Water engine on the move for the first time in history: breaks power records and is better than hydrogen
Excluding conventional hydrogen in an energy transition context is challenging, but there’s a water-powered engine that has achieved it (at least partially). It sets power records. The car with two hydrogen engines was surprising, but what’s coming next is equally remarkable. In the context of decarbonizing the economy we’re going through, hydrogen has become a resounding protagonist.
The production of hydrogen for energy purposes is a topic of global interest. In fact, in recent years, there has been much talk about green hydrogen as a strong energy bet. Investment in its production is increasing globally. In the case of Spain, for example, they accounted for 20% of the world’s new hydrogen projects during the first quarter of 2022.
According to Wood Mackenzie data, by the end of 2022, projects linked to this element increased their production by a total of 11.1 million metric tons annually. What does this water engine have to knock out such a widespread form of energy?
Water engine: a record no one expected, but everyone wants
In fact, it doesn’t entirely reject hydrogen, but rather uses it to its advantage. The Austrian company AVL Racetech has developed a powerful hydrogen combustion engine. An invention that demonstrates that this type of model can boast great performance and be used as an alternative to electric vehicles.
Furthermore, it has potential for use in racing cars. It has emerged as a result of the collaboration of engineers from AVL Racetech and the HUMDA laboratory in Hungary. Its innovative hydrogen combustion engine has a novelty that makes it special: a water injection system. With this addition, the power problem traditionally linked to these types of engines is solved.
How does the water engine that revolutionizes the hydrogen market work?
Port Fuel Injection or PFI inserts traditional water into the engine’s air intake system, preventing premature ignition that could damage the component and achieves stoichiometric combustion. Translated, this means that the resulting air-fuel ratios are more or less fixed.
This, according to the company, highlights the potential disadvantages of lean-burn engines. The result of this exhaustive work has been a two-liter hydrogen engine that produces 410 hp and 500 Newton-meters of torque between 3,000 and 4,000 revolutions per minute, achieving a specific power density of approximately 205 hp per liter (150 kW per liter).
Based on real tests, AVL guarantees that the engine will be able to compete in high-level motor racing. “The results obtained by our H2 racing engine confirm that we are able to offer an extremely competitive package with this technology,” explains Ellen Lohr, Motorsport AVL director and former professional racing driver.
She also warns that the company’s goal is for motorsport to embrace sustainability.
Can hydrogen be used for racing cars? This water engine could be the way
Hydrogen combustion engines serve for much more than just racing. They can also help smooth the transition to zero-emission vehicles. In this way, the simplest and most abundant chemical element on Earth takes another step in the automotive world.
Those who have always believed in the potential of hydrogen see in the water engine the symbol of victory. It displaces the conception of hydrogen in vehicles that we had until now. If you are fascinated by the potential of hydrogen, you can’t miss what’s happening on the highways. The first hydrogen highways are coming!
