SYNOPSIS

on
PROJECT TITLED:
HYDROXY
POWERED I.C CAR & HYDROXY GENERATING APPARATUS

Submitted in the partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award

of Degree of
Bachelors of Engineering
In
Mechanical Engineering

Under the Supervision of,

Sumitted by,

Er. Avtar Singh Dhillon

13BME1377
13BME1333
13BME1349
13BME1372
13BME1381
13BME1356
13BME1382

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Chandigarh University
Gharuan, Mohali (Punjab)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Description

Page no.

Abstract

Tables and Figures

ii

Introduction

Literature Survey

2-5

Project Experimentation, Plan, Objectives

6-9

Design Calculations

10-11

Financial Statement

12

Bill of Items Puchased

13

Facilities Required

14

Work Distribution and Completion Chart

15

References

16

ABSTRACT
This project which is named as Hydrogen powered internal combustion engine
car and hydrogen generating apparatus is a step which could change the way we
look at fuels such as petrol and diesel today. This I.C engine which will
completely run on a comination of Hydrogen and oxygen which will be
produced by the hydrogen generating apparatus and that too with the help of
solar energy, in other words, we will become more fuel independent and will not
have to suffer the fluctuating prices of general day-to-day usage fuels. Also this
engine will be completely eco-friendly and help balance the greenhouseemissions such as CO2, NOx and SOx which is one of major problems of today.

TABLES AND FIGURES

Table no.

Description

Page No.

1
2
3
4
5
6

Explanation of CAD-Design
Test Result data
Financial Statement
Bill Of Materials Purchased
Facilities
Work Assigned and Com

9
12
13
14
15
16

FIGURES
Figure
No.
1
2
3
4

Description
Project Flowchart
CAD-D
Draft of Plates
Design of Plates

ii

8
9
10
10

INTRODUCTION

The project Hydrogen powered I.C car & Hydrogen generating apparatus is a
move towards a better use of the most abundant fuel on earth the Hydrogen.
Hydrogen even though the most abundant fuel on earth is used to a limited areas
and we focus on making a new area of its usage that is using it as a fuel in
Internal Combustion engine and it is possible also because of its high energy
capacity and
Producing hydrogen is more difficult than using it and that is the reason we
have divided the project into two parts namely1.Hydrogen generating apparatus
2.Hydrogen powered I.C car.
Since we plan to make the car eco-friendly both in terms of environment and
financially regarding fuel we included the first part i.e, Hydrogen generating
apparatus this apparatus will produce hydrogen with the help of solar electricity
and process called electrolysis which will break down the water into its
components oxygen and hydrogen and both of the gases are extremely
flammable and hence can be used as fuel only thing to consider is to control
their power as they ignite very rapidly.
We will be doing the first part by producing hydrogen and finding best way to
store it so that the fuel can be accessed even in the absence of the energy source
that is sunlight.
The second part in which we will consider the modification of a spark ignition
type engine and make to a level where it can withstand the power generated by
the fuel produced in first part. On a rough basis we will be making changes such
as quantity of the inlet of fuel in cylinder etc.

LITERATURE SURVEY
There are a number of previously done researches on the topic hydrogen fuel
cell car but few on internal combustion engines as it is quite a new area for
internal combustion engines. However, we can use a number of datasheets for
the energy and materials we will use in the project. List of them is as follows1. A REVIEW ON WATER ELECTROLYSIS:
In the initial discovery of electrolysis, an acidic water solution was used, but
nowadays there is a trend towards alkaline electrolytes such as potassium
hydroxide (KOH). This technology offers the advantages of materials which are
cheaper and less susceptible to corrosion compared to those required to handle
acids. Electrolysis plants with normal or slightly elevated pressure usually
operate at electrolyte temperature of 70-90oC, cell voltage of 1.85-2.05 V and
consume 4-5 KWh / m3 of hydrogen, which is obtained at a purity of 99.8% and
more.
Electrolysis is considered as the .cleanest. way to produce hydrogen, when the
required electricity is derived from renewable energy sources. In countries with
a lot of waterfalls, hydroelectricity can be used as the energy source for water
electrolysis. Other renewable sources that could be used for supplying
electrolysis units are solar, aeolic and geothermal energy. Photoelectrolysis, in
which the photovoltaic cells are also electrodes that decompose water to
hydrogen and oxygen gas could be used for the production of hydrogen. These
technologies could be used in order to tore energy as hydrogen, which can be
transformed to electricity in fuel cells, when the natural source of energy is not
available. The production of hydrogen through electrolysis using renewable
energy sources has the smallest impact on the environment.

