A Computational Study on Performance, Combustion and Emissions Characteristics of a Hydrogen-Fueled Internal Combustion Engine

Hydrogen is an alternative fuel that is considered to be one of the viable solutions to the increasing demands of clean and secure energy. Internal combustion engines fueled by hydrogen have the potential for higher power and efficiency with lower emissions when compared to gasoline. In the present study, advanced engine simulations were used to study the performance, combustion and emission characteristics of a hydrogen-fueled engine. Hydrogen fuel-specific combustion models were used to account for the distinctive characteristics of hydrogen combustion when compared to that of gasoline. The simulation results matched well with the already-published experimental data under similar engine operational conditions. NOx emissions were found to increase drastically after an equivalence ratio of 0.5 due to high combustion temperatures. EGR was found to be an effective way to reduce NOx emissions but compromised engine power and efficiency.