The potential of hydrogen as an alternative fuel for the transport and power sector in India

Abstract

In view of its infinite source potential and ‘clean‐burning’ characteristics, hydrogen is being considered as a prospective alternative fuel for the transport and power sector. This paper describes the use potential of hydrogen in existing designs of internal combustion engines typical of those which are being widely adopted for transport and power applications in India. Exhaustive tests carried out in the Indian Institute of Technology for a period of more than a decade and a half have shown that fuel induction technique plays a very critical role in system development. Timed manifold injection has been observed to be the most effective to ensure optimum performance and emission characteristics in the existing Spark Ignition (SI) engines. The diesel engines can adopt a substantial level of energy substitution. The other mode of fuelling could be by introducing hydrogen into the existing Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) operated vehicles in India.

Keywords:

• Hydrogen
• Timed manifold injection
• Oxides of nitrogen
• Equivalence ratio
• Dual fuel engine

Notes