Optimization of Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines Equipped with Turbocompound Technology for Enhanced Performance and Efficiency

Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines (H<sub>2</sub>ICEs) offer significant potential in reducing the CO<sub>2</sub> emissions of the heavy-duty transport sector in the pursuit of the European Green Deal targets. However, the challenges associated with hydrogen energy density...

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Main Authors: Pier Paolo Brancaleoni, Enrico Corti, Federico Di Prospero, Davide Di Battista, Roberto Cipollone, Vittorio Ravaglioli
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/9/2166
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author Pier Paolo Brancaleoni
Enrico Corti
Federico Di Prospero
Davide Di Battista
Roberto Cipollone
Vittorio Ravaglioli
author_facet Pier Paolo Brancaleoni
Enrico Corti
Federico Di Prospero
Davide Di Battista
Roberto Cipollone
Vittorio Ravaglioli
author_sort Pier Paolo Brancaleoni
collection DOAJ
description Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines (H<sub>2</sub>ICEs) offer significant potential in reducing the CO<sub>2</sub> emissions of the heavy-duty transport sector in the pursuit of the European Green Deal targets. However, the challenges associated with hydrogen energy density require advanced technologies for fuel efficiency enhancement. Hybrid powertrains, equipped with innovative energy recovery systems, allow optimizing the engine working point while recovering otherwise wasted energy. In particular, Turbocompound (TCo) systems allow recovering the energy content in the exhaust gases, improving the overall efficiency of the powertrain. Optimizing both engine operation and TCo recovery presents a significant challenge, as it requires balancing the dynamic interaction between the engine’s combustion process and TCo (which increases backpressure). This paper presents a novel approach aimed at optimizing the performance of a hybrid hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine by integrating a TCo system. The TCo allows extracting a 9 kW extra power peak with respect to the baseline configuration. The performance assessment of the optimized working point for series hybrid powertrains underscores the capability of the strategy to reduce hydrogen consumption up to 6.8%.
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series Energies
spelling doaj-art-c7be5d2491194c96b9d8a16407dd1b9a2025-08-20T02:59:11ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-04-01189216610.3390/en18092166Optimization of Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines Equipped with Turbocompound Technology for Enhanced Performance and EfficiencyPier Paolo Brancaleoni0Enrico Corti1Federico Di Prospero2Davide Di Battista3Roberto Cipollone4Vittorio Ravaglioli5Department of Industrial Engineering, Alma Mater Studiorum Università degli Studi di Bologna, 40126 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Industrial Engineering, Alma Mater Studiorum Università degli Studi di Bologna, 40126 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics, Università dell’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, ItalyDepartment of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics, Università dell’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, ItalyDepartment of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics, Università dell’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, ItalyDepartment of Industrial Engineering, Alma Mater Studiorum Università degli Studi di Bologna, 40126 Bologna, ItalyHydrogen Internal Combustion Engines (H<sub>2</sub>ICEs) offer significant potential in reducing the CO<sub>2</sub> emissions of the heavy-duty transport sector in the pursuit of the European Green Deal targets. However, the challenges associated with hydrogen energy density require advanced technologies for fuel efficiency enhancement. Hybrid powertrains, equipped with innovative energy recovery systems, allow optimizing the engine working point while recovering otherwise wasted energy. In particular, Turbocompound (TCo) systems allow recovering the energy content in the exhaust gases, improving the overall efficiency of the powertrain. Optimizing both engine operation and TCo recovery presents a significant challenge, as it requires balancing the dynamic interaction between the engine’s combustion process and TCo (which increases backpressure). This paper presents a novel approach aimed at optimizing the performance of a hybrid hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine by integrating a TCo system. The TCo allows extracting a 9 kW extra power peak with respect to the baseline configuration. The performance assessment of the optimized working point for series hybrid powertrains underscores the capability of the strategy to reduce hydrogen consumption up to 6.8%.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/9/2166turbocompoundhydrogen internal combustion engineturbochargingcontrol strategyhybrid vehicle
spellingShingle Pier Paolo Brancaleoni
Enrico Corti
Federico Di Prospero
Davide Di Battista
Roberto Cipollone
Vittorio Ravaglioli
Optimization of Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines Equipped with Turbocompound Technology for Enhanced Performance and Efficiency
Energies
turbocompound
hydrogen internal combustion engine
turbocharging
control strategy
hybrid vehicle
title Optimization of Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines Equipped with Turbocompound Technology for Enhanced Performance and Efficiency
title_full Optimization of Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines Equipped with Turbocompound Technology for Enhanced Performance and Efficiency
title_fullStr Optimization of Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines Equipped with Turbocompound Technology for Enhanced Performance and Efficiency
title_full_unstemmed Optimization of Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines Equipped with Turbocompound Technology for Enhanced Performance and Efficiency
title_short Optimization of Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines Equipped with Turbocompound Technology for Enhanced Performance and Efficiency
title_sort optimization of hydrogen internal combustion engines equipped with turbocompound technology for enhanced performance and efficiency
topic turbocompound
hydrogen internal combustion engine
turbocharging
control strategy
hybrid vehicle
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/9/2166
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