Diesel-Hydrogen Hybrid Engines to Help Cut Emissions? New Research Says So

Diesel engines may still get a chance to survive in the future because of the latest research and claims from the University of New South Wales. In their study, its team made a hydrogen-diesel engine hybrid that injects the compound into its block, something which helped gave tremendous results which they may soon apply to modern diesel engines.

In this diesel-hydrogen hybrid, the team found that it significantly reduces emissions caused by conventional diesel engines alone, something that could be used in the future.

Diesel-Hydrogen Hybrid Engine Outputs Less Emissions, Better Results

The University of New South Wales, led by Professor Shawn Kook, published research in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, detailing its recent discovery of combining diesel and hydrogen fuel into an ICE engine.

Its study entitled "Direct injection of hydrogen main fuel and diesel pilot fuel in a retrofitted single-cylinder compression ignition engine" delivers a new life for diesel engines to thrive in the future.

This is because the researchers found a way to significantly reduce the CO2 emissions made by a regular diesel engine by up to 26 percent when running on a 90 percent hydrogen and 10 percent diesel fuel ratio.

According to the team, existing diesel engines widely used on trucks and the like "could ultimately be retrofitted to the new hybrid system in just a couple of months."

Retrofitting Hydrogen Fuel Injection to Diesel Engines

The team centered on retrofitting a single-cylinder compression diesel engine to also take in hydrogen as its fuel source, one that would convert this mixture to power the vehicle and produce fewer emissions.

Additionally, the researchers found out that these hydrogen-diesel hybrids also help in improving fuel efficiency by as much as 26 percent.

Clean Energy's Alternative Fuel, Hydrogen

Clean energy is not all about batteries and electric powertrains in the future, as many researchers are intent to find ways in reducing emissions, but also retain convetional internal combustion engines to stay. Indeed, ICEs contribute significantly to carbon emissions in the world, one that current developments aim to answer with the transition to electric mobility.

Current advancements in the transportation sector are moving towards more options for future car buyers to purchase more than the battery-powered alternatives, and it is with future hydrogen-powered cars.

One startup in the United States aims to develop microbes that will help eat oil and in turn, produce clean and cheap hydrogen for fuel use.

Still, there are doubts regarding the hydrogen car industry in taking the reigns from battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs), with current EVs regarded as better in the quest towards zero emissions.

For one thing, Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, and this material is somehow easily accessible for its use in fuel for the future. This hydrogen-diesel engine hybrid aims to help reduce emissions significantly, without fully phasing out diesel in the long run, especially during this time of transition where people prefer ICEs over BEVs.