The company, along with its R&D partner Revolve Technologies, says thermal efficiencies of 45% have been demonstrated in engine control strategies being developed for the Mega Low Emissions (MLE) truck demonstrator unveiled earlier this year (see link below).
“These excellent results represent engine efficiency levels very similar to those seen with some fuel cell technologies,” says Amanda Lyne, managing director at Ulemco, pointing to US firm Ballard Power’s FCvelocity-MD fuel cell, which achieves 45% thermal efficiency at full load.
The Ulemco 100% hydrogen engine researched matched that, while delivering 60kW at a BMEP of 8bar and running at air/fuel ratios in excess of 300:1.
Paul Turner, engineering director at Revolve, says: “Our highly qualified team has used dynamometer testing to develop our understanding of how to optimise hydrogen fuel use, while delivering immeasurably low NOx from engines that would be ‘right sized’ for use with hydrogen. We are delighted with the speed with which these impressive results have been achieved.”
A recent report from the government-backed Committee on Climate Change said that while battery electric is cleaner than hydrogen from well to wheel, it has a negative impact on payload, concluding: “The aim should therefore be to move HGVs to zero-carbon energy (ie, electricity and/or hydrogen) where feasible by 2050.”