Self-Thermostatic Internal Combustion Engine—Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Hybrid Power Generation System Based on Methanol

Traditional internal combustion engines (ICEs) have garnered considerable attention due to their high emissions and low efficiency issues. In this study, a novel ICE–fuel cell hybrid power system based on a single-methanol fuel is proposed to address these concerns. The system utilizes methanol as fuel, directly supplying it to the methanol engine, and generates hydrogen for the fuel cell through methanol reforming technology. The structural design of the system fully exploits engine exhaust, first using waste heat for methanol reforming to produce hydrogen and then utilizing exhaust inertial potential energy to drive a dual turbocharging structure for air compression entering the fuel cell, thereby achieving self-thermal balance. Thermodynamic analysis and cost evaluation indicate that the thermal efficiency of this system is improved by 8.34% compared to traditional diesel engine setups. Compared to engine-fuel cell hybrid systems that do not utilize waste heat, the thermal efficiency is increased by 5.81%. In terms of economics, the cost of the methanol engine system is ≈.1466$ ${\text{kW\hspace{0.17em}h}}^{-1}$, which is 44.05% lower than the 0.262 $${\hspace{0.17em}\text{kW\hspace{0.17em}h}}^{-1}$ fuel cost of traditional diesel engine systems. This study presents an innovative solution that significantly enhances thermal efficiency and offers economic advantages, providing a viable approach to address the low efficiency and high emissions issues of traditional ICEs.