This is a legacy page. Please click here to view the latest version.
Wed 6 Jun 2012, 10:14 GMT

Hydrogen system for marine engines is launched


New system uses hydrogen as a catalyst to help burn the fuel more completely and reduce bunker costs.



Highline Technical Innovations, Inc., the creator of a hydrogen system tested in the marine and agricultural industries, has announced that its Hy-Impact(TM) line of Intelligent Hydrogen Systems is now commercially available for all industries utilizing diesel combustion engines.

Through a partnership with Alternative Hydrogen Systems Group Sales & Marketing, LLC, the two entities have merged to form Alternative Hydrogen Solutions, a company dedicated to bringing these products to market. For industries utilizing diesel combustion engines, the presence and availability of AHS's Intelligent Hydrogen Systems is said to lead to a dramatic reduction in fuel costs and more environmentally friendly engines with radically minimized harmful emissions.

The Hy-Impact system is said to increase fuel economy between 9 and 23% and reduce diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) usage by up to 40%. The system runs on fewer than 3 amps of power and requires only one cup of distilled water every 900 operating hours.

The distinguishing characteristic of AHS's Hy-Impact product line of Intelligent Hydrogen Systems, compared to hydrogen devices of the past, according to Charlton Coats, CEO of Alternative Hydrogen Solutions, is "the fact that we aren't using hydrogen as a fuel. Instead we are using it as a catalyst to help burn the fuel more completely. In addition, we employ three patent-pending pieces of technology. Two of these regulate the exact flow of hydrogen while the other ensures no moisture enters the engine."

Hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant element in the universe. It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-corrosive and non-toxic to humans. An often-overlooked natural fuel resource, hydrogen contains three times the energy of natural gas of the same volume. In order to be used as a catalyst to more completely burn fuel, hydrogen is first separated from water via the process of electrolysis. When the precise required amount of hydrogen is introduced into the engine's combustion chamber, a more efficient fuel burn will result, the exhaust will run at a lower temperature, and the reduction in carbon and heat will reduce internal friction. The dramatic reduction in heat results in an increase in engine efficiency and consequently a reduction in harmful emissions.

"Put simply," explained Coats, "we are using hydrogen to completely burn the fuel in the cylinder, instead of allowing roughly 30% of fuel that otherwise would remain unburned and cause the engine to run hotter and less efficiently to ultimately then be released out into the environment in the form of harmful emissions."

"The key to our success is that we effectively control the release of the hydrogen," continued Coats. "Different engines require different levels of hydrogen in order to maximize the fuel efficiency of each. Producing hydrogen is the easy part, it is how we control and utilize the hydrogen that separates our Hy-Impact line of products from the products of other companies that attempt to use hydrogen in some form."

Alternative Hydrogen Solutions was formed in 2012, when the creators of Arkansas-based Highline Technical Innovations, joined forces with Alternative Hydrogen Systems Group Sales & Marketing, LLC. The products that comprise the Hy-Impact line and their corresponding industries include: Hy-Marine(TM) for maritime, Hy-Flo(TM) for oil, Hy-Road(TM) for trucking, Hy- Agra(TM) for agriculture, Hy-Track(TM) for locomotive, and Hy-Drolean(TM) for municipality.


Anne Mai Hatlem and Prof Lynn Loo. GCMD and Equinor sign five-year partnership on alternative fuels and carbon storage  

Singapore-based centre and Norwegian energy company to combine expertise in maritime pilots and low-carbon fuel supply.

Petrobras logo. Petrobras suspends bunker deliveries at Rio Grande after tropical storm  

Storm damage and power outage leave resumption timeline unclear.

Grande Egitto vessel. Grimaldi adds fourteenth ammonia-ready car carrier to fleet  

Grande Egitto, built by China Merchants Heavy Industries Jiangsu, will operate on the Asia–East Africa trade route.

ABS awards AiP to HD HHI and HD KSOE for ammonia bunkering vessel design. ABS grants design approval for ammonia bunkering vessel from HD HHI and HD KSOE  

Approval in principle covers a 22,000-cbm multi-purpose vessel intended to supply ammonia as marine fuel.

Trenching vessel render. Jan De Nul exercises option for alternative-fuel-capable trenching vessel  

Belgian marine contractor confirms option for a second subsea trenching vessel built on Ulstein's customised design platform.

ABS issues NTQ approval to MODEC and Eld Energy. ABS grants technology qualification approval for FPSO fuel cell system  

MODEC and Eld Energy’s solid oxide fuel cell system moves towards offshore trials after clearing initial ABS review stages.

IMO CCC 12th Session. IMO sub-committee finalises revised methanol fuel safety guidelines  

CCC 12 completes revision of interim methanol fuel guidelines while advancing work on carbon capture and low-flashpoint fuel rules.

Volare Shipping logo. Trafigura spins off VLCC fleet into new listed shipping company  

Volare Shipping established, with eight ammonia-ready vessels on order.

Ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering operation. Japan completes world's first ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering to ammonia-fuelled vessel  

Ammonia fuel transferred between ships at Ariake Shipyard ahead of gas carrier’s sea trials.

Lilac Cove vessel. Jiangnan delivers second LPG dual-fuel VLAC in series to Singapore’s EPS  

Lilac Cove, the world’s largest liquid ammonia carrier, joins Ivy Cove as Jiangnan advances its six-ship VLAC programme.


↑  Back to Top