화학공학소재연구정보센터
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol.45, No.23, 13119-13128, 2020
An experimental investigation of the impact of added HHO gas on automotive emissions under idle conditions
The paper describes an experiment aimed at specifying the effects of adding Brown's gas (HHO gas) in automotive engines operating at idle speed. HHO gas was obtained from the author's parallel plate generator with a single central anode and two side cathodes separated by six neutral plates. The generator was powered by an external power source (power supply unit) and produced a constant HHO gas flow rate in the experiment. The so obtained HHO gas was added to the engine intake systems of 5 passenger cars - three SI engines, i.e. Fiat Cinquecento, Renault Twingo, and Opel Corsa and two CI engines, i.e. Skoda Octavia and Opel Combo. The engines operated in idling conditions. The MAHA MGT5 analyzer measured the concentrations of CO, HC, NOx in the exhaust gases of those cars first fueled by stock fuel (SF) only and then with added HHO gas, i.e. SF + HHO. The ambient conditions remained constant. The results show that fueling with an HHO gas additive has an impact on emissions: CO and HC concentrations in the exhaust gases were reduced in the most of the cases; NOx concentration was reduced in the SI engines but increased in the Diesel ones. Adding HHO gas to the engine intake system of the Fiat Cinquecento operating at idle slightly deteriorated the combustion process there (the impact of carburetor-based supply without feedback). Although HC concentration was lower by 24%, the amount of CO increased by 34% and nitrogen oxides hardly changed. CO concentration if any decreased in the other vehicles. The concentration of HC in the exhaust gases of each of the vehicles show that adding HHO gas to the original fuel, regardless of fueling methods and techniques, reduces the concentration of unburned hydrocarbons: by more than 20% in the Fiat and by about 40% in the others. The NOx concentration in the exhaust gases of each of the vehicles show that after adding HHO to the original fuel, the amount of NOx depends on a fueling method. In the SI engines with indirect injection, adding HHO gas to the intake system reduced the NOx concentration. In the Fiat with a carburetor without feedback, the NOx concentration remained practically unchanged but it increased in the CI engines if HHO gas was added to their intake systems. (C) 2020 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.