Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Sep 5: A hydrogen-powered motor bike has been an added attraction at the 32nd show of student projects being held in Suratkal National Institute of Technology – Karnataka, on September 4 and 5. The achievement of the students involved has rekindled hope for hydrogen emerging as a cheap, less pollutant and alternative fuel to petroleum products.

The students who are behind the project claim that the usage of hydrogen gives additional mileage of 10 kms per litre of fuel, and the emission of carbon and other pollutants is considerably less in the bike. Subbaiah S T, Sanjay, Pravin and Ravikiran of GSS Engineering College Bangalore are behind this project.

The bike has been fitted with a kit that separates hydrogen from water. The kit, run by using the bike's battery, releases hydrogen into the engine directly. At present, the kit cost the students Rs 20,000, but if produced in a mass-scale, this cost can be brought down to Rs 1,000, the students say. The kit they have fitted to Hero Honda CD-100 motor bike has improved the bike's energy efficiency to 78.5 kms from the normal 68 kms and the team has run the bike on hydrogen for over a thousand kms. An application for patent has been made for beginning the kit’s commercial production, the students said.

200 students from 50 colleges of the state have displayed the models they have produced in the show. Several projects like hybrid nano car, have been providing ample evidence for the ingenuity and creativity of these engineering students.