2. International Journal of ELECTROCHEMICAL SCIENCE

Electrolytic hydrogen production has been scientifically studied for more than a
century. According to the literature, hydrogen has been used by for military,
industrial and commercial purposes since late 19th century. Nowadays,
electrolytic hydrogen has a share of only 4% in the global production of the
most abundant element of the universe .Electricity expense constitutes the
largest fraction of hydrogen production costs .High hydrogen production
expenses count as the main deficiency of commercial and industrial
electrolyzers. Hence electrolytic methods are usually outperformed by other
approaches such as steam methane reformation. An electrolyzer is usually
2

subjected to massive current values in order to break the water molecules into
oxygen and hydrogen. The reaction equation is noted as below:
2H2O 2H2 + O2
Bases and acids are known to change the nonconductive nature of pure
water. These compounds have a great reducing effect on the overvoltage
value of an electrolyzer due they improve the ionic conductivity aqueous
electrolyte compounds. However, the concentration level of acidic and
alkali solutions are limited in practice due to the highly corrosive
behavior of such materials. A 25% to 30% KOH aqueous solution is
reported to have a wide use in electrolyzers.
3. Electrolysis with electrolytes
Alkaline water electrolysis is considered to be a basic technique for
hydrogen production. Many researchers have investigated the alkaline
water electrolysis in order to promote electrochemical reaction. In the
present paper, the effects of voltage, electrolyte concentration and space
between the pair of electrodes on the amount of hydrogen produced and
consequently on the overall electrolysis efficiency are experimentally
investigated. The experimental measurements are carried out by the
present authors at the fluid mechanics laboratory of Menoufiya
University. The alkaline water electrolysis of different potassium
hydroxide aqueous solutions is conducted under atmospheric pressure
using stainless steel electrodes. The experimental results showed that the
performance of water electrolysis unit is highly affected by the voltage
input and the gap between the electrodes. Higher rates of produced
hydrogen can be obtained at smaller space between the electrodes and
also at higher voltage input. Higher system efficiency was also gained at
smaller gap distances between the pair of electrodes.

4. Experimental Investigation of the Operating Parameters Affecting

Hydrogen Production Process through Alkaline Water Electrolysis
A. Electrolyte quality
Bases and acids are known to change the nonconductive nature of pure water.
These compounds have a great reducing effect on the overvoltage value of an
electrolyzer due they improve the ionic conductivity aqueous electrolyte
compounds. However, the concentration level of acidic and alkali solutions are
limited in practice due to the highly corrosive behavior of such materials. A
3

25% to 30% KOH aqueous solution is reported to have a wide use in

electrolyzers
B. Electrical resistance of the electrolyte:
Electrical resistance of an object is an evaluation of its opposition to the passage
of electric current. The level of this force is proportional to the cross section
area and the length of the current path and the material resistivity of the
conducting material. The relationship between the mentioned variables is shown
in equation as below Where A is the cross section area, is the material
resistivity, R is the electrical resistance, and l is the length of the current path.
Inside and electrolysis cell, electrons start their travel from the surface of an
electrode, move through the electrolyte and end their journey at the surface of
the other electrode. We can assume the path as an object with the same length as
the distance between electrodes, the cross section of the area of electrodes
overlap and an equivalent resistivity value. The equivalent resistivity consists of
different variables such as the electrodes resistivity, electrical admittance of the
electrolyte and the reaction between electrodes surfaces and electrolyte. Hence,
the equivalent resistivity is a function of the following variables
C. Forcing the bubbles to leave:
Ohmic resistance in an electrolysis bath is related to the bubble coverage of all
surfaces since gas bubble accumulation on each surface will reduce its
conductivity. Hence, it causes a higher level of ohmic voltage drop .On the other
hand, bubbles diameter depends on the current density, temperature and
pressure. Pressure value has an inverse correlation with the bubbles size where
current density and temperature have an opposite affect it .Moreover, the
disengagement rate of gas bubbles from the surfaces and their departure
velocity play a significant rule in the value of the electrical resistance of an
electrolytic bath. Figure 1 justifies this subject. In this figure, the distance
between electrodes l is broken into n smaller segments li. Equation 4 can
be used to calculate the resistance for each partial length of li. The presence of
gas bubbles significantly reduces the efficient cross section area for each li.
Therefore, it increases the total value of R.

