>Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 12:43:13 -0500 >From: Saint-Hilaire <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: "Ami(e)s de la" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Quasiturbine - An Efficient Hydrogen Engine > >********************************************** >Bonjour, > >This is an invitation to read about >the Quasiturbine hydrogen engine at: > http://quasiturbine.promci.qc.ca/QTHydrogene.html > >Merci, > >Gilles > http://quasiturbine.promci.qc.ca >********************************************** > > >Content-Type: text/html; > name="QTHydrogene-2.html" >Content-Disposition: inline; > filename="QTHydrogene-2.html" >X-MIME-Autoconverted: from 8bit to quoted-printable by >antivirus.uqam.ca id g1IHdCc17523 > >Quasiturbine Hydrogen Engine - Motor > >High efficiency >Continuously aspirated atmospheric pressure intake >Potentially without lubricant > >See below for details about the WHEC 2002 >14th World Hydrogen Energy Conference >Montreal June 9 - 13, 2002 >The Hydrogen Planet > >* * * * * > >There is no molecular hydrogen on the planet Earth, we need to make it! >Energy transformation from one source to another is costly in all terms. >About 10% of the crude oil is consumed to refine gasoline, but up to >35% is consumed to make methanol. >Transforming fossil fuel in electricity has not been done very >efficiently in the pass, >even if new technologies are making substantial progress into the >60% efficiency range. >Why transforming fuel-into-hydrogen when such thermal efficiency device exist? >Transforming precious electricity from fossil fuel, or reforming >methanol into hydrogen is questionable? >Solar and bio-transformation may be part of the solution. >The objective is generally to take the pollution (and the >in-efficiency) away from the end users, >but what is the net gain, and at what cost? >Environmental human and planet issues about massive hydrogen >production are still open. > >* * * * * > >If hydrogen is going to be widely available, >fuel cells will be a end-user low pollution technology, initially >costly on lifetime maintenance. >However, the fuel cell chemistry will not permit >to make very high density power plant in weight and volume (refer to >the RAGON engine diagram), >like it is easily done with internal combustion (IC) engine. >For many applications from chainsaws or motorcycles, to propeller airplanes, >hydrogen and multi-fuel internal combustion engine will then be most >suitable anyway. > > >Why is the Quasiturbine Hydrogen Engine superior to conventional IC engine? ><http://quasiturbine.promci.qc.ca>http://quasiturbine.promci.qc.ca > >The Best Current present state hydrogen technologies: Fuel cells, >operating on reformed natural gas, will have very low emissions, but >despite some claims of very high efficiency, their efficiency is >only about 35% from raw fuel, and half of that in small portable >electric motor units (efficiency fall when getting near maximum >output power). Furthermore, they are not readily available for high >power output plants yet now a day, and they are far from matching >the Combined Cycle Gas Turbine CCGT efficiency, which reaches about >55% (58 to 60% according to > ><http://www.fossil.energy.gov/techline/tl_ats_ge1.shtml>http://www.fos >sil.energy.gov/techline/tl_ats_ge1.shtml or > ><http://www.energyusernews.com/eun/cda/articleinformation/coverstory/b >npcoverstoryitem/0,2582,6779,00.html>http://www.energyusernews.com/eun >/cda/articleinformation/coverstory/bnpcoverstoryitem/0,2582,6779,00.ht >ml ). >Hydrogen is not easily usable in conventional internal combustion IC >engine due to its high inflammability (See the INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY >OF SCIENCE - Hydrogen combustion and backfire ><http://www.science.edu/tech/h74001.htm>http://www.science.edu/tech/h7 >4001.htm ) and lower atmospheric pressure specific energy (30 to 50 >% power drop), and generally does require sophisticated and costly >synchronized gas injectors. However, the IC efficiency is >potentially competitive. Nevertheless, four problems subsist: >Hydrogen hot combustion in presence of the nitrogen of air generates >NOx; Hydrogen is a vicious gas for all material, including steel and >lubricant; Hydrogen injector do not make uniform combustion; And >storage density still to be worked out (See the INTERNATIONAL >ACADEMY OF SCIENCE - Hydrogen storage ><http://www.science.edu/tech/h74002.htm>http://www.science.edu/tech/h7 >4002.htm ). This last point is partly cover in an article in >Scientific American of June 2001 exposing that combustion uniformity >is the key challenge in internal combustion