Research and Development of Hydrogen-Fueled Internal Combustion Engines in China

Energy shortages and environmental problems have brought many challenges to China's development. In the field of transport, hydrogen energy has become a new type of energy that people pay attention to due to its easy production and nonpolluting generation. The use of hydrogen as a fuel in internal combustion engines can be a good way to make a low-cost and clean conversion of the current internal combustion engine, thus realizing the application of hydrogen energy in vehicles. In this study, hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines (HICEs) are the focus. A review and analysis of the topical issues encountered in the developmental research of HICE is presented, such as the optimization control method of the combustion process, mechanism and suppression method of abnormal combustion (preignition, backfire, knock, and high pressure rise rate in early stages of combustion), influence regularity of hydrogen injection parameters and hydrogen injection modes on the formation and combustion performance of H₂-air mixture, emissions and control of NO, formation of H₂-air mixture, and combustion cycle variation, among others. Multiyear studies in the hydrogen-fueled engines clearly show that abnormal combustion, as preignition, backfire, and the blockage of intake pipe, is likely to occur at high load, and the H₂ injection parameters and the injection modes possess a prominent effect on the engine's performance and the blockage of the intake pipe, which has an important impact on the preignition and backfire, and the optimal control of the combustion process is a valuable method for resolving the contradictions among inhibiting abnormal combustion, the blockage of the intake pipe, and enhancing hydrogen-fueled engine power.