Abstract

The growing global concern over climate change and the ongoing depletion of fossil fuels hassignificantly accelerated the search for alternative fuels in the transportation and power generation sectors. As the world strives for cleaner, more sustainable energy sources, hydrogen has emerged as one of the most promising options, particularly for its application in internal combustion (IC) engines. With its potential to drastically reduce harmful emissions and provide an alternative to conventional fossil fuels, hydrogen presents a unique opportunity to shift away from traditional energy systems. This review article delves into the multiple dimensions of hydrogen use in IC engines, examining both the challenges and opportunities it brings to the table. The challenges associated with hydrogen as a fuel for IC engines include storage and distribution issues, the need for significant engine modifications, and the complexity of ensuring optimal combustion efficiency while minimizing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. On the other hand, hydrogen offers several key opportunities, such as the possibility of zero-emission transportation and compatibility with existing engine technology, which could facilitate a smoother transition from fossil fuels. Additionally, advancements in hydrogen production, storage methods, and combustion technologies will play a pivotal role in determining the fuel’s feasibility for large-scale adoption. This article also investigates the prospects of hydrogen-powered IC engines, including potential innovations in engine design, hydrogen infrastructure development, and policy frameworks that may drive the widespread use of hydrogen as a sustainable and environmentally friendly fuel option in the automotive and industrial sectors. Through an in-depth exploration of these factors, this review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of hydrogen’s role in transforming the future of energy and transportation.

Keywords: Hydrogen combustion, internal combustion engines, emissions control, hydrogen storage, alternative fuels

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Al-Sarkhi A, Riffat SB, Ahuja K. Hydrogen as an alternative fuel in internal combustion engines: A review. Int J Hydrogen Energy. 2020;45(10):5993–6008. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2019.12.076.
2. Raza M, Hossain MM, Islam R. Hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines: Progress, challenges, and future perspectives. J Clean Prod. 2018;194:43–57. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.05.278.
3. Stangeland B, Linde T, Björndal E. Hydrogen storage for transport applications: Current status and future prospects. Int J Hydrogen Energy. 2021;46(10):8614–8632. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.10.128.
4. Tsolakis A, Boulougouris G, Christodoulakis A. Investigation of hydrogen combustion in spark-ignition engines: A review. Energy. 2019;172:1004–1021. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2019.02.026.
5. Mahalingam S, Hegde V, Subramanian V. Hydrogen as an alternative fuel in IC engines: Combustion characteristics and emissions. Fuel. 2017;205:222–234. doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2017.06.020.
6. Ramesh A, Chandra A, Reddy B. Hydrogen combustion characteristics in internal combustion engines: An overview. Fuel Process Technol. 2020;199:106238. doi:10.1016/j.fuproc.2020.106238.
7. Prakash B, Soni M, Kumar M. Hydrogen production and storage technologies for IC engines: Challenges and opportunities. Energy. 2020;207:118351. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2020.118351.
8. Hossain MM, Islam R, Raza M. Performance of hydrogen and gasoline blends in internal combustion engines: A review. Energy Convers Manag. 2020;220:113098. doi:10.1016/j.enconman.2020.113098.
9. Usta N, Gül S, Öztürk S. Hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines: A critical review on hydrogen energy utilization and performance. Int J Energy Res. 2018;42(10):3464–3477. doi:10.1002/er.4194.
10. Aydın H, Çolak İ, Kaya G. Investigation of hydrogen as a fuel for internal combustion engines: A comprehensive review. Renew Sustain Energy Rev. 2019;112:759–773. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2019.06.025.
11. Sinha K, Bajpai M, Singh K. A study on hydrogen production technologies and its use in internal combustion engines. J Energy Inst. 2021;94(1):121–134. doi:10.1016/j.joei.2020.04.005.
12. Xu W, Zhang X, Dong Z. Performance and emissions of a hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine: A review. Fuel. 2021;283:118938. doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2020.118938.
13. Zubair SM, Al-Amir A, Bhuiyan M. Challenges in the utilization of hydrogen as a fuel for internal combustion engines: A comprehensive review. Int J Hydrogen Energy. 2021;46(45):23318–23336. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2021.05.013.
14. Al-Omari J, Morsi W, Hammad S. Hydrogen as a fuel for internal combustion engines: The impact on engine performance and emissions. Fuel. 2019;238:1031–1044. doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2018.11.040.
15. Li J, Tan H, Hu J. Hydrogen storage and distribution for transportation applications: A review of technologies and challenges. Energy. 2020;209:118312. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2020.118312.

