Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (H-ICE) is an internal combustion engine that uses hydrogen as the sole fuel and generates power through direct combustion in either a spark ignition or compression ignition cycle; It retains the cylinder piston structure, crank connecting rod mechanism, and valve system of traditional gasoline/diesel engines, but re optimizes the airway design, injection strategy, ignition system, and material process for the high diffusion, wide flammability limit, and extremely low lubricity of hydrogen gas.

Compared with traditional internal combustion engines, the combustion products in the cylinder are almost only water and a small amount of nitrogen oxides. Through lean combustion and exhaust gas post-treatment, nearly zero carbon emissions can be achieved, making it one of the most valuable technological routes for achieving "zero carbon power" in heavy-duty scenarios such as heavy-duty trucks, ships, and construction machinery.

1. Zero carbon combustion and high reliability: Hydrogen internal combustion engines generate power through direct combustion of hydrogen gas, with the main emissions being water vapor and almost no carbon dioxide or nitrogen oxides, achieving true "zero carbon combustion"; Its core mechanical structure is highly compatible with traditional internal combustion engines, and can reuse 70% -80% of components and production chains.

2. High energy density and replenishment efficiency: The energy density of hydrogen can reach up to 120MJ/kg (gasoline is about 44MJ/kg), combined with high-pressure hydrogen storage systems (such as 70MPa gas tanks), the range of hydrogen internal combustion engine heavy-duty trucks can reach 800-1000 kilometers, close to the level of diesel vehicles; Suitable for high-intensity operation scenarios such as long-distance trunk logistics and port transportation.

3. Technological iteration and scenario adaptation: In recent years, the thermal efficiency of hydrogen internal combustion engines has exceeded 45%, approaching the level of diesel engines; Through technology optimization such as high-pressure direct injection and turbocharging, its power output can reach 412kW, covering the needs of medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles.

With the acceleration of global carbon neutrality, hydrogen internal combustion engines are moving from laboratories to large-scale applications. The global hydrogen internal combustion engine market is expected to exceed 5 billion US dollars by 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 38%.

01 Europe

Leading the world in the field of commercial vehicles, a certain GenH2 hydrogen internal combustion engine heavy-duty truck is equipped with a 16.8-liter H4576 engine, with a thermal efficiency exceeding 43%. Combined with a 70MPa hydrogen storage system, it achieves a range of 600 kilometers. Starting from 2025, it will fully replace diesel vehicles in European mainline logistics; Under the pressure of the European Union's carbon tariff (CBAM) policy, hydrogen internal combustion engine commercial vehicles can be exempted from a carbon emission cost of 80 euros per ton, becoming a strategic choice for export companies.

02 North America

Energy giants deepen their layout and launch the "Hydrogen Corridor" demonstration project in the United States by 2025 to serve West Coast port transportation; Its multi fuel integrated power chain technology is compatible with diesel, natural gas, and hydrogen, reducing the cost of host plant renovation by 40%; A hydrogen fuel version of an electric vehicle under a certain new energy giant has entered the testing stage, using solid-state hydrogen storage technology with a range exceeding 1000 kilometers.

03 Asia Pacific

China, Japan, and South Korea are competing for the technological high ground. A certain Chinese heavy truck brand's hydrogen internal combustion engine traction train broke the industry record with a thermal efficiency of 45.03% and a range of 1100 kilometers. In 2024, it completed the Berlin Paris hydrogen energy line test, with a hydrogen consumption of only 12 kilograms per 100 kilometers; A series of car models developed by Japan and South Korea performed similarly to gasoline cars in the Fuji 24-hour endurance race, with plans to mass produce track rental models by 2025; At the same time, we are also collaborating with the government to develop hydrogen internal combustion engine ship power systems, with the goal of achieving zero carbon navigation for ocean going cargo ships by 2030.

As the "top flow" for the production of hydrogen internal combustion engine cylinder blocks and heads, the sand casting process perfectly matches the technical requirements of such key components:

1. Complex structure "fully inclusive"

The cylinder block and cylinder head of a hydrogen internal combustion engine need to integrate complex internal cavity structures such as high-density cooling water channels, air passages, and hydrogen fuel injection channels. Sand casting can accurately replicate these irregular structures through flexible shaping of sand molds (especially combined with 3D printing sand mold technology), without forming dead corners, avoiding the forming limitations of complex internal cavities caused by processes such as pressure casting.

2. Dual adaptation of materials and performance

Hydrogen internal combustion engines have extremely high requirements for material strength and hydrogen embrittlement resistance (such as high-strength cast iron, heat-resistant aluminum alloys, etc.). Sand casting is compatible with melting and pouring from cast iron to high alloy materials, and can optimize the internal density of castings by controlling the sand mold permeability and cooling rate, reducing defects such as shrinkage and cracks, and ensuring resistance to hydrogen embrittlement and high temperature and high pressure.

3. Cost and flexibility "dual online"

At present, hydrogen internal combustion engines are in a period of technological iteration, and the design of cylinder blocks and cylinder heads needs frequent optimization. The cost of sand molds for sand casting is much lower than that of metal molds for die-casting and other processes, and rapid sand mold manufacturing (such as 3D printing sand molds) can shorten the development cycle; At the same time, sand casting can efficiently produce large and heavy-duty castings (suitable for commercial vehicles with high displacement hydrogen internal combustion engines), perfectly adapting to the industry's full stage needs from research and development to mass production.

The comprehensive ability of "complex structures can be formed, special materials can be compatible, and cost cycles can be controlled" makes sand casting the optimal solution for the production of core components of hydrogen internal combustion engines.

Intelligent manufacturing of cylinder blocks and heads for hydrogen internal combustion engines, providing customers with core advantages throughout the entire chain:

1. Design: Based on digital modeling and simulation technology, it can accurately match the complex cooling water channels, hydrogen fuel injection channels and other irregular structural requirements of hydrogen internal combustion engines, shorten the design iteration cycle by 70%, and help customers quickly respond to technological upgrades.

2. Sand mold 3D printing: Using the KSS1800B high-speed printer, a minimum wall thickness sand mold of 0.8mm can be formed in one go, reducing sand waste by 90% and lowering manufacturing costs by 35% -50% compared to traditional sand molds. It can flexibly adapt to the full range of needs from hydrogen internal combustion engine research and development to mass production.

3. Intelligent casting: By dynamically adjusting the solidification process through a temperature control system, compatible with hydrogen embrittlement resistant materials such as ductile iron and austenitic stainless steel, the casting density is increased by 20%, residual stress is reduced by 60%, ensuring that the cylinder block and cylinder head meet the standards for high pressure resistance and hydrogen embrittlement resistance.

4. Precision machining: Using five axis linkage technology to achieve micrometer level precision control, the cylindricity error of the valve seat ring hole is ≤ 5 μ m, and the assembly sealing is improved by 20%.

5. Inspection and testing: Combining 3D scanning and AI vision inspection, the full-size accuracy error can be traced back to 0.01mm, building a solid quality defense line for customers.

The entire integrated solution achieves complete and rapid response from design to delivery, reducing carbon emissions by 42% throughout the entire lifecycle. It not only meets the stringent performance requirements of hydrogen internal combustion engine core components, but also helps customers reduce costs and increase efficiency, accelerate technology implementation and product delivery.

Hydrogen internal combustion engines are becoming a strategic pivot for global transportation carbon neutrality. With the rapid development of the global market, Kangshuo will establish advantages in the core components of hydrogen internal combustion engines through technological leadership, cost control, and ecological integration. With integrated intelligent manufacturing technology, it will become a key lever to drive this transformation.

Source: Kangshuo Group