CO2 emissions from a spark ignition engine operatin on natural-hydrogen blends (HCNG)

The addition of hydrogen to natural gas could be a short-term alternative to today’s fossil fuels, as greenhouse gas emissions may be reduced. The aim of this study is to evaluate the emissions and performance of a spark ignition engine fuelled by pure natural gas, pure hydrogen, and different blends of hydrogen and natural gas (HCNG). Increasing the hydrogen fraction leads to variations in cylinder pressure and CO2 emissions. In this study, a combustion model based on thermodynamic equations is used, considering separate zones for burned and unburned gases. The results show that the maximum cylinder pressure rises as the fraction of hydrogen in the blend increases. The presence of hydrogen in the blend leads to a decrease in CO2 emissions. Due to the properties of hydrogen, leaner fuel–air mixtures can be used along with the appropriate spark timing, leading to an improvement in engine emissions with no loss of performance

Desarrollo de un laboratorio virtual para la medida de ciclos indicados de un motor alternativo policombustible de encendido provocado

Se ha desarrollado un laboratorio virtual para la medida de ciclos indicados en un motor alternativo policombustible de encendido provocado. El laboratorio virtual desarrollado permite por una parte simular y obtener el ciclo indicado de un motor alternativo de cuatro tiempos, pudiendo modificar los parámetros más importantes de operación (régimen de giro, presiones de admisión y escape, temperaturas, etc.) y de diseño (parámetros geométricos del motor). Por otra parte, el laboratorio virtual permite simular el ensayo del motor en banco de pruebas y la medida del ciclo indicado. Los modelos matemáticos necesarios se han escrito en lenguaje Fortran, y estos interaccionan con un interfaz gráfico de usuario (GUI) programado en VEE®. El laboratorio virtual puede implementarse en una plataforma virtual de enseñanza de manera que los alumnos puedan tener acceso al sistema desde cualquier ordenador, en cualquier momento y desde cualquier lugar

Fuel Cells: A Real Option for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Propulsion

The possibility of implementing fuel cell technology in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) propulsion systems is considered. Potential advantages of the Proton Exchange Membrane or Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEMFC) and Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFC), their fuels (hydrogen and methanol), and their storage systems are revised from technical and environmental standpoints. Some operating commercial applications are described. Main constraints for these kinds of fuel cells are analyzed in order to elucidate the viability of future developments. Since the low power density is the main problem of fuel cells, hybridization with electric batteries, necessary in most cases, is also explored

Diseño de una instalación para ensayo de pilas de combustible en condiciones atmosféricas de vuelo de un avión no tripulado

Después de estudiar la idoneidad de las pilas de combustible tipo PEM de hidrógeno y DMFC de metanol directo para su utilización en sistemas propulsivos de aeronaves no tripuladas (UAV), se procedió a simular sus respectivas curvas de polarización en condiciones de vuelo. Es importante estudiar cómo afecta al rendimiento de las pilas de combustible la variación de las condiciones atmosféricas durante el vuelo de un UAV, dado que la mayor parte de los sistemas comerciales están concebidos para su uso en tierra. Por tanto, es de interés la validación de esos modelos de simulación a partir de datos experimentales. Para ello, se presenta en este trabajo el diseño de un banco experimental climatizado de pilas de combustible, en el que poder variar magnitudes como la presión atmosférica, la temperatura o la humedad relativa. Permitirá elegir los casos simulados de mayor interés típicos de la envolvente de vuelo de distintos tipos de UAV en función de las características de la instalación. El banco consiste en una cámara climática estanca y aislada térmicamente a la que van conectados un circuito de refrigeración con intercambiador de calor y una bomba de vacío. En una segunda fase se incluirá un evaporador para el estudio de la humedad relativa. Se elige control PID mediante sonda PT100 y sensores de presión y humedad. El diseño permite condiciones suficientes de estabilidad geométrica y temporal en el interior de la cámara como para estudiar los casos elegidos. Estudios previos similares, se centran en pilas de combustible alimentadas con hidrógeno. En este caso se pueden estudiar también pilas de combustible de metanol, para la que ya existen ejemplos de UAV

Conceptual design of offshore platform supply vessel based on hybrid diesel generator-fuel cell power plant