5. Urea electrolysis: direct hydrogen production from Urea

The utilization of wastewater for useful fuel has been gathering recent
attention due to societys need for alternative
energy sources. The electrooxidation of urea found at high concentrations in
wastewater simultaneously accomplishes
fuel production and remediation of harmful nitrogen compounds that currently
make their way into the atmosphere
and groundwater. Pure hydrogen was collected in the cathode
compartment at 1.4 V cell potential, where water electrolysis
does not occur appreciably. It was determined that an inexpensive nickel
catalyst is the most active and stable for the process.
Anode and cathode gases were collected separately in a Hoffman apparatus
filled with a solution of 5 M KOH in the presence and absence of 0.33 M urea
and analyzed via gas chromatography. The electrolyses were performed at a
constant voltage of 1.5 V and 25 1C for 22 hours. Currents observed were 20
mA and less than 1 mA in the presence and absence of urea, respectively. This
verifies that water electrolysis is not occurring to an appreciable extent. Pure H2
was observed at the cathode while N2 (96.1%) with trace amounts of O2 (1.9%)
and H2 (2.0%) were detected at the anode for urea electrolysis.
And various other websites such as wikipedia.com have helped a lot in
determining the material properties for the materials which will be used in
making the various other parts of the project.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES, EXPERIMENTATION AND

PLAN
Following are the main objectives of the project1. To make an eco-friendly vehicle which is can be used by all and also is
affordable by all.
2. To make a fuel which is produced at an extremely low cost.
Future objective is1. To end the era of conventional fuels such as petrol and diesel and make
people more fuel independent.

Experimentation and Plan:

The Project is divided in two main parts and first is further divided in to three
sub parts namely1. Hydrogen generating apparatus
A. Main hydrogen producing unit: This part of the apparatus is
responsible for the production of gases. It contains the electrical plates
and electrolytic water solution.
B. Electrical energy supply unit(solar based): This part of the apparatus
contains the circuit work and the relays and power source to carry out
the electrolysis process.
C. Storage unit: There will be no storage unit as we intent to produce
fuel on demand.
2. I.C engine powered by Hydrogen.
A. Engine study and analysis of the particular engine.
B. Modifications in the engine.
C. Finalising the fuel production method for continuous use.

Each part will be completed by following flowchart (Figure 1):

RE
AR
S
H
C

PR
DU
O
T
C

S IG
E
D
N
MA
R IA
E
T
L
F E
IB
S
A
U IL
T
T
Y
D
NY
A

Figure 1

The designing of the part 1-A is complete and is shown in Figure 2

below:

3
4

5
2
Figure 2

The design in Figure 2 was made in solidworks 2013.

Explanation of design:
Table 1
Part
Description
no.
1
PVC clean-out adaptors fitted to acrylate tube of 5 diameter.
2
3

Stainless steel (Grade 304) plates attached to electrodes and arranged

with nylon bolt and steel nuts.
Electrodes for receiving electricity for electrolysis.

Produced gas outlet

Bubbler made of acrylate for preventing back flash and explosion

Main outlet of gas for use.

DESIGN OF PLATES:
1. DRAFT:

Figure 3
2. FINAL DESIGN:

Figure 4
9

DESIGN CALCULATIONS
Design Specifications:
PART-A
Height of Electrolyser Unit (E.U):
Diameter of E.U:
Volume Capacity:

14.
6.
2

Vol .= r h

= 6.35x10-3 m3.
= 6.35 Liters.
KOH required per cycle =
132 g
Length of electrodes =
1.
Breadth of electrodes =
Varying from 2 to 5.5 .
Thickness of electrodes =
20 Gauge.
Thickness of nuts =
10mm.
Length of Bolts =
6 and 5.
PVC flexible pipe for gas transferring =
6.

Design Constraints:
No air leakage should be there.
Electrodes should have max area but should not consume high current by
using high volume of E.U.
No direct contact between positive and negative pole of electrodes.
Electrodes should be corrosion resistant especially to KOH solution.
Bubbler to contain optimum level of water to prevent implosion.

Fabrication and Manufacturing Details:

Fabrication of part A was done in Workshop procedure of which is as
follows Holes of 13mm diameter were drilled on center of all PVC
cleanout fittings for attaching elbow joint on them.
The pipe making the E.U was cut according to design length.
10

 The electrode plates were marked and cut to design specifications

using snip and shearing machine.
Flexible pipe was cut to design specified length and attached to
elbow Joints.
All the produced parts were assembled and permanent joints were
made using epoxy glue.

Tests and Analysis:

A Conductivity test was performed to test for the mass by weight concentration
of the electrolyte to be added in the water to achieve maximum conductivity.
Test was performed in Chemistry lab no. 207 in Chemistry block.
The data obtained was:Table 2
Sl no
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Weight (g)
2
4
8
15
18
22
25

Conductivity (mS)
0.09
0.11
1.43
4.62
7.31
14.4
10.4

We can clearly observe that at 22g conductivity is highest since conductivity

starts to decrease after that. Hence, it is the optimum quantity to be used.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT
11

The total cost of the project is estimated around Rs 35Thousand.

