Hydrogen Enriched Fuel System for Emissions Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Despite its clean burning characteristics and potential for significant emissions reduction, hydrogen as a vehicle fuel has not become a established alternative due to high costs and lack of a comprehensive system for its production, dispensing, and life cycle assessment.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for producing, dispensing, and monitoring hydrogen enriched fuel, which includes a producing system to blend hydrogen and hydrocarbon gases, a dispensing system to deliver the fuel to vehicles, and a control system to track emissions and energy consumption, minimizing environmental impact and optimizing fuel efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If pure hydrogen fuel is used, then emissions reduction is maximized (up to 100%), but cost increases significantly due to high hydrogen energy cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the concentration parameter of hydrogen in the fuel mixture, using blended hydrogen-natural gas fuels (5-20% hydrogen by energy) instead of pure hydrogen. This parameter optimization achieves significant emissions reduction (30-70%) while maintaining cost-effectiveness and compatibility with existing natural gas vehicle infrastructure.
2Ease of manufacture
If hydrogen is blended with natural gas, then cost is reduced and leverage factor increases, but emissions reduction is lower than pure hydrogen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the hydrogen blending ratio parameter (5-20% by energy) to achieve the best balance between emissions reduction, cost savings, and leverage factor. This parameter range maximizes the effectiveness of hydrogen utilization while maintaining economic viability.
3Reliability
If a comprehensive system for hydrogen production, dispensing, and monitoring is implemented, then hydrogen becomes a viable alternative fuel, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a multi-functional system where a single integrated infrastructure handles hydrogen production, storage, blending, dispensing, and life cycle monitoring. This universal system serves multiple functions through coordinated components including reformers, compressors, blend tanks, dispensers, and control systems, reducing overall complexity compared to separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces natural gas as an intermediary substance that facilitates hydrogen utilization. Natural gas serves as both a fuel source and a blending medium, allowing hydrogen to be delivered through existing natural gas infrastructure while maintaining compatibility with current vehicle engines and reducing the need for specialized hydrogen-only equipment.
4Productivity
If hydrogen is used to extend lean flammability range and accelerate combustion, then fuel efficiency improves, but ignition control becomes more challenging due to hydrogen's low ignition energy requirement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the hydrogen concentration parameter (5-20% by energy) to optimize combustion characteristics. This parameter range provides sufficient ignition energy requirements to prevent accidental ignition while maintaining the combustion acceleration benefits, achieving a balance between fuel efficiency and operational safety.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively reduces emissions and energy consumption by utilizing a hydrogen enriched fuel, providing a comprehensive life cycle assessment and improving fuel efficiency, making hydrogen a more viable alternative fuel option.
Implementation Method 1
a producing system to blend hydrogen and hydrocarbon gases
Implementation Method 2
Gaseous alternative fuels, such as hydrogen and natural gas, are valued for their clean burning characteristics in motor vehicle engines
Data Source
AI summary
A system for producing, dispensing, using and monitoring a hydrogen enriched fuel includes a producing system configured to produce the hydrogen enriched fuel, a vehicle having an engine configured to use the hydrogen enriched fuel, and a dispensing system configured to store and dispense the hydrogen enriched fuel into the vehicle. The system also includes a fuel delivery system on the vehicle configured to deliver the hydrogen enriched fuel to the engine, and a control system configured to control the producing system and to monitor the use of the hydrogen enriched fuel by the vehicle. A method includes the steps of producing hydrogen gas and a hydrocarbon fuel, blending the hydrogen gas and the hydrocarbon fuel into the hydrogen enriched fuel, using the hydrogen enriched fuel in the engine, and tracking emissions during the producing step and during the using step.