Full Load Optimization of a Hydrogen Fuelled Industrial Engine

There are a large number of applications in which hydrogen internal combustion engines represent a sensible alternative to battery electric propulsion systems and to fuel cell electric propulsion systems. The main advantages of combustion engines are their high degree of robustness and low manufacturing costs. No critical raw materials are required for production and there are highly developed production plants worldwide. A CO2-free operation is possible when using hydrogen as a fuel. The formation of nitrogen oxides during hydrogen combustion in the engine can be effectively mitigated by a lean-burn combustion process. However, achieving low NOx raw emissions conflicts with achieving high power yields. In this work, a series industrial diesel engine was converted for hydrogen operation and comprehensive engine tests were carried out. Various measures to improve the trade-off between NOx emissions and performance were investigated and evaluated. The rated power output and the maximum torque of the series diesel engine could be exceeded while maintaining an indicated specific NOx emission of 1 g/kWh along the entire full load curve. In the low-end-torque range, however, the gap to the full load curve of the series diesel engine could not be fully closed with the hardware used.