Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine & Turbocharger, Ltd. (MHIET), a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has been developing hydrogen combustion engines referred to in its roadmap to carbon neutrality(Note1) and generator set for commercialization as one product that supports MHI Group's MISSION NET ZERO declaration.
Earlier, MHIET has established technologies to stabilize combustion of 100% hydrogen in a single cylinder engine of 170mm cylinder bore and 220mm piston stroke modified from its GSR series, a gas engine offered in 6 to 16 cylinders at Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).
As the next step for commercialization, the knowledge gained from the testing has been utilized to develop a 6-cylinder 100% hydrogen engine with 500kW output and integrate it into a generator set. The hydrogen engine generator set as well as hydrogen supply facility will be installed within its Sagamihara Plant, and construction work for the supply facility has begun first. The facility depressurizes the high-pressure hydrogen gas brought in by hydrogen trailers and supplies the hydrogen gas to the generator set. The technical evaluation of the hydrogen engine generator set is planned to start in FY2024.
A thorough performance of the newly developed engine will be evaluated, including combustion, output and reliability. Safety system of the generator set will be closely monitored as hydrogen requires very strict care in handling(Note2).
Reciprocating engines have the unique structure that can burn a variety of fuels. Hydrogen engine generator sets are considered as a promising technology in energy transition that can bring about carbon neutrality of distributed power systems because they emit zero CO2 while responding to power needs. MHIET endeavors to help achieve carbon neutral society through the marketing of fully validated hydrogen-fueled engine products to the world.
