Combustion engines could still represent the future of mobility if powered by synthetic fuels but also fromhydrogen. Toyota is one of the companies that has explored this direction, developing a hydrogen-fueled V8 engine with over 450 HP for high-performance sports cars. But she's not the only one. Also there AVL Racetech in Austria, which is developing an innovative thermal powertrain: a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder powered by hydrogencapable of generating further 400 HP of power.
H2 hydrogen engine for high performance
These experiences with hydrogen used on high-performance thermal engines indicate a growing attention to the use of this fuel as an alternative to petrol, opening up new perspectives for the future of sustainable mobility also in the field of competitions themselves.
AVL Racetech, the motorsport division of AVL, a well-known supplier of technological development in Motorsport, recently presented its first branded racing engine AVL Racetech. It is a high-performance two-litre turbo engine powered by hydrogenwhich AVL developed in collaboration with the Hungarian laboratory HUMDA.
The engine is powered from pure hydrogenwhich is injected directly into the combustion chamber.
The prototype, tested at the AVL headquarters in Graz on special engine test benches modified for the use of hydrogen, delivered a maximum power of 410 HP at 6,500 rpm and a couple of 500 Nm at 3,000-4,000 rpm which corresponds to a mean effective pressure (BMEP acronym for Brake Mean Effective Pressure in English) of 32 bar. The BMEP, acronym for Brake Mean Effective Pressure in English) is a measure of average pressure inside the combustion chamber of a heat engine during the work cycle. It is an important parameter used to evaluate the efficiency and performance of an engine. Usually high performance engines can have BMEP values in the order of several tens of bar while racing engines can reach BMEP values higher than 20 bar, and in some cases even higher, like this one achieved by the AVL on this engine.
These are decidedly important performances that reach 205 HP/litre.
Water injection essential
The engine also features a water injection system PFI (Premixed Fuel Injection) which mixes water with the intake air to prevent unwanted detonations, improve engine efficiency and reduce combustion temperature with consequent lowering of NOx emissions.
Supercharging is guaranteed by a turbocharger specially designed with particular electronic management to ensure optimal air requirements in various operating conditions.
The engineers had to look for innovative technical solutions for manage the combustion process due to the rapidity of ignition in a situation of very high operating pressures in the combustion chamber. Items such as the intake manifold, fuel rails and injectors were designed specifically to handle a very dry fuel compared to traditional petrol.
The engine is made of lightweight, high-strength materials, such as aluminum and titanium. This allows you to reduce the weight of the engine and improve performance. Here are other technical details on the engine:
- Displacement: 2 litres
- Compression ratio: 14.5:1
- Distribution: DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
- Turbocharger: single, with intercooler
- Injection system: PFI
- Maximum torque: 500 Nm at 3,000-4,000 rpm
- Maximum power: 410 HP at 6,500 rpm
- Mass: 160kg
Hydrogen engine in racing
The hydrogen engine developed by AVL will initially find application in world of racing, where the track will serve as a test bench to evaluate performance in view of possible series production. AVL has focused engine development on categories such as TCRbut does not exclude the possibility of using it in a dedicated series or even in theoff-roadas in rally raids and Dakar.
In this context, the Dakar is becoming a point of reference for the use of sustainable fuels, including hydrogen engines, so much so that the brand Dacia has already declared its intention to participate in the competition with this type of experimental engines.
Read also:
→ Toyota hydrogen engine, characteristics
→ Return to the petrol engine with hydrogen
→ Hydrogen cars where are we at?
→ Hydrogen cars between evolution and perplexity
→ What do you think? Drop by discussions on the FORUM!
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