|
|
|
|
|
FORD’S MODEL U
This is what Ford has to say about it’s supercharged hydrogen ICE.
Ford U Concept
Building on the heritage started with the Model T, Ford's Model U concept begins Ford Motor Company's second century of innovation.
Equipped with an array of upgradable technologies and a multi-function tailgate, Model U can stick with you and adapt to your needs if your life changes.
Powered by the world's first supercharged hydrogen internal combustion engine, equipped with a hybrid electric transmission and pioneering green materials and processes, Model U is a vision for the future. It is Ford's model for change - exploring the benefits a vehicle provides to its users, the way it is manufactured and how it impacts the world.
It is the Model T of the 21st century.
Perhaps a little more
information about their fuel tanks will be available soon. It is interesting
that they seem to have broken the 5,000 psi barrier by doubling it. The weight
of the fuel tank seems to have been omitted.
Hydrogen Internal-Combustion Engine
Model U is powered by internal combustion engine (ICE) that is optimized to run
on hydrogen. The engine is supercharged and
intercooled for maximum
efficiency, power and range. Its emission of all pollutants, including carbon
dioxide, is nearly zero, and the engine is up to 25 percent more fuel-efficient
than gasoline engines. A hybrid-electric transmission system further improves
efficiency.
"We believe that hydrogen will be the automotive fuel of the future," says Dr. Schmidt. "The hydrogen ICE can act as a stepping stone to hydrogen-fueled mass transportation that eventually will incorporate fuel cells."
The hydrogen ICE is a common-sense powerplant that uses existing, proven technologies to deliver the environmental benefits of a hydrogen fuel cell - but at a fraction of the complexity and cost.
The hydrogen ICE is based on Ford's global 2.3-liter I-4 engine used in the Ford Ranger, the European Ford Mondeo and a number of Mazda vehicles. The engine is optimized to burn hydrogen with 12.2:1 high-compression pistons, fuel injectors designed to handle hydrogen gas, a coil-on-plug ignition system, an electronic throttle and new engine management software.
Because hydrogen has a very wide combustion range (from 4 to 75 percent), hydrogen-fueled engines are able to use a wider range of air/fuel mixtures than gasoline engines, and can be run in the fuel-efficient "lean" regime without the complications of pre-ignition or "knock." Much like a diesel engine, the hydrogen ICE runs unthrottled while under way, with air/fuel mixtures as lean as 86:1 during highway cruise, compared to the 14.7:1 of gasoline-powered vehicles. It can reach an overall efficiency of 38 percent, which is approximately 25 percent better than a gasoline engine.
Because there are no carbon atoms in the fuel, combustion of hydrogen produces no hydrocarbon or carbon-dioxide emissions. Even without aftertreatment, oxides of nitrogen (NOX) are very low, and catalyst research may soon reduce tailpipe output of potentially smog-forming emission to below ambient conditions in many cities.
Designing a gasoline engine to burn hydrogen fuel has typically resulted in significantly lower power output - until now. Ford researchers have shown that with supercharging, the hydrogen ICE can deliver the same power as its gasoline counterpart and still provide near-zero-emissions performance and high fuel economy. The centrifugal-type supercharger provides nearly 15 pounds per square inch (psi) of boost on demand.
Also, Model U uses a novel dual-stage intercooling process. After leaving the supercharger, the intake air passes through a conventional air-to-air intercooler, then through an air conditioning-to-air intercooler for a further reduction in temperature. This patent-pending solution further improves the performance of the engine.
Ford
Modular Hybrid Transmission System
The hydrogen ICE is joined with an advanced hybrid electric transmission
technology called the Ford Modular Hybrid Transmission System (MHTS). The torque
converter from a conventional transmission is replaced with a high-voltage
electric motor and two hydraulic clutches that permit the motor to operate
independently of, or in concert with, the engine.
The electric motor simultaneously fills the role of flywheel, starter, alternator and hybrid traction motor.
The hybrid system is known as a "parallel" arrangement, which means that Model U can operate on either the hydrogen ICE engine or electric motor, or both for extra power. A regenerative braking function reclaims energy that would otherwise be lost as heat, storing it in the 300-volt, air-cooled battery pack for the next acceleration, passing maneuver or hill climb.
When the driver comes to rest at a traffic light, the engine can automatically be switched off to save fuel. When the accelerator is applied, the electric motor instantly starts the engine, the clutch to the transmission engages, and the vehicle begins to pull away, all within 300 milliseconds.
MHTS provides significant increased fuel efficiency while delivering familiar performance and drive characteristics. The technology is designed with minimal effect on the base transmission so as to reduce complexity and cost compared to other hybrid systems.
Fuel Storage
Model U can carry up to 7 kilograms of
hydrogen on board. Its fuel tanks, made of a 3-millimeter aluminum pressure
barrier with a carbon-fiber structural casing, are rated to an operating
pressure of more than 10,000 psi.
Hydrogen offers the potential for a sustainable, cleaner burning fuel. Ford Motor Company, in conjunction with BP, is exploring the potential for hydrogen production. BP currently produces hydrogen from natural gas, in an efficient, effective manner. Continued support from industry and government, through FreedomCAR and other efforts, might one day make its use a reality in vehicles like Model U.
Conversational
Speech Interface
Along with being personalized from a
physical feature and capability aspect, the Model U is also a more intelligent
vehicle that allows you to use technology for personalization and convenience.
"One challenge we face is having our
vehicle technology keep pace with electronics developments; we believe we have a
solution," says Bryan Goodman, Technical Specialist in Ford's Research and
Advanced Enginering. "The BluetoothTM-enabled slot system allows for continuous
additions and upgrades throughout the life of the vehicle."
*Complete details
http://www.new-cars.com/concept/2003/ford-u-concept.html