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What is a hydrogen engine?”
A hydrogen engine is a power unit that uses hydrogen fuel as a power**. The use of hydrogen energy in the transportation industry can achieve zero carbon dioxide emissions and effectively reduce the emission of other pollutants, which has very obvious environmental advantages.
1. Two technical routes for hydrogen engines in the future
At present, hydrogen internal combustion engines and hydrogen fuel cells are the two directions that attract the most attention for hydrogen engines:
1.Hydrogen internal combustion engine
The structure of the hydrogen internal combustion engine is basically the same as that of the current diesel engine, and the hydrogen fuel is burned in the combustion chamber, which pushes the piston to do work, converts chemical energy into mechanical energy, and outputs power. Studies have shown that the use of hydrogen combustion engines can reduce the climate impact of transportation processes by 50%-75%.
2.Hydrogen fuel cells
A hydrogen fuel cell powertrain is a power unit that can achieve zero pollutant emissions. Hydrogen is chemically reacted in a fuel cell to produce electricity directly and drain water, and an electric motor drives the wheels to turn. Compared with hydrogen internal combustion engines, hydrogen fuel cells have a pure environment for the electrochemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen, which can reduce the impact of the transportation process on the climate by 75%-90%.
2. Comparison of the two technical routes of hydrogen energy engines in the future
1.How it works
Hydrogen internal combustion engines are powered by mechanical work.
Hydrogen fuel cell powertrains use fuel cells to provide electricity, which is powered by electric motors.
2.Productivity
The thermal efficiency of hydrogen internal combustion engines can reach 40%;The utilization efficiency of hydrogen fuel cell power system can reach 45%-50%.
3.Environmental impact
Hydrogen internal combustion engines emit no carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfide and hydrocarbons, and have nitrogen oxide and water vapor emissions.
The hydrogen fuel cell powertrain only emits water vapor.
3. Comparison of advantages and disadvantages
Hydrogen internal combustion engines can achieve zero carbon emissions, but still emit a small amount of pollutants;The applicability of hydrogen fuel can be improved on the basis of the traditional internal combustion engine, and the existing internal combustion engine industrial system can be used for development, which is more conducive to industrial transformation. This type of engine is easy to achieve high power, but the energy efficiency is slightly lower. At present, the effective thermal efficiency of commercially available hydrogen internal combustion engines has reached 418%。
The hydrogen fuel cell power system can completely achieve zero carbon and zero pollutant emissions. The power system is easier to combine with distributed electric propulsion technology, and the energy utilization efficiency is high. However, the vehicle needs to be redesigned to accommodate liquid hydrogen fuel storage and a new hydrogen fuel cell powertrain, which is expensive to use. At present, the maximum efficiency of hydrogen fuel cells can reach 62%, and related products have been used in trucks, buses and other fields.
Hydrogen energy was included in the 2019 Work Report for the first time, and since then hydrogen energy has been incorporated into China's energy system. It is estimated that by 2050, hydrogen energy will account for about 10% of China's energy system, and all links in the hydrogen energy industry chain, such as hydrogen production, hydrogen storage, hydrogen refueling stations, and hydrogen fuel cell applications, will be greatly developed and can meet the needs of commercialization.