SUBJECTS: Science, Technologies
YEARS: 9–10
How might we reduce damaging emissions from diesel engines and increase their fuel efficiency at the same time?
Watch as Dr Vishi Karri from the University of Tasmania describes the development of a new type of engine: the hybrid hydrogen-diesel engine.
Dr Hafez A Hafez explains how the technology can be easily adapted to current diesel engines.
Things to think about
- 1.What are some of the emissions that come from the burning of fossil fuels such as diesel? What are the waste products of burning hydrogen as a fuel?
- 2.Watch for the comparison of emissions between diesel and diesel with the addition of hydrogen. What do you notice? What happens when you add 30 per cent hydrogen to diesel?
- 3.Apart from the reduction in emissions, what are two other advantages offered by the hybrid hydrogen-diesel engine? Why is the idea of adapting new technologies into existing diesel engines seen to have great potential?
- 4.Create a visual that would help you explain the effect of adding hydrogen to diesel in a combustion engine. What important numerical data is essential to add?
Date of broadcast: 15 Jul 2005
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