IC engine. As a matter >of fact, Researchers have been looking how to make a uniform >combustion in Diesel engine (injectors are not making a uniform >combustion) for 40 years. A short summary of problems in converting >conventional engine to hydrogen is given at ><http://www.greenconcepts.com/producttips/hydrogenfuel/hydrogen02.html > >http://www.greenconcepts.com/producttips/hydrogenfuel/hydrogen02.html >. For all those considerations, the Quasiturbine is the best of all >solutions. > >Environmental concerns: Hydrogen and oxygen combustion gives water, >only if no other chemical products are present. A problem with a >conventional internal combustion (IC) engine running on hydrogen, is >that NOx are produced from the air nitrogen (76%), and because they >are very toxic pollutants, this causes significant emissions >concerns, and present solution by cooling the combustion temperature >by excess air mixture further lower the engine power and efficiency. >The performing conventional internal combustion IC engines operated >on hydrogen may not easily meet the future severe environmental >emission standards. Another concern is related to the internal >combustion IC engine oil degradation in presence of hydrogen, and >the eventual toxic residues safe elimination (not by the exhaust). >The Quasiturbine operating on hydrogen has favorable potential >emissions characteristics to meet severe standards, because very >little NOx are produced, and it has the potential to be an oil-free >engine (see the summary of the combustion characteristics below). >The Quasiturbine is quite a recent invention, and theoretical >emission characteristics of the hydrogen powered Quasiturbine should >be validated by measurement testing as soon as possible... > >Quasiturbine characteristics and the environmental solution: The >Quasiturbine pressure pulse is shorter and increased linearly (as >opposed to tangentially at the TDC position like the sine wave of >the conventional crankshaft). This means that photo-detonation at >the TDC is not followed by a long confinement time, responsible for >so many broken pistons. Furthermore, because the pressure pulse is >15 to 30 times shorter at the top dead center, photo-detonation >invariably occurs there and the Quasiturbine is not synchronization >sensitive, and because compression occurs late after the intake is >done, it does not easily backfired (See the INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF >SCIENCE - Hydrogen combustion and back fire ><http://www.science.edu/tech/h74001.htm>http://www.science.edu/tech/h7 >4001.htm ). The objective is to operate the Quasiturbine in >photo-detonation mode, with compression ratio of 20:1 to 40:1 ! >(Polluting with piston, but not with the short and linear >Quasiturbine pressure pulse). The radiation is then the triggering >source of a volumetric combustion, and will occur for all molecules, >including hydrogen, methane and others. In fact, the lower the >octane index is, the better the combustion will be, because the >octane additive are by nature radiation absorbents. To be able to >work under photo-detonation mode required other engine >characteristics, and the Quasiturbine has all those requirements. No >more sparkplug, just crank it. No more diesel injector, just >pulverized or mix with atmospheric air intake (unless stratified >intake is needed). 500 times less NOx because the Quasiturbine has a >confinement time too short to allow for the chemistry of the NOx to >occur. No more timing synchronization. Conversion in mechanical >energy extends early and late compared to piston engine, and for >this reason the combustion gas cools down adiabaticaly (not a >thermal lost) faster than in piston engines, such that the heat flow >to the engine block is less than with piston, and this is the reason >why the second steam cycle is less required in Hydrogen Combined >Cycle Quasiturbine HCCQT. > >Other Quasiturbine unique characteristics for hydrogen: >Trying to convert a naturally aspirated conventional combustion IC >engine to naturally aspirated hydrogen poses problems (See ><http://www.greenconcepts.com/producttips/hydrogenfuel/hydrogen02.html > >http://www.greenconcepts.com/producttips/hydrogenfuel/hydrogen02.html >), because the high inflammability of the hydrogen which tend to >backfire while still in the intake stroke, particularly with 11:1 or >higher compression ratio. The piston chamber gets hot during the >combustion and exhaust, and do not quietly welcome hydrogen mixture >at intake time. Furthermore, the piston geometry do not permit good >intake stratification where air and hydrogen can be intake >separately. Rotary engine present a less severe situation in this >regard, because the combustion occurs in an opposite area than the >intake, and intake can be well stratified by using two distinct >intake ports, one on each rotor side. The fact that the Quasiturbine >is not sensitive to photo-detonation and can stand it, makes it very >attractive for hydrogen operation because hydrogen is the ideal >photo-detonation fuel! In the piston engine, oil is required for >lubrication but also as internal coolant, which is giving little >incentive for oil-free piston engine. In fact, oil is not required >for the interface of the ring and the piston cylinder, but essential >because of non co-linearity of the piston and the connecting rod, >which generate an ovalization force on the piston against the >cylinder which must be well lubricated. The Quasiturbine does not >present such unfortunate parallax effect and furthermore, the >Quasiturbine has no oil-pan and its rotor is also an external part, >so that the rotor and the stator are cooled by air flow, and not by >internal oil spray. Consequently, the Quasiturbine has the potential >to be a true oil-free engine, which is also expected to reduced the >viscosity friction and increase further its efficiency. >Finally, piston rings are known to brake easily under hydrogen >atmosphere, this being due the the fact that the external perimeter >of the ring is in tension (not compression) while in presence of >hydrogen, which favors its fragilisation and breakdown. None of the >Quasiturbine seals are in tension, which means a longer seals >lifetime. > >Why not use an Hydrogen Combined Cycle Quasiturbine HCCQT? Very high >efficiency gas turbine electrical power plants use a Combined Cycle >Gas Turbine CCGT to reach efficiency of about 55% (58 to 60% >according to ><http://www.fossil.energy.gov/techline/tl_ats_ge1.shtml>http://www.fos >sil.energy.gov/techline/tl_ats_ge1.shtml or ><http://www.energyusernews.com/eun/cda/articleinformation/coverstory/b >npcoverstoryitem/0,2582,6779,00.html>http://www.energyusernews.com/eun >/cda/articleinformation/coverstory/bnpcoverstoryitem/0,2582,6779,00.ht >ml ), because (1) it uses the heat from the gas combustion cycle to >turn a turbine and (2) it uses the residual heat to generate steam >for a steam turbine cycle. These are quite high tech sophisticated >pieces of equipment with limited live span time and further, they >are accompanied by high maintenance cost. In the Quasiturbine power >plant, there would be also two cycles. In the first cycle, a >Quasiturbine would be used as an internal combustion hydrogen gas >engine to generate electric power. The sensible heat from the first >cycle would then be run through a heat exchanger to generate steam >in a boiler for the second cycle. Because of similar Quasiturbine's >unique ability to run on combusted hydrogen and steam, in the second >cycle, steam would provide a second Quasiturbine's motive force, >thereby increasing overall fuel efficiency. Furthermore, the >Quasiturbine center being empty, the internal combustion (IC) and >Steam Quasiturbines can be on the same shaft, with a simple ratchet >coupling, and the torque will be cumulative on one single electrical >generator! The interesting point (from a capital cost standpoint) is >that it does not required both different systems as the natural gas >turbine and the steam turbine do with a CCGT. The Quasiturbines >would function as both a hydrogen gas turbine (first cycle) and as a >steam turbine (second cycle). Operationally, it would run the >Quasiturbine in first cycle mode until steam is built up in the >boiler. When the steam pressure is adequate, a computer would start >the second Quasiturbine cycle mode. As steam pressure decreases, the >computer would return to the first cycle mode only. Thus, in >principle, one could have a Hydrogen Combined Cycle Quasiturbine >HCCQT. The fuel efficiency of the HCCQT would probably be less than >a true CCGT (55%) but more than the Quasiturbine alone (33%) which >can run at higher internal hydrogen temperature because of early >adiabatic expansion mechanical conversion. This type of efficiency >would actually be more than a fuel cell stack, which, despite some >claims to higher efficiency, is only about 35% at most from raw >fuel, and quite costly on lifetime maintenance. > >Other Quasiturbine advantages: The Quasiturbine is a very low RPM >engine. Internal combustion IC engine idle is under 200 RPM and up >to 3000 or more. It does not required a gearbox to direct drive an >electric generator. The Quasiturbine hydrogen gas engine can be made >very large to drive 10's of megawatts size