Nowadays increasing fuel prices and upcoming pollutant emission regulations are becoming a growing concern for the shipping industry worldwide. While fuel prices will keep rising in future years, the new International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) and Sulphur Emissions Control Areas (SECA) regulations will forbid ships to use heavy fuel oils at certain situations. To fulfil with these regulations, the next step in the marine shipping business will comprise the use of cleaner fuels on board as well as developing new propulsion concept. In this work a new conceptual marine propulsion system is developed, based on the integration of diesel generators with fuel cells in a 2850 metric tonne of deadweight platform supply vessel. The efficiency of the two 250 kW methanol-fed Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) system installed on board combined with the hydro dynamically optimized design of the hull of the ship will allow the ship to successfully operate at certain modes of operation while notably reduce the pollutant emissions to the atmosphere. Besides the cogeneration heat obtained from the fuel cell system will be used to answer different heating needs on board the vesse

Perspectives on the design and use of direct alcohol fuel cells fed by alcohol blends

The fast-growing power demand by portable electronic devices has promoted the increase of global production of portable PEM fuel cell, a quarter of them consist of direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) units. These present the advantage of being fuelled directly with a liquid fuel, as well as direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFC) do

Influence of the composition of natural gas-hydrogen blends (HCNG) on performance an CO2 emissions of a spark ignition engine

Addition of hydrogen to natural gas could be a short-term alternative to nowadays fossil fuels as the emissions of greenhouse gases may be reduced. The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance and emissions of a park ignition engine fuelled with pure natural gas, pure hydrogen and different blends of hydrogen and natural gas (HCNG). The increase of the hydrogen fraction leads to variations in the cylinder pressure and CO2 emissions. In this work, a combustion model based on thermodynamic equations is used considering separated zones for the burned and unburned gases. The results show that the maximum cylinder pressure gets higher as the fraction of hydrogen in the blend increases. The presence of hydrogen in the blend leads to a drecrease in the CO2 emissions. Due to hydrogen properties, leaner fuel-air mixtures can be used along with the appropiate spark timing, leading to an engine emissions improvement without a performance worsening

Polipirrol, un buen soporte para electrodos de pilas de combustible de metanol directo (DMFC)

(SPA) El polipirrol es uno de los polímeros conductores más utilizados en la preparación de electrodos debido a su alta actividad catalítica para la oxidación y reducción del metanol. En este trabajo se ha depositado electroquímicamente polipirrol a diferentes potenciales de depósito, Ed, sobre tela de carbón no tejida Freudenberg en medio ácido. Se ha analizado la morfología y la respuesta electroquímica en medio HClO4 y en presencia de HClO4+MeOH antes y después de la síntesis del polipirrol sobre ella. Lastructura de las películas obtenidas se ha estudiado por espectroscopia infrarroja de transformada de Fourier, FTIR. Se observa que el polipirrol mejora las propiedades electroquímicas de la tela de carbón, obteniéndose el mejor resultado para su aplicación como soporte del catalizador en pilas de combustible con la película sintetizada a 1,0V. (ENG) Polypyrrole is one of the most used conducting polymers in electrode building due to its high catalytic activity to the methanol oxidation and reduction. By this motive, polypyrrole has been electrochemically synthesized at constant potential, Ed, on Freudenberg carbon cloth in acid medium. Carbon cloth morphology and electrochemical behaviour in HClO4 and in HClO4+MeOH before and after the polypyrrole eposition have been analysed. The structure of the films was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, FTIR. The polypyrrole improves the electrochemical properties of the studied carbon cloth. The biggest charge of the electroactive area is the one synthesized at 1.0V, being the best for its application as catalyst support in fuel cells

Contribution sharing of a fuel mixture components to the fuel cell potencial of a direct alcohol fuel cell

The increasing worldwide demand for electricity impels to develop clean and renewable energy resources. In the field of portable power devices not only size and weight represent important aspects to take into account, but the fuel and its storage are also critical issues to consider. In this last sense, the direct methanol (MeOH) fuel cells (DMFC) play an important role as they can offer high power and energy density, low emissions, ambient operating conditions and fast and convenient refuelling

Marine Practice Guidelines for Fuel Cell Applications

This paper focuses on the implementation of fuel cells in marine systems as a propulsion system and energy source. The objective is to provide an overview of the pertinent legislation for marine applications of fuel cells. This work includes a characterization of some guidelines for the safe application of fuel cell systems on ships. It also describes two ships that have implemented fuel cells to obtain energy, the Viking Lady, the first marine ship to include this technology, and Greentug, a reference for new tug