The Hy-Drive Hydrogen Generating System (HGS) pulls energy required for electrolysis from the standard electrical charging circuit. A vacuum pump delivers the resulting hydrogen and oxygen to the intake manifold.

An electronic process controller varies the energy input to maintain a constant flow of hydrogen and oxygen produced from water. The system consumes two litres of distilled water for every 80 hours of operation.

The HGS operates only when the engine is running and produces hydrogen and oxygen on demand. Gases are never stored.

Hy-Drive has run a variety of tests with the following results:

• 1996 Mercedes Benz bus in Chile demonstrated a 50% reduction in emissions;

• Volkswagen TDI testing by California Environmental Engineering showed reductions in particulate matter from 57.3% to 70.0%, reduction in fuel consumption by 15% and reduction in nitrous oxide NO_x levels by 24% to 36%;

• Cummins NTC-400 tests by California Environmental Engineering showed lower amounts of exhaust emissions and measurable reductions in fuel consumption and exhaust temperatures. Particulate matter was reduced by 11% and carbon monoxide was reduced by 74.5%; oxides of nitrogen were reduced by 11;

• Tests in Alberta showed improvements of fuel economy improved from 3.6% to 14.6% during horsepower analysis tests on the chassis dynamometer conducted at the Cummins Alberta facility. Steady-state dynamometer fuel economy increased by 5.6%. Average of all the road data showed an increase in the fuel economy of 5.5% over 12,800 km and 176 hours of HGS operation;

• Leeds Transit of Elgin, Ontario has installed HGS units on its buses and has experienced emissions reductions and fuel savings from 16% to 20%.

Hy-Drive’s technology partner is Gaskatel GmbH, a German-based contract research and development company that developed the new electrolyzer.

HGS applications include trucks and buses as well as stationary generators. The commercial truck unit sells for C$11,600, and with current fuel prices, Hy-Drive calculates a payback period of less than one year.

HGS systems are currently being tested by 50 fleets in Canada and the US, representing 7,600 trucks.

The Hy-Drive system is one of several exploring the on-board generation of hydrogen for mixture into the fuel charge. The company, in fact, is in legal conflict with one of them (Canadian Hydrogen Energy Company, with its Hydrogen Fuel Injection System—earlier post), and recently won a temporary injunction against it.)

Resources:

• Hy-Drive Investor Presentation November 2005