Hydrogen IC Engine Boosting Performance and NOx Study

Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (H₂ICE) powered vehicles have been considered a low emission, low cost, practical method to help establish a hydrogen fueling infrastructure. However, the naturally aspirated H₂ICE operating lean has performance issues requiring either increased displacement or induction boost to have comparable power to the modern gasoline powered IC engine. Ford Scientific Research Laboratory has continued its H₂ICE system investigation, conducting dynamometer engine-boosting experiments utilizing a 2.0 L Zetec engine (with compression ratios of 14.5:1 and 12.5:1), and a 2.3L Duratec HE-4 engine (with a compression ratio of 12.2:1) with boosted manifold air pressure up to 200 kPa. Test data of brake torque and exhaust emissions are reported at various boost pressures. Results of a detailed NOx study, conducted at University of California - Riverside, with EGR and aftertreatment for a naturally aspirated 2.0L Zetec engine are also reported. The trade off between engine compression ratio and thermal efficiency, power density, and NOx emission control strategy is discussed.