Last month we just shared the development of a hydrogen-fueled V8 internal combustion engine based on the 2UR-GSE 5.0L V8 of the Lexus RC F, led by Toyota-based car companies Mazda and Subaru, yamaha and Kawasaki Heavy Work as the strength of foreign aid. However, in this development path of internal combustion engines that burn oil into hydrogen, the former does not seem to be alone, and Ford recently submitted a technical patent for hydrogen-fueled turbocharged internal combustion engines.
(The pictures in the article have nothing to do with the technology except for the patent diagram)
Ford's accompanying Toyota's hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine in today's vehicle electrification pattern is somewhat surprising. After all, Toyota's car companies have always had a twisted attitude towards the transformation of electrification, but they are keen on various application forms of hydrogen fuel. On the contrary, As a traditional American brand with large displacement and high horsepower, Ford is not ambiguous on the path of electrification. Even their own classic totem Mustang and F-150 have been "charged", and Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning has indeed lived up to Ford's expectations from the product strength and word of mouth. But in addition to digging deep into electrification, What did Ford do this time run into the internal combustion engine?
First of all, the patent submitted by Ford this time only contains the combustion of the internal combustion engine and the method of controlling the hydrogen mixture, and not the entire engine is patented. That is to say, Ford's hydrogen internal combustion engine technology has not yet defined the specific performance parameters, or which corresponding fuel engine is modified. However, from the patent, we can also glimpse a lot of designs that are different from the Toyota model, as well as clarify the possible mainstream problem solutions in some hydrogen fuel internal combustion engines.
Dual inlet valves provide thin combustion
First, Ford's hydrogen internal combustion engine technology is based on turbocharged form, which reflects some of our previous technical assumptions about Toyota's hydrogen internal combustion engine. That is, in order to overcome the active characteristics of hydrogen fuel, with the help of the special exhaust gas produced by hydrogen combustion- nitrogen oxides, it is returned to the intake link, which effectively reduces the oxygen content in the mixed combustion gas and realizes the suppression of the early combustion and tempering of the internal combustion engine in hydrogen combustion.
In the speculation at the time, we also said that this technical processing requires extremely precise calculations, as well as complex diversion structures, and can easily lead to power reduction and even the side effects of incomplete combustion. As a result, a month later, Ford showed us the solution. First of all, turbocharging is naturally a mature diversion structure, and secondly, Ford wants more effects.
According to the published patent, Ford may use a dual control valve to control the intake valve and turbine exhaust gas diversion. In the case of low engine torque output, the input of fresh air with high oxygen content is reduced and the introduction of turbine exhaust gases is improved. Conversely, the control structure is reversed. Of course, this is a complex calculation process and adjustment skills.
Theoretically, the lambda value of hydrogen fuel combustion engines under Ford's technical path can be increased from less than or equal to 1 to greater than or equal to 2. Translated into an air-fuel ratio, it means that there will be at least 68 parts of air in the engine, corresponding to 1 part of the hydrogen fuel mixture, and the theoretical air-fuel ratio of hydrogen is about 34.
However, just like the theoretical air-fuel ratio of the gasoline internal combustion engine of 14.7, in practical applications, in order to pursue better fuel efficiency, manufacturers are also constantly improving the air-fuel ratio. For example, the air-fuel ratio of Mazda's compression-ignition engine can reach 36.8 to 1. The activity of hydrogen fuel means that it has greater potential in the air-fuel ratio than gasoline. In theory, it is not difficult to achieve an air-fuel ratio of more than 100 to 1.
High-pressure direct injection, resurrection of large bore 10,000 rotary head?
Another core point of Ford's patent is the direct injection technology in the cylinder of hydrogen fuel. High-pressure direct injection is also a common technology for improving power and economy in the fuel era. It is reported that the use of this direct injection technology to provide hydrogen fuel, can increase the power output of 15% compared with the same gasoline engine. However, the direct injection of hydrogen fuel will also bring new challenges to the design of internal combustion engines.
First of all, the active hydrogen fuel makes it almost non-existent in the atomization and diffusion of gasoline in the combustion chamber (early combustion is the problem of hydrogen fuel). Therefore, there is no need for a long stroke cylinder block to achieve better combustible gas mixing. In contrast, hydrogen fuel is more suitable for large bore, short stroke cylinder blocks (similar to the patent diagram). This means that hydrogen fuel engines naturally belong to the high-speed, high-output type of technology path. Referring to the gasoline engine era, it is considered a Renaissance.
But don't be too happy too early, in fact, combined with the technical characteristics of the front gas distribution structure, the active characteristics of hydrogen from the fuel and combustion angle, all give Ford the spare power to make more choices to balance it outside the combustion chamber. Even if the hydrogen fuel internal combustion engine is introduced, it will popularize instruments with 10,000 revolutions or even higher speeds, but the power effect will not be fundamentally different from the current civilian vehicles. Of course, the ability to extend the life of the internal combustion engine is also self-evident for classic models such as the Ford Mustang and the F-150.
Ford's patent filing is not enough to outline a complete prototype of an engine, but it clearly conveys the core value of the hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine. That is, to address issues such as energy sustainability, as well as controlling greenhouse gas emissions. This is consistent with the current mainstream electrification route, so the hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine seems to have "rolled" up in energy consumption from the beginning. Interestingly, Ford also noted in the patent that the hydrogen-fueled combustion engine would also be considered part of the hybrid system, and could be equipped with an electric motor between the combustion engine and the gearbox.