Brief description of the price list is as follows:
Sl no.

Table 3
Description

Estimated Cost

PART 1-A
1

Acrylate Tube 5 and 2 Dia.

1000/-

PVC clean-out fitting

500/-

Polyurethane pipe

500/-

Stainless steel Grade-304

4000/-

Nuts bolts and washers

300/-

KOH

200/-

B
7

Solar panel

8000/-

Electrical components and parts

5000/-

Total

17,500/-

Part 2
1

Vehicle(scrap)

7,000/-

Modification

7,000/-

Total

33,500/-

Grand Total

~35,000/-

BILL OF MATERIALS PURCHASED

12

Table 4
Sl.no
.
1

Discription

Quantity/Size

Cost (Rs)

PVC Pipe (Dia 6 inch.)

3 foot

900/-

PVC Clean Out Covers

4 nos

400/-

Brass Elbow Connectors

6 nos

360/-

Stainless Steel Grade 304

6x4 foot

3990/-

Nylon Rods

12 inch

60/-

PVC connecting Pipe

4 foot

200/-

Stainless Steel Nuts and washers

40 nos

300/-

Nylon nuts and washers

15 nos

70/-

PVC pipe (Dia2 inch)

foot

30/-

10

Potassium Hydroxide(KOH)

500 gms

300/-

11

Epoxy Glue

180gms

300/-

Total

6910/-

FACILITIES REQUIRED

13

The following machines, facilities and workspace is required as mentioned in

Table 5:
For PART 1-A,
Sl.no.

Table 5
Operation Description

Testing Of Electrolyte

Surface Finish

Drilling Holes

Sheet Cutting

Lab Required
Chemistry Lab
Conductivity testing
Appatus
EMM Lab
Belt Polisher
Machine Shop
Radial Drill Machine
Bench Press
Drill bit 13mm
Sheet Metal Shop
Tools(snip,file etc.)

PROJECT COMPLETION CHART AND WORK

ASSIGNED

14

NAME

WORK ASSIGNED

TO BE COMPLETED
BY

SAHIL SIHOL

RESEARCH ON FUNCTION OF
ELECTROLYTES, DESIGN OF
ELECTRODE AND SUITABLE
MATERIAL

7.AUG.2015

RAMAN DOGRA
AND
ROHIT KAPOOR

RESEARCH ON TYPE OF
ELECTROLYTES AND DRAFTING
OF ELECTRODE AND
CALCULATIONS OF VOLUME OF
ELECTROLYTIC SOLUTION.

7.AUG.2015

RISHABH JAIN
AND
SAHIL MEHRA

RESEARCH ON QUANTITY OF
ELECTROLYTE AND RELATED
CONDUCYIVITY TESTS TO
PERFORM AND USAGE PER
CYCLE.

18.AUG.2015

SANDEEP KUMAR
AND
SAMEER MEHTA

FEASIBILITY AND MATERIAL

STUDY OF ELECTRODES AND
PERFORM NECESSARY
OPERATIONS ON PURCHASED
MATERIALS.

30.AUG.2015

REFERENCES
1. A REVIEW ON WATER ELECTROLYSIS by Centre for Renewable
Energy Sources (CRES), Pikermi, Greece and
15

Frederick Research Center (FRC), Nicosia, Cyprus

2. International Journal of ELECTROCHEMICAL
Electrical efficiency of electrolysis.
Int. J. Electrochem. Sci., 7 (2012) 3314 3326.

SCIENCE

3. Comparison of fuels hydrogen and gasoline

L. David Roper, roperld@vt.edu.
4. Electrolysis with electrolytes
http://ieahia.org/pdfs/Task25/alkaline-electrolysis.pdf
5. Experimental Investigation of the Operating Parameters Affecting
Hydrogen Production Process through Alkaline Water Electrolysis
Int. J. of Thermal & Environmental Engineering Volume 2, No. 2 (2011)
113-116.

6. Urea electrolysis: direct hydrogen production from urine The Royal

Society of Chemistry
First published as an Advance Article on the web 1st July 2009 DOI:
10.1039/b905974a.

7. Electrolysis for hydrogen production

Svein Sunde Department of Materials Science Sem Slands vei 6, N7491 Trondheim.
And various other websites such as wikipedia.com have helped a lot in
determining the material properties for the materials which will be used in
making the various other parts of the project.

16