Hydrogen Internal Combustion using Diesel pilot ignition

The project aims to develop an alternative Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine utilising the
Diesel engine rather than the conventional Spark ignition engine. This innovative research
will open the market for low cost use of Hydrogen as a road transport fuel.
The main market place for Hydrogen fuelled vehicles will be in the return to base vehicle
application, and we have already established a route to market for vehicles in this sector via
the ITM refuelling system or the new fixed re-fuelling stations being installed by BOC and
Air products. We have already produced 5 Transit type vehicles which have successfully
trailed Hydrogen internal combustion engines as a viable early route for Hydrogen offering a
market place for the highly efficient fuel cells as they become cost effective. Moving the
technology we have developed from the Spark ignition engine to the Diesel engine will allow
greater engine efficiencies and open up a much wider range of vehicles within the return to
base vehicle market. It should be noted that as of May 2011 no European vehicle
manufacturer produces a spark ignition delivery vehicle as a general sale vehicle, thus it is
essential that we devise a method to operate the Diesel based internal combustion engines on
Hydrogen to continue to develop the Hydrogen based transport economy.