Overview
Hythane® (a combination of hydrogen and methane) was developed in the laboratory of a company called Hydrogen Components, Inc. (HCI).
Lead developer, Frank Lynch founded HCI to focus on advancing technology for hydrogen engines and metal hydride storage projects. HCI quickly expanded and added Greg Egan and Roger Marmaro to the management team. Realizing the need to bring hydrogen to a larger fleet audience, Mr. Lynch and Mr. Marmaro worked closely together to create a blend of hydrogen and natural gas that would yield the greatest emission reduction benefits while remaining a cost-effective option. Thus, Hythane® was born.
In the Beginning
In 1989, HCI began blending various ratios of hydrogen and natural gas and testing them in an emissions laboratory at Colorado State University. Using information gleaned from these studies, HCI successfully converted a Chevrolet S-10 pick-up truck to a “tri-fuel’ vehicle, which utilized gasoline, natural gas, and hydrogen / natural gas blends. These blends were patented in 1990 for spark- and compression-ignition engines. In 1992, another testing project began, utilizing three General Motors pick-up trucks: one operating on gasoline, one operating on natural gas, and one operating on Hythane fuel.
In 1992, the first Hythane® station was built and opened in a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by Denver’s Mayor Wellington Webb, Tim Knowlton (Public Service/Xcel Energy), and Jim Hansel (Air Products).
These pioneering tests led to the first systematic engine studies in 1993, when HCI and the Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory (EECL) at Colorado State University formed a research partnership and proposed a comprehensive study to the Department of Energy (DOE). The study, which examined the hydrogen combustion parameters at various engine operating conditions over a range of hydrogen percentages (from 0% to 30% by volume) blended with natural gas, gave HCI the information to determine the best blend for optimal fuel performance. The idea that hydrogen could have the greatest environmental benefit when combined with conventional fossil fuels is a concept now referred to as “hydrogen leveraging.” These results were reported by such mainstream publications as the Wall Street Journal, Scientific American, and Popular Science.
Recent Developments
Since then, Hythane® has worked on a number of projects in the U.S., Canada and across the globe. Hythane® worked with HydroQuebec, SNCLavalin, and Environment Canada to demonstrate Hythane® in Montreal’s buses; Hythane fuel has been optioned by Sun-Line Transit for use in their buses using Cummins Westport engines; and the company has signed Memorandums of Understanding with the city of Barstow and Southwest Transportation in California. With the rising cost of diesel fuel and increased attention focused on reducing harmful emissions from diesel vehicles, Hythane® is being examined as a viable option for municipal and private fleets alike.
The emergence of hydrogen/natural gas blends as vehicle fuels can be traced back to studies that began in 1989, when Hydrogen Components, Inc. (HCI) began blending various ratios of H2/CNG fuels and testing them in an emissions laboratory at Colorado State University (CSU).
