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IC engines have been the dominant automotive powertrain in the 20th century because of their advantages in power density, thermal efficiency, simplicity, durability and mobility. Condensing 100 years of information on automotive engine system technology evolution shows five different development stages: “bone and muscle”, “instinct”, “nerve and brain”, “intelligence”, and “system optimization”. Currently, the last step is facing the pressure of the “clean revolution” plus the “e-commerce revolution”. To meet future emission requirements and reduce CO2 emissions, the conventional engine system will be pushed to new physical limits, leading to higher cost and reduced durability. Therefore, the automobile industry should consider re-engineering or system optimization of the engines, including configuring the system architecture to be as transparent as possible to suit the fast changing environment of e-commerce.

Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (H2ICE) powered vehicles have been considered a low emission, low cost, practical method to help establish a hydrogen fueling infrastructure. However, the naturally aspirated H2ICE operating lean has performance issues requiring either increased displacement or induction boost to have comparable power to the modern gasoline powered IC engine. Ford Scientific Research Laboratory has continued its H2ICE system investigation, conducting dynamometer engine-boosting experiments utilizing a 2.0 L Zetec engine (with compression ratios of 14.5:1 and 12.5:1), and a 2.3L Duratec HE-4 engine (with a compression ratio of 12.2:1) with boosted manifold air pressure up to 200 kPa. Test data of brake torque and exhaust emissions are reported at various boost pressures. Results of a detailed NOx study, conducted at University of California - Riverside, with EGR and aftertreatment for a naturally aspirated 2.0L Zetec engine are also reported.

In late 1997 Ford Motor Company Scientific Research Laboratory started the project to design and develop a practical, low-cost hydrogen fueled internal combustion engine (H2ICE) vehicle. This type of vehicle could serve as an interim step to drive the development of the hydrogen infrastructure before the widespread use of fuel cell vehicles. This paper will discuss the design and development approach and results for a dedicated engine optimized for operation on hydrogen, the unique and custom instrumentation necessary when working with hydrogen, the engine dynamometer development program, the unique triple-redundant vehicle safety system, and the final implementation into the Ford P2000 experimental vehicle.

As part of the P2000 hydrogen fueled internal combustion engine (H2ICE) vehicle program, an engine dynamometer research project was conducted in order to systematically investigate the unique hydrogen related combustion characteristics cited in the literature. These characteristics include pre-ignition, NOx emissions formation and control, volumetric efficiency of gaseous fuel injection and related power density, thermal efficiency, and combustion control. To undertake this study, several dedicated, hydrogen-fueled spark ignition engines (compression ratios: 10, 12.5, 14.5 and 15.3:1) were designed and built. Engine dynamometer development testing was conducted at the Ford Research Laboratory and the University of California at Riverside. This engine dynamometer work also provided the mapping data and control strategy needed to develop the engine in the P2000 vehicle.

For future hydrogen fueled ground vehicle research, Ford Motor Company has installed the first hydrogen fueling station in North America with gaseous and cryogenic hydrogen and two dedicated hydrogen fueled engine laboratory dynamometer test cells. Hydrogen, as a fuel for internal combustion engines (ICE), requires unique approaches to assure safety and accuracy in an engine-testing lab because of hydrogen's molecular size, compressibility, and reactivity. Ford Scientific Research Lab has accumulated useful experiences during the P2000 hydrogen internal combustion engine and vehicle development program. This paper presents the safety measures used in the hydrogen lab, including gas leakage sensing and warning system, hydrogen flame detecting device, cell fresh air ventilation conventions, and hydrogen fueling and purging system.

The first known, North American OEM vehicle powered exclusively by a hydrogen fueled internal combustion engine (H2ICE) has been developed and tested. This production viable, low cost, low emission vehicle is viewed as a short term driver for the hydrogen fueling infrastructure ultimately required for fuel cell vehicles. This vehicle features a highly optimized hydrogen IC engine, a triple redundant hydrogen safety system, and a dedicated gaseous hydrogen fuel system. The vehicle and its test results are presented in this paper.