Hydrogen internal combustion engines are already starting to be used commercially in Europe, and Cummins has developed a special turbocharger for them, called the CCS H2 ICE.
According to Cummins, this is a variable geometry turbocharger designed to “meet the unique requirements of hydrogen engines“. Full details have not been disclosed, although the company says the turbo has a unique aerodynamic design that is best suited to hydrogen, which has a lower density compared to gasoline or diesel.
A byproduct of hydrogen combustion is water, and since it is a turbocharger, it is fed from the engine's exhaust system. The turbine is thus designed to work with water, both in terms of power generation and durability.
In Europe, hydrogen combustion engines have zero-emission status, so these engines meet the strict Euro VII emissions standards.
So far, the turbocharged hydrogen engine is only used in commercial vehicles. But with companies like Ferrari patenting hydrogen engine designs, it may only be a matter of time before we see large turbochargers accelerating powerful hydrogen supercars.