Modifying a Small Engine to Run on Hydrogen - Need Help!

[mattpbarry]

For an upcomming science expo my friend and I are attempting to modify a small engine (such as found in a brush cutter) to run of hydrogen. We do however have a number of concerns and was wondering if anyone would be able to help.

Firstly should we run it off tanked hydrogen and air or should we use HHO straight out of a electrolysis tank?

Secondly what specifics would we have to modify within the engine itself?

Thirdly our school's Head of Science said that he is prepared to let us run the engine at the expo only if we can demonstrate that this engine will be safe. He also said that if it is safe he will also let us have hydrogen from the school's tanks . As I have no hydrogen at home would using LP Gas as a substitute be ok for early testing/modifications?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. If there is anything I have overlooked please mention it.

 

[xxChrisxx]

There are a few questions that need to be answered first:

How old are you, and what level of science/engineering are we looking at here?
How much experience do you have with working on or modifying an engine (would you have the tools and know how available)?
Do you know how an engine works (in what detail)?
Do you have a budget, as this will cost money to do?
What do you know about hydrogen as a fuel?
What are the aims of this endeavour?

Your first step is to get the exact current outputs of the engine you wish to modify, and have an idea of how it all works. Unless you know where your starting from, you'll have no idea where you are after you fiddled about.

Be methodical, write down your starting point for all the engine variables, take endless pictures (especially before you take anything apart, pictures have saved my bacon after I've got into a mess many times) and make notes of absolutely everything that you change. Only change 1 thing at a time, that way you can track what you have done.At first glance your main problems will be getting the correct spark (temperature and timing) and a suitable air to fuel ratio. If you are going to run this on hydrogen you can't test the convertion on any other fuel. It just won't give you the information you need.

 

[mender]

Aren't most brush cutter engines two stroke?

 

[mattpbarry]

I'm 16. This is definitely a challenging endeavor. My father is a farmer with some mechanical background and we are going to be speaking to a friend of his who is a mechanical engineer. As far as budget goes the engine will come from an old brush cutter of ours so the major cost is taken out. We probably are willing to spend about R250 (+-$45) onto of that on new supplies. Most other stuff we can source from our own workshop ( has all tools I expect we should need ).

This topic is not set yet and I am just trying to do some preliminary research done here. As far as the actual test is concerned we are simply investigating weather or not an ICE can run off H2

 

[mender]

Because if it is a two-stroke engine, the answer is no, it can't run off H2.

 

[mattpbarry]

Seriously? I don't think we have any four stroke engines.

 

[mender]

Unless you can find a two-stroke that injects the oil, you'll have to use a four-stroke.