The small number of vehicles using hydrogen internal
combustion engines (HICE) makes it difficult to explain how
to repair them. Therefore, this section does not serve as a
repair manual, but as an outline describing the operation of
a hydrogen engine and its major components, its benefits,
drawbacks and how components can be modified or redesigned
to reduce the drawbacks.
In general, getting an internal combustion engine to run on
hydrogen is not difficult. Getting an internal combustion
engine to run well, however, is more of a challenge. This
section points out the key components and techniques
required to make the difference between a hydrogen engine
that just runs and one that runs well.
The earliest attempt at developing a hydrogen engine was
reported by Reverend W. Cecil in 1820. Cecil presented his
work before the Cambridge Philosophical Society in a paper
entitled “On the Application of Hydrogen Gas to Produce
Moving Power in Machinery.” The engine itself operated on
the vacuum principle, in which atmospheric pressure drives
a piston back against a vacuum to produce power. The vacuum
is created by burning a hydrogen-air mixture, allowing
it to expand and then cool. Although the engine ran satisfactorily,
vacuum engines never became practical.