Research Projects

Fossil fuels have been instrumental in human development specially after the industrial revolution with the discovery and use of coal followed by crude. However, this uncontrolled use of fossil fuel to power human development and comfort is exhibiting signs. that it is unsustainable. The transition of usage of fuel from coal (high carbon) to natural gas (High hydrogen) and finally hydrogen being called the “fuel of the future”. Hydrogen is cleanest fuel available and hence its use in powering existing, robust, reliable, technologically mature energy conversion system, i.e., Compression Ignition (CI) engine is the need of hour. However, CI engine exhaust gases has significant thermal energy which can be utilized using a waste heat recovery system (WHRS). Thermoelectric generator (TEG) is proposed be used as a WHRS to generate electrical energy from waste heat, and the generated DC power is proposed to be utilized for onboard sustainable hydrogen production using a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyser. The generated hydrogen is proposed to co-fired in the CI engine in the process reducing emission so as to meet the evolving emission standards. It is proposed to develop a compact TEG which would use the waste heat of CI engine, to generated electrical energy (DC power) efficiently. Further, it is proposed to use a PEM electrolyser to generate hydrogen from electrolysis of water in real time, and induce the hydrogen so produced in the intake manifold for co-firing with traditional fuel in the CI engine. In the process, the emission species are expected to be reduced so as to meet the evolving emission standards. An experimental setup for the proposed hybrid system comprising of a TEG with PEM electrolyser and a CI engine with necessary modification to burn both traditional fuel and hydrogen (produced onboard),is proposed to fabricated. Experimentation is proposed to be conducted on the developed experimental setup and results analyzed. Further, to compliment, support and achieve stated objectives, a mathematical model of the proposed hybrid system is planned to be developed. The results obtained from mathematical model is planned to be used to determine a narrow of parameters for experimentation which would expedite the process. Results obtained from mathematical model would used for validation of experimental results. Co-firing of hydrogen in the CI engine is not only expected to reduce emission, but also to enhance performance by reducing fuel consumption. Results of engine performance and emission are proposed to be reported and analyzed. Future, comparison of experiemtal and computational results so as to achieve optimized engine performance is also planned. As a deliverable to automotive industries, a concept of novel hybrid vehicle with a compact innovative patentable strap-on module as a product that can continue to meet evolving stringent emission standards for both on-road and off-road CI Engines.