Performance and emission characteristics of hydrogen fueled spark ignition engine

Abstract A study of alternate fuels leads to hydrogen as a candidate fuel for the future. Its remarkable properties provide the potential of high thermal efficiency at part load by operating the engine unthrottled with lean mixtures. The problems of pre-ignition and backfiring could be overcome at a wide range of operation by providing a cold spark plug with a narrow gap and by keeping combustion chamber walls clean. Hydrogen operation of spark-ignited engines has been found to be very profitable at low equivalence ratios both from the point of view of increased thermal efficiency and reduced nitrogen oxides emissions.