23 aoû 17
Fil d'Actus

Hydrogen injection cuts emissions by 80 percent

British technology company CGON is launching a new hydrogen injection technology that magically reduces PM emissions by 91 percent and NOx output by 48 percent. At the same time, injecting small amounts of hydrogen in the fuel-air mix allegedly improves fuel efficiency by 20 percent. The patented hydrogen additive device can be mounted on any internal combustion car in one hour and costs £459.

That sounds like a miracle solution for OEMs facing the consequences of dieselgate and could even give diesel a second chance. CGON claims that injecting small amounts of hydrogen directly in the combustion chamber both cools and accelerates the burn, leading to a more complete combustion and thereby using less fuel. Almost all waste gases are eliminated. Also, the resulting cleaner emissions put less stress on the particulate filter.

Remarkably, the device does not store hydrogen onboard at all – the required amounts are produced on demand by electrolysis of a patented solution. This needs to be topped up every 6,000 miles – a bit like AdBlue, actually.

Independently tested, but warranty void

“We have completed testing of hundreds of vehicles at certified MoT stations and recorded an average 80% reduction in overall emissions, while also giving the consumer the added benefit of improved fuel efficiency. Independent testing by Emissions Analytics verifies our own testing,” said Simon Johnson, CEO of CGON.

However, adding the device to your car does mean it is no longer covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. Every alteration to the car inevitably causes the nullification of the OEM’s responsibility as to the correct functioning of its systems and components.CGON firmly believes in its product and is actually convinced that eventually, car manufacturers will integrate their solution in new cars, too.

One question remains: if the solution is that simple, why haven't carmakers applied it earlier? Interestingly, the concept is already 40 years old and a 2015 study by the Society of Automotive Engineers showed that under specific circumstances, port-injected hydrogen decreases emanation of HC, CO and CO2 without any emission of smoke while increasing the brake thermal efficiency.  

Picture copyright: CGON, 2017

Authored by: Dieter Quartier