Abstract

The growing global concern over climate change and the ongoing depletion of fossil fuels hassignificantly accelerated the search for alternative fuels in the transportation and power generation sectors. As the world strives for cleaner, more sustainable energy sources, hydrogen has emerged as one of the most promising options, particularly for its application in internal combustion (IC) engines. With its potential to drastically reduce harmful emissions and provide an alternative to conventional fossil fuels, hydrogen presents a unique opportunity to shift away from traditional energy systems. This review article delves into the multiple dimensions of hydrogen use in IC engines, examining both the challenges and opportunities it brings to the table. The challenges associated with hydrogen as a fuel for IC engines include storage and distribution issues, the need for significant engine modifications, and the complexity of ensuring optimal combustion efficiency while minimizing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. On the other hand, hydrogen offers several key opportunities, such as the possibility of zero-emission transportation and compatibility with existing engine technology, which could facilitate a smoother transition from fossil fuels. Additionally, advancements in hydrogen production, storage methods, and combustion technologies will play a pivotal role in determining the fuel’s feasibility for large-scale adoption. This article also investigates the prospects of hydrogen-powered IC engines, including potential innovations in engine design, hydrogen infrastructure development, and policy frameworks that may drive the widespread use of hydrogen as a sustainable and environmentally friendly fuel option in the automotive and industrial sectors. Through an in-depth exploration of these factors, this review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of hydrogen’s role in transforming the future of energy and transportation.

Keywords: Hydrogen combustion, internal combustion engines, emissions control, hydrogen storage, alternative fuels

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Al-Sarkhi A, Riffat SB, Ahuja K. Hydrogen as an alternative fuel in internal combustion engines: A review. Int J Hydrogen Energy. 2020;45(10):5993–6008. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2019.12.076.
2. Raza M, Hossain MM, Islam R. Hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines: Progress, challenges, and future perspectives. J Clean Prod. 2018;194:43–57. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.05.278.
3. Stangeland B, Linde T, Björndal E. Hydrogen storage for transport applications: Current status and future prospects. Int J Hydrogen Energy. 2021;46(10):8614–8632. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.10.128.
4. Tsolakis A, Boulougouris G, Christodoulakis A. Investigation of hydrogen combustion in spark-ignition engines: A review. Energy. 2019;172:1004–1021. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2019.02.026.
5. Mahalingam S, Hegde V, Subramanian V. Hydrogen as an alternative fuel in IC engines: Combustion characteristics and emissions. Fuel. 2017;205:222–234. doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2017.06.020.
6. Ramesh A, Chandra A, Reddy B. Hydrogen combustion characteristics in internal combustion engines: An overview. Fuel Process Technol. 2020;199:106238. doi:10.1016/j.fuproc.2020.106238.
7. Prakash B, Soni M, Kumar M. Hydrogen production and storage technologies for IC engines: Challenges and opportunities. Energy. 2020;207:118351. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2020.118351.
8. Hossain MM, Islam R, Raza M. Performance of hydrogen and gasoline blends in internal combustion engines: A review. Energy Convers Manag. 2020;220:113098. doi:10.1016/j.enconman.2020.113098.
9. Usta N, Gül S, Öztürk S. Hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines: A critical review on hydrogen energy utilization and performance. Int J Energy Res. 2018;42(10):3464–3477. doi:10.1002/er.4194.
10. Aydın H, Çolak İ, Kaya G. Investigation of hydrogen as a fuel for internal combustion engines: A comprehensive review. Renew Sustain Energy Rev. 2019;112:759–773. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2019.06.025.
11. Sinha K, Bajpai M, Singh K. A study on hydrogen production technologies and its use in internal combustion engines. J Energy Inst. 2021;94(1):121–134. doi:10.1016/j.joei.2020.04.005.
12. Xu W, Zhang X, Dong Z. Performance and emissions of a hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine: A review. Fuel. 2021;283:118938. doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2020.118938.
13. Zubair SM, Al-Amir A, Bhuiyan M. Challenges in the utilization of hydrogen as a fuel for internal combustion engines: A comprehensive review. Int J Hydrogen Energy. 2021;46(45):23318–23336. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2021.05.013.
14. Al-Omari J, Morsi W, Hammad S. Hydrogen as a fuel for internal combustion engines: The impact on engine performance and emissions. Fuel. 2019;238:1031–1044. doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2018.11.040.
15. Li J, Tan H, Hu J. Hydrogen storage and distribution for transportation applications: A review of technologies and challenges. Energy. 2020;209:118312. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2020.118312.