Hydrogen and ammonia fueled internal combustion engine
Disclosed is a method of operating an internal combustion engine simultaneously with ammonia and another fuel. The other fuel may be hydrogen, ethanol, propane, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, or the like. In a preferred embodiment, the other fuel is hydrogen and the engine has zero carbon emissions. A control system is programmable to adjust the proportion of ammonia and the other, catalyst fuel as selected by the operator.
1. A method of starting and operating an internal combustion engine to generate zero carbon emissions, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a flow of ammonia fuel from an ammonia supply tank;
(b) heating the ammonia fuel above its ignition temperature at the start yap of the engine;
(c) providing a flow of hydrogen fuel from a separate hydrogen supply tank; and
(d) simultaneously supplying the ammonia fuel and the hydrogen fuel to the internal combustion engine; and
(e) ceasing heating of the ammonia fuel when the engine temperature exceed the ignition temperature of the ammonia fuel.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the proportion of hydrogen to ammonia is rich in catalyst hydrogen at starting of the engine.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein electronic fuel injection is used for both fuels.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein direct fuel injection is used for both fuels.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein electronic fuel injection is used for only one of the fuels.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein direct fuel injection is used for only one of the fuels.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of hydrogen is between 5% and 100% and the ratio of ammonia is between 0% and 95%.