generator. Low noise, low >tech equipments, low maintenance cost, minimum plant personnel >qualification required. > >Other markets: > >Fuel cells: >Some commercial markets are being the same as the market >misappropriately targeted by fuel cells. Fuel cells, operating on >reformed natural gas, will have very low emissions. Demonstration >that an internal combustion IC Hydrogen Quasiturbine Engine also has >low emissions characteristics operating would provide a low price >alternative to fuel cells. For marketing purposes, the >Quasiturbine's more favorable hydrogen emission characteristics will >be very important. > >High power density applications: >Generally speaking, the commercial market of natural gas >Quasiturbine or CCQT is not being the same as the market targeted by >fuel cells, neither it will the high power HCCQT Quasiturbines. On >the RAGON diagram, the Quasiturbine is the highest density power >plant by weight and volume. Fuel cell chemistry forbids such a >specific high power density (which is very appreciated also in the >transportation industry). The Quasiturbine is such a recent >invention, and already some are not willing to wait longer to test >this spectacular high power density... > >Hybrid vehicle: >It is not certain that HCCQT could be practically adapted for a >hybrid electric vehicle. It might depend on the size of the boiler. >But if such a Hydrogen-powered, hybrid electric vehicle could be >engineered, it might well approach the 80 mpg (gasoline equivalent) >vehicle that DOE has wanted, especially with a regenerative braking >system. For small units, a <QTStirling.html>Quasiturbine-Stirling >engine could replace advantageously the second stage >steam-Quasiturbine. > >Distributed power generation: >Another market for HCCQT is distributed power generation and >uninterruptible power supplies. The HCCQT would have fuel efficiency >advantages similar to a CCGT but would be compact enough to be >easily located on-site. If the HCCQT could be sold for about US$800 >per kW installed, it could be a cost-effective option in this >market. Because of the multi-fuel capability, the Quasiturbine seems >like an ideal power generator for these applications with hydrogen, >keeping open the multi-fuel option of natural gas, syngas, hythane, >etc. > >Cogeneration: >The Quasiturbine is quite recent invention, and already some >opportunities are presenting themselves for cogeneration projects. > >State of the Quasiturbine technology: >No Quasiturbine has yet run under hydrogen fuel. A new generation of >Quasiturbine engine prototype will be custom manufactured starting >in summer 2002, and following testing, they may be available for >rent to research labs or hydrogen involved corporations, by the fall >of 2002 (?) > >* * * * * > >Not to be miss in MontrŽal: > >The WHEC 2002 - 14th World Hydrogen Energy Conference June 9 - 13, >2002 - The Hydrogen Planet > <http://www.hydrogen2002.com>http://www.hydrogen2002.com >The Conference will be held at The Queen Elizabeth Fairmont Hotel in >the great city of MontrŽal (Montreal) from June 9th to the 13th, >2002. >This Meeting has been appropriately entitled The Hydrogen Planet to >reflect the inevitable march towards >the hydrogen economy and the hydrogen infrastructure that will >result in a sustainable clean environment of planet hydrogen. > >Organized by the Canadian Hydrogen Association >in collaboration with the US National Hydrogen Association >under the auspices of the International Association for Hydrogen Energy > >Honorary Chairmen of the Conference: Geoffrey Ballard and Nejat Veziroglu >Chairmen of the Conference: Tapan K. Bose and Alexander Stuart > >See message from the: >Canadian Hydrogen Association (CHA) Mr. Tapan K. Bose, President, >US National Hydrogen Association (NHA) Mr. Jeffrey A. Serfass, President > >Link of interest: >Hydrogen Energy Center (HEC) <http://www.h2eco.org>http://www.h2eco.org >Canadian Hydrogen Association (CHA) <http://www.h2.ca>http://www.h2.ca >US National Hydrogen Association (NHA) ><http://www.hydrogenus.com>http://www.hydrogenus.com >International Association for Hydrogen Energy (IAHE) ><http://www.iahe.org>http://www.iahe.org > >* * * * * > >Model under development, only >RESEARCH APPLICATION <QTdesireacheter.html>PROTOTYPES >are available at this time. > ><QTIndex.html>Return to main menu > >Quasiturbine HydrogŹne Inc. >Casier 2804, 3535 Ave Papineau, MontrŽal QuŽbec H2K 4J9 CANADA (514) >527-8484 Fax (514) 527-9530 ><http://quasiturbine.promci.qc.ca>http://quasiturbine.promci.qc.ca ><mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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