Mazda Bets on Hydrogen Wankel
Reuters reports that Mazda is betting on the so-called hydrogen economy: "We have to prepare for sustainable zoom-zoom." After issuing the PC catch phrase of the day, Mazda's head of R&D Quality and Powertrain Development admitted there are "technical challenges." But Nobuhiro Hayama is stoked; he figures rotary engines (remember them?) can run on hydrogen. In fact, Hayama says no changes are required in either manufacturing techniques or materials. You want dual fuel? A dual tank hydrogen rotary engine could use both hydrogen AND gasoline. Meanwhile, Bloomburg.com says the catalyst used in hydrogen fuel cells could be an issue. The news service quotes Derek Engelbrecht, an executive at Impala Platinum Holdings, who reckons "global platinum supplies will probably fall short of demand by 205k ounces this year." Those planning to pay for Mazda's hydrogen Wankel needn't worry: Amex' platinum card members won't be affected.
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Most gasoline car engines, with enough tweaking, can be made to run on hydrogen fuel. Vaporized gasoline isn't really all that much different than hydrogen (which, unfortunately for cars, is all too easy to vaporize at atmospheric temperature and pressure). I suppose the Mazda guys are just piping in andy saying that they can get the Wankel to perform the same trick. Now if only Mercedes could bring back the C111 with Wankel. :-) http://www.pistonheads.com/doc.asp?c=103&i=6730
What do fuel cells and catalysts have to do with a hydrogen powered rotary that has its fuel stored in a tank? Are they involved in the production of hydrogen? Am I missing something here?
I think the Wankel "could" be efficient, but with just one company doing all the research it will be a tough slog.
People The reason that mazda has continued to develop the rotary engine is not due to the fact that it was one of the sole things that restarted hirroshimas eceonomy, it is due to its suspeptability to hydrogen! No valves and a purely gasseous, moving combustion chamber. Smart smart move on behalf of Mazda. They had a visionary within their ranks. Don't see any other purely hydrogen IC engines diract from manufacturers out there do you? Think about it. Also think about the fact that when Froude purchased the rights for the engine from Felix Wankel himself, and started spinning the crank instead of the engines, Wabkel told him "you've tured my race horse into a draft horse".