Prototype characteristics Operation and energy efficiency Fuel production process How a hydrogen and ethanol engine works UPDATED: 11/21/2023 A young engineer of Indian origin, Vikrant Subhash Pawar, has designed a motorcycle that runs on a mixture of hydrogen and ethanol . This invention has been selected for the prestigious James Dyson Award competition . Pawar's motorcycle not only promises to significantly reduce polluting gas emissions , but also seeks to be a sustainable and efficient alternative to more traditional fossil fuels. Prototype characteristics Pawar's motorcycle is powered by a fuel composed of hydrogen and ethanol , derived from water and sugar cane.
Ethanol is obtained through the fermentation of cane juice, while hydrogen is produced through the electrolysis of water , using "0-TDS" water and potassium hydroxide as electrolytes. This process involves the separation of oxygen and hydrogen atoms using electrical current. With a maximum speed between 70 and 75 km/h, this vehicle is capable of traveling between 50 and 55 km per liter of fuel . Its development has Buy Email Database taken two years, culminating in a design that is not only efficient in terms of consumption, but also in terms of sustainability. Operation and energy efficiency Pawar has made specific modifications to the engine and carburetor to adapt them to this new type of fuel. The bike uses a 100 cm 3 four-stroke internal combustion engine and a specialized carburetor to manage the ethanol.
After starting with ethanol, an alternator produces 12V 3A electricity, necessary to generate hydrogen gas that mixes with ethanol in the combustion chamber. The calorific value of this mixture is 34.78 kJ/g, and for its design, Pawar has used 316L stainless steel plates. Fuel production process Unlike gasoline, hydrogen-ethanol fuel is less harmful to the environment . Ethanol, coming from plant sources, is considered renewable. Its production involves the grinding and filtration of sugar cane to obtain juice, followed by a fermentation and distillation process that concentrates ethanol to more than 95%, starting from a solution that contains between 10 and 15% of this compound. . Before use, ethanol is tested to ensure 99.98% purity . For its part, hydrogen is produced without the need for external energy sources, beyond the water used.