 |
|
|
|
Hydrogen is a universal fuel that will play a major role in our clean, sustainable energy future. Here are some ways hydrogen is already becoming a practical reality in our everyday lives...
 Hydrogen Fuel Injection Systems Clean Up Fuel, Emissions
U.S. cities and residents are increasingly concerned about how daily commerce contributes to urban air pollution. Diesel trucks and container ships, which are responsible for transporting a large portion of the goods consumed in the U.S., are falling under a new wave of restrictions.
Just recently, a new mandate was enacted in Los Angles that prevents trucks and ships that emit high levels of pollution from entering Los Angeles County. This prompted a scramble within the trucking and shipping industries to find the cleanest technologies available. As a result, several fuel alternatives have recently come into the spotlight that have the potential to increase fuel efficiency and reduce pollution. A new technology that can have an immediate impact is hydrogen fuel injection. Companies such the Canadian Hydrogen Energy Company, Hy-Drive Technologies and HyPower Fuel, Inc. make hydrogen injection systems.
Hydrogen injection systems are installed, aftermarket, extermally onto any of today’s trucks. The 90-pound unit is usually installed on the outside of the truck just behind the cab. The unit takes a small amount of electric power from the truck’s engine (alternator) and uses it to split water from a small, refillable reservoir into hydrogen and oxygen gases. The hydrogen and oxygen are both injected along with the diesel into the engine. From around two liters of distilled water, which the driver adds occasionally, the unit provides about 80 hours of operation – approximately 3,000 to 4,000 miles of driving for the typical semi-truck.
Why pay for a hydrogen injection system? Because they significantly reduce emissions, reduce fuel use and increase torque and horsepower:
- Lower Emissions: When the truck is running, greenhouse gases such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and particulate matter decrease by about 60%, and while idling, the emissions cut gets up to 75%. Nitrogen oxide, another dangerous pollutant, is reduced by 15%, compared to the regular diesel engine.
- Save money by using less fuel: Some companies guarantee a minimum 10% fuel savings (some users have experienced up to a 40% reduction). An average long-haul truck driver will spend up to $5,000 a month on fuel alone, meaning over $500 a month can be saved by installing the hydrogen fuel injection unit. The devices currently retail for $15,000, meaning the return on investment is less than three years. If you lease the unit, you can start saving immediately.
- More power: Users have found that adding a hydrogen injection unit increases horsepower and torque by an average of 5%. As an added benefit, general engine wear is also reduced, decreasing the need for oil changes and saving additional dollars.
From 2003-2008, trucking and shipping companies logged over 50 million miles of real use and testing and hundreds of systems have been sold—including some to FedEx. Now, hydrogen injection companies are developing products for smaller trucks and some cars.
To find out more, listen to a radio conversion with John Degani of NHA Member, the Canadian Hydrogen Energy Company on Windsor Now Radio Station AM 800: http://globaltech.ca/media/gtmp3.ram (RealPlayer required)
More Stories
|
|
|
