Converting from gas to hydrogen

drx · January 30, 2008

Hello Everyone,

I thought this forum would be the best spot to post this question. I am doing a thesis project for my school and I am planning to convert an existing 6 cylinder inline gasoline engine to hydrogen fuel.

My question here is has anybody done this before? OR, would you have any idea or advice you may give me in order to accomplish this. I understand that this conversion may be done to a similar conversion from a gasoline to a compressed natural gas.

Thank you in advance

Shawn

BrooklynBay · January 30, 2008

The hydrogen has to be fed into the intake manifold. Check the threads on hydrogen, and propane in this section for more information.

drx · January 31, 2008

Hi,

great read on the "My Hydrogen Cell Works" thread, thank you very much. I still have lots of questions though. I will post them as I keep referring to the other threads.

IZwack · January 31, 2008

Interesting -- what is the topic of the thesis? Feasibility/performance/cost-analysis of the conversion?

drx · January 31, 2008

Hi,

The topic of the thesis is to convert an existing airport baggage tugger that has a 6 cylinder gasoline engine in there and convert that same engine somehow to burn hydrogen fuel. The scope of the topic is to do a feasibility analysis in terms of the fuel, performance, similar to gasoline or better. Cost analysis of this conversion and of course the conversion of the engine to burn this fuel.

I wanted to use a CNG conversion kit for the gasoline engines, as it looks like it is similar to the Hydrogen fuel.

I have a lot of questions in regards to the engine withstanding the combustion of the hydrogen fuel, increase the power output, double spark ignition? fuel injector modification? and the main one, is the processor unit that controls the oxygen and the hydrogen fuel into the cylinders.

If there are any suggestions that will help me do this project it is highly appreciated, also are there any good places that sells those CNG kits that I can buy and use for my project.

Thank you in advance,

Shawn

BrooklynBay · January 31, 2008

Contact Barry Wingler on WWW.Watergivesmegas.Com.

IZwack · January 31, 2008

So the is the goal to fully convert an ICE to burn hydrogen instead of gasoline?
Or is it more of a regular ICE relying on mainly on gasoline but injected with hydrogen?

This is a stupid question, but do you plan to store the hydrogen in liquid state?

drx · January 31, 2008

hi,

yes the goal here is to fully convert the ICE to burn hydrogen instead of gasoline. and no we will be using hydrogen gas.

IZwack · January 31, 2008

Fascinating! Keep us in the loop! And yeah I would imagine this is basically the same principle as running CNG because the two are gases.

drx · January 31, 2008

Thanks,

that's what I'm thinking, since they're both gases, it should be more or less the same process.

Has anybody done the conversion from gasoline to CNG before?

IZwack · January 31, 2008

I do remember a few people inquiring about it -- mostly people from overseas where gas prices are a bit higher than here in North America.

drx · January 31, 2008

Great,

I found a book with the title "hydrogen and its future as a transportation" and in it they describe one of their project vehicles was a 1994 Ford explorer, it was a hybrid SUV powered by hydrogen on demand. The hydrogen was used to run a small IC engine to drive an electrical generator to keep the batteries charged.

They said they have plans to convert one to burn hydrogen but the only thing I could find was a fuel cell powered by hydrogen.

http://www.hydrogencarsnow.com/ford-explorer-fuel-cell-suv.htm

that's the site.

would you happen to have the website for those guys that this the gasoline to CNG conversion? that would help me a lot.

Thank you

IZwack · January 31, 2008

I did a quick search and found this -- looks like a fellow Canadian (Brandons) has a CNG Explorer:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76360

BrooklynBay · January 31, 2008

He ripped out a lot of it since that thread, and still has some parts laying around. He said that it had wiring all over, and was causing problems. I know that he had to replace his transmission a few times, but that was unrelated to the conversion.

drx · February 1, 2008

Hi,

I read that thread, seems like he was in a place that wasn't so useful for him. I was reading up on some more books and it looks like I need a H2 fuel injector, I was hoping I could use the same fuel injector, haha guess not. Also it seems that I need two spark plugs per cylinder head, is there a way to increase the spark time without damaging the spark plug?, or should I just add the extra spark plug?

The money Brandon spent on his CNG conversion kit is crazy, don't get wrong, they should be cheaper now right? if so where can i get one?

Thank you

Shawn

IZwack · February 1, 2008

Since its obvious that you're going to be modifying the target engine, at this point, I would say that you should maybe look into modifying and testing the engine while its removed from the vehicle -- just to make it easier to work around the engine.

IZwack · February 1, 2008

DRX -- in post #23 of the thread below, exploderpilot says his brother recently bought a CNG explorer, so maybe you can get some help from him:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=205649&page=2

drx · February 1, 2008

excellent, thank you very much I will post in that thread asking him to give me some pictures.

drx · March 6, 2008

Hello Everyone,

It's been a while, since I did some research and studied how a carburetor engine operates. Now is the time for the conversion of the engine, I have the airport baggage tug sitting in my garage now, and it has the same engine as a 1978 F150. Go figure, now I'm not too familiar with the conversion of the gasoline to CNG, correct me if I'm wrong but I need a 1inch steel divider between the intake valves and head gasket drilled to allow the either CNG or the hydrogen gas to flow through when it gets mixed with the oxygen coming from the carburetor, then into the intake valves. Am I thinking through this right?

Also I know I need a high pressure regulator for the hydrogen before it gets distributed into the mixing chambers. Anyone know where I can find a used one of those?

My professor told me that I have to get this 5,700lb beast running for at least 1 minute running hydrogen, time is running low on my end and I am a little uncertain about some things.

Any help will be greatly appreciated. I will post pictures as I start the build sometime next week.

Exploderpilot · March 16, 2008

Hey we are tearing apart the cng system soon, I will be sure to send you pics of the whole project.

Converting from gas to hydrogen

drx

Active Member

BrooklynBay

Moderator & long time member.

drx

Active Member

IZwack

drx

Active Member

BrooklynBay

Moderator & long time member.

IZwack

drx

Active Member

IZwack

drx

Active Member

IZwack

drx

Active Member

IZwack

BrooklynBay

Moderator & long time member.

drx

Active Member

IZwack

IZwack

drx

Active Member

drx

Active Member

Exploderpilot

Explorer Addict

Explorer Features

Explorer Features

Similar threads

Featured Content