skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Numerical modeling of hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines

Conference ·
OSTI ID:538045

The planned use of hydrogen as the energy carrier of the future introduces new challenges and opportunities, especially to the engine design community. Hydrogen is a bio-friendly fuel that can be produced from renewable resources and has no carbon dioxide combustion products; and in a properly designed ICE, almost zero NO{sub x} and hydrocarbon emissions can be achieved. Because of the unique properties of hydrogen combustion - in particular the highly wrinkled nature of the laminar flame front due to the preferential diffusion instability - modeling approaches for hydrocarbon gaseous fuels are not generally applicable to hydrogen combustion. This paper reports on the current progress to develop a engine design capability based on KIVA family of codes for hydrogen-fueled, spark-ignited engines in support of the National Hydrogen Program. A turbulent combustion model, based on a modified eddy-turnover model in conjunction with an intake flow valve model, is found to describe well the efficiency and NO{sub x} emissions of this engine satisfy the Equivalent Zero Emission Vehicle (EZEV) standard established by the California Resource Board. 26 refs., 10 figs., 1 tab.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
538045
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-97-2538; CONF-9605195-; ON: DE97008883; TRN: 97:005453
Resource Relation:
Conference: 1996 annual hydrogen peer review for DOE, Miami, FL (United States), 1-3 May 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English