An onboard hydrogen generator for hydrogen enhanced combustion with internal combustion engine

Hydrogen enhanced combustion (HEC) for internal combustion engine is known to be a simple mean for improving engine efficiency in fuel saving and cleaner exhaust. An onboard compact and high efficient methanol steam reformer is made and installed in the tailpipe of a vehicle to produce hydrogen continuously onboard by using the waste heat of the engine for heating up the reformer; this provides a practical device for the HEC to become a reality. This use of waste heat from engine enables an extremely high process efficiency of 113% to convert methanol (8.68 MJ) for 1.0 NM of hydrogen (9.83 MJ) and low cost of using hydrogen as an enhancer or as a fuel itself. The test results of HEC from the onboard hydrogen production are presented with 2 gasoline engine vehicles and 2 diesel engines; the results indicate a hike of engine efficiency in 15-25% fuel saving and a 40-50% pollutants reduction including 70% reduction of exhaust smoke. The use of hydrogen as an enhancer brings about 2-3 fold of net reductions in energy, carbon dioxide emission and fuel cost expense over the input of methanol feed for hydrogen production.