.
The unit is based on the same tech as the company’s original patented single-piston-linear-engine.
That said, this new design of hydrogen engine operates exclusively on H2. This could be an important opportunity in moving forward with the renewable energy source as governments and companies worldwide are working toward climate goals that include decarbonization. The lightweight design of the engine makes it more practical than designs relying on fuel cells. Moreover, the unique internal-gas-exchange method it employs significantly reduces emissions, reducing the carbon footprint left behind.
The company held off the unveiling of this new model until after third party tests had been successfully conducted. The tests were completed by AVL-Schrick, a respected Austrian engineering firm. They showed that it was possible to achieve 100 percent H2 power on a modified version of the company’s original engine.
The company has long made it a goal to take the lead with a hydrogen engine.
“It was always our dream at Aquarius Engines to breathe oxygen into hydrogen technology as the fuel of the future. From initial tests it appears that our hydrogen engine, that doesn’t require costly hydrogen fuel-cells, could be the affordable, green and sustainable answer to the challenges faced by global transport and remote energy production. As the world moves away from fossil fuel, our new hydrogen engine could spark the dawning of the age of Aquarius,” said Aquarius Engines chair Gal Fridman.
Beyond the new hydrogen engine, the original version of the Aquarius Engines Generator is also undergoing field tests, which have been so far successful in Europe, North America, Asia and Australasia. The company also recently announced partnership deals with Nokia for energy equipment management and remote communication, on top of the establishment of a subsidiary in Tokyo, where t will move on its partnership with TPR and Musashi Seimitsu (a Honda affiliate), which are auto parts manufacturers.
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Exciting news, we also have a h2 power plant that also separates oxygen and hydrogen.
The combination of this engine technology potentially combined with the ability to do away with pressurised hydrogen in a fuel tank could revolutionise personal as well as commercial transport.
What is required is a commitment of a consortium of multiple HGV and car manufacturers to invest in the infrastructure that will act as the catalyst for vehicle sales.
The current reliance on battery powered vehicles as the future of transport will put a strain on an already stretched electricity supply network and is totally impractical for HGVs.
“…with the ability to do away with pressurized hydrogen in a fuel tank.”
What would be a possible way to solve the challenge of hydrogen’s very low energy density by volume, without pressurizing it? Seems to me that that is the primary challenge to using hydrogen to fuel autos. Very interested to hear the answer. –Jeff
Where in this article does it say that pressurised hydrogen fuel storage can be done away with?
How or in what form is the hydrogen fuel stored on the vehicle?
Perhaps I’ve missed a previous, relevant article explaining this?
Thanks and Regards
If They can develop an engine that meets or surpasses gasoline engines loved by motor heads that like to hear and feel adrenaline producing power. Then Great you will have a winner.
Could this be used in a train?
Knowledge that a standard form of ICE engine can operate on H2 has been known for at least 50 plus years, a USA magazine showed an inventor who had modified a Cadillac petrol engine to H2 and had fitted a stainless steel exhaust pipe and was shown drinking the H2o water discharge.
Clearly direct power generation and transportation methods using this form H2 instead of fuel cells will be the future, Gas Turbines running on H2 will provide the rapid back up needed when the wind farms are under calm conditions etc. What governments around the world need to do is R&D how to combine the three large Marine renewable energy sources, Wind/Wave and Tidal Stream into one large H2 Electrolysis platform , similar to or using former oil/gas rigs to produce H2 in quantity for transporting to coastal H2 power stations and grid links.
Jack Nicholson’s Hydrogen Car, 1978: CBC Archives | CBC
youtube.com/watch?v=TjfONpsFvyM
Sixty percent of power plants that still use fossil fuel powering gas and steam power can be converted to hydrogen. What we can do now. Hydrogen is already produced by oil refineries by adding steam in later distillation process then filtered through aqueous calcium solution. Can also be transported or piped as ammonia and separated at ambient temperatures safely at source of need. Can be replace fossil fuel usage in manufacturing, transportation and electrical plant production.
Well I am surprised that soemone else sees the potential of Fuel Production on board the EV
I have been in this field since 2012 and before that I was granted a UK Patent for Low-Voltage House were banks of batteries would produce Hydrogen for a vehaicle. At that point I intended to use both Hydrogen and the oxygen stops wasted energy into the electrolysor.
Having designed a completely different type engine HyPulJet is a concept for H2 -O2 Combustion Internal Steam Rotary Engine as generator – J3xE is the Innovative Golden Sauce – it allows a major reduction in fuel usage whilst still having full output from the main generator – the secondary generator Fuel Supply can have the output increased for the constant input from the main Rotors.
We have brought the development back to UK from Berlin – it has taken a year but we are just signing up with a UK University for initial modelling and on validation to carry out full development to On Road Proof of Concept –
Power from water – crazy idea — all the big breakthroughs were crazy the day before.
There are 2 problems with this well known technology, which does not mean that it has no potential:
The first is that it uses air to provide the necessary oxygen, so the 80% nitrogen in the air will burn (oxidise) to a range of nitrogen oxides (NOx) that are harmful to health and the environment.
The second issue is how to store the necessary kilos of hydrogen on board if it is a moving vehicle; the energy density of hydrogen gas is low compared with liquid petrol and diesel, even stored at 700 bar. Electric power from hydrogen gas via a fuel cell to drive a much more efficient electric motor is more efficient than burning hydrogen in an internal combustion engine.
Burning H2 with air in an IC engine does NOT produce any NOx if 100% excess air is supplied.
ie Llambda = 2.0 or slightly higher. The combustion temperature is too low to create NOx.
Future battery-electric larger vehicles, (vans, buses, trucks etc ) will be fitted with only a very small weight of batteries. The batteries will be topped up by H2 fueled Range Extenders. These REs will not be Fuel Cells which cost too much and still have operating issues (after 60 years work and $billions of R&D expenditure world wide). They will be single-rotor ACR-type Wankel rotary engines operating solely at a single RPM and load using the weak H2 air mixture. Hence with higher thermal efficiency than fuel cells and costing 1/10 that of FCs to manufacture
Problems solved by separating nitrogen, hydrogen can be stored in ammonia, research shows ammonia naturally decomposes at ambient room temperatures or separates, is already transported industry wide and can be transported via pipeline. Can allow hydrogen to be prepared on-site as needed where needed. It is true if nitrogen is burned at typical combustion temperatures it does produce acid rain. There is a combined cycle that separates oxygen and atmospheric nitrogen that is initiated by ignited h2 and oxygen, the rest of cycle renews gases, one step utilizes a turbo-expander process.
expander
Does it run on a mixture of gasoline and hydrogen?
Appreciate David D’s comment about using ambient air in H2 ICE.
Is it conceivable to use some ICE -generated power to incorporate H2O hydrolysis; or are the H and O quantities incompatible? Wouldn’t using almost-pure Oxygen rather than air provide supercharging effect?