JCBs new Hydrogen powered engine explained by Engineering Director Ryan Ballard

Peter Haddock visits JCB Power Systems division to see the new Hydrogen engine, which is now made side by side with its diesel range and powers the fleet of new Hydrogen machines that includes an excavator, backhoe loader and loadall.

This brand new engine has been built from the ground up and features key components that support the optimised performance of the Hydrogen fuel it now burns. 

Ryan: "Hydrogen is totally different to diesel as a fuel. Firstly it's a gas, and it's very light, so we have to inject it into the engine because it has a much lower density and temperature. "And like burning any fuel, you need that spark to ignite it. Here we have designed a totally new spark plug that has been re-imagined to work with Hydrogen.

"An additional challenge with Hydrogen is dealing with the steam and, therefore, water that is the byproduct of combustion. To do this, we need to trap the water, and then burn it off. To do this we have worked with our supply chain to develop an oil that can perform this task.

"And finally, in order to get the best possible power from the Hydrogen fuel, we have developed a high efficiency turbocharger that pushes more air into the engine, so we have the most efficient combustion."

It's great to see all of the work that has gone into this product and also to see the engine working in the new Hydrogen fleet JCB is developing. Hydrogen power for an 'Off Road to Zero future' is real, and there are more interviews to come in this series.