PROTOTYPE HYDROGEN ENGINE SUCCESSFUL IN RECENT CHINA TRIALS

China Yuchai International Limited has announced that the company’s YCK05 hydrogen-fuelled engine achieved stable ignition and operation in a recent demonstration at the Beijing Institute of Technology.

The YCK05 engine is the first operating hydrogen engine for commercial applications in China. This successful achievement is another Yuchai hydrogen technology milestone in the development of hydrogen energy as an environmentally-friendly alternative system, following the introduction of Yuchai’s hydrogen fuel cell technology.

The YCK05 hydrogen-powered engine adopts a number of advanced special technologies such as high-pressure multi-point inlet air injection technology, high-efficiency low-inertia turbocharging technology, high-efficiency lean burn combustion technology, etc. The engine design upgrades the engine structure and its subsystems such as the combustion and gas distribution systems.

Yuchai took the lead in initiating the research and development of hydrogen-powered engines for China’s domestic & commercial markets and recently strengthened its scientific research cooperation with the Beijing Institute of Technology.

Yuchai will use its extensive experience and advantages in the research and development of internal combustion engines, to develop a solid process to transform hydrogen-powered engine developments into large-scale mass production of these engines.

It is hoped that the YCK05 hydrogen engines may be applicable in the power generation sector and also in bus, municipal, sanitation, logistics and distribution markets. Hydrogen power is eco-friendly and helps the environment making it one of the best option for providing power to generators.

A hydrogen power generator is unique in how it works. In the generator, the hydrogen in placed inside a container with two metal plates.

After which, the plates will become charged, either with an electrical current or by a chemical reaction. This process will cause the H2 to be removed from the liquid and a byproduct which will not be used by the generator.

The H2 will be used in the hydrogen fuel cell. The hydrogen fuel cell will be use the H2 as its source fuel to generate an electrical current that will be the power for the generator. Hydrogen will produce less pollution, and less greenhouse gases, than fossil fuels. Hydrogen power is more efficient that the other types of power generators.

They are also more convenient because of their lightweight fuel cells with no moving parts. The system is also quiet when it is running. Hydrogen power will help the environment. Hydrogen will allow China to stop depending on foreign oil.

The disadvantages of hydrogen power, is that hydrogen is a carrier rather than a source of energy.

Hydrogen must be separated from its sources, like water; this can be inconvenient. Hydrogen is costly to covert to liquid because it is a gas. Hydrogen is the lightest of all the elements, and it is difficult to covert to liquid because it will dissipate quickly. Also hydrogen conversion will require fossil fuels for the process.

What hydrogen could mean to China’s economy

Hydrogen power is an important step for China’s domestic engine industry to transform away from current internal combustion technology as the country implements its goal to improve the environment.

Mr. Weng Ming Hoh, President of China Yuchai, commented: “With our advancements in developing hydrogen-powered engines, we have expanded to become the domestic enterprise with the largest engine technology portfolio consisting of traditional internal combustion engines, gas-powered engines, hybrid engines, and new energy power technologies.

“We look forward to the full commercialisation of hydrogen-powered engines in the future to meet the needs of our diversified customer base and to contribute to improving the environment.” www.yuchaiie.com