Mitsubishi, Toho Gas test gas engine running on hydrogen, city gas

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine & Turbocharger (MHIET) and Japanese gas company Toho Gas said they have successfully tested a commercial gas engine running on a mixture of city gas and hydrogen.

As part of a joint project, the companies said the test achieved the rated output with a 35% hydrogen mixed fuel burning ratio (by volume). This is the first such successful test in Japan, the companies said.

The demonstration test was conducted at the Toho Gas Technical Research Institute in Tokai, Aichi Prefecture, using a model GS6R2-PTK commercial gas engine rated at 540 kW from MHIET.

Toho Gas and MHIET said they have successfully conducted test operation of city gas and hydrogen mixed-fuel combustion in a commercial gas engine for a cogeneration system.

The aim is to acquire knowledge to facilitate city gas and hydrogen mixed-fuel combustion for existing cogeneration systems already installed at customer sites without extensive renovation of the equipment. City gas and hydrogen mixed-fuel combustion typically has issues of abnormal combustion (backfiring, knocking, preignition), but the tests confirmed that a stable combustion state was possible by adjusting the input ratio of fuel and air, along with other modifications.

Going forward, Toho Gas and MHIET will continue to conduct research to further enhance the hydrogen mixed fuel burning ratio, contributing the advancement of hydrogen-use technologies and the realization of a hydrogen-based society.