Alma Automotive is supporting PUNCH Hydrocells in an advanced project focused on the development of innovative combustion control strategies for future hydrogen fueled internal combustion engines.

Alma Automotive plays a crucial role in this advanced project collaboration, offering highly specialized technical support and innovative components. The groundbreaking devices, capable of non-invasively controlling combustion, have proven to be a decisive contribution to the efficiency and reliability of hydrogen-powered propulsion systems.

Another noteworthy aspect is the strong bond between Alma Automotive and the University of Bologna. This collaboration with the educational institution has facilitated a constant exchange of knowledge and access to cutting-edge resources and expertise in hydrogen propulsion research.

The collaboration between Alma Automotive and PUNCH exemplifies both companies' commitment to innovation and sustainability in the field of mobility. The use of hydrogen as an energy source holds the potential to revolutionize the automotive industry, and this partnership is laying the foundation for a cleaner and more efficient future.

PUNCH Hydrocells

PUNCH Hydrocells is a core part of the PUNCH Group, based in Turin in the Cittadella Politecnica.

PUNCH Hydrocells has earned an excellent reputation in part thanks to our rich and storied background in automotive engineering. With more than twenty years’ experience in developing diesel engines and control systems, we are now building on that heritage to provide answers to the many problems facing the transition of energy sources which is so vital for tackling climate change.

We have the benefit of a world-class team of highly skilled experts across several specialized fields including artificial intelligence, control electronics, and mechanical and electrical engineering. This diverse team allows PUNCH Hydrocells to cover the entire value-chain of the hydrogen ecosystem, incorporating: Production, Storage and Distribution, Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines.

We make hydrogen power a practical proposition by delivering:

• Hydrogen internal combustion systems
• Integrating hydrogen fuel cell technologies,
• Systems for the production, storage and distribution of green hydrogen

for propulsion and power generation
We build our excellence around passionate and professional people.

The partnership with the most important OEMs and the University of Bologna allows Alma-Automotive to look forward into the future through its fully programmable ECU SPARK applied in innovative fuel systems. Thanks to a wide I/O interface and SW flexibility, together with our partners, we implemented the SPARK into an engine test bench dedicated to development phases.

The SPARK is a fully programmable control prototyping system based on sbRIO-9651. The Xilinx Zynq™, with its Dual Core ARM® Processor, Artix-7 FPGA on top and 512MB RAM, provides outstanding flexibility, efficiency and accuracy, enabling complex control algorithms and signal processing to be performed. NI solution expanded with our in-house designed hardware result in a system capable to meet the needs of any standard, motorsport and development application.

SPARK’s power stage is able to command the most common high and low pressure injectors (gasoline, diesel, H2, gas) and coils (active or passive) with a full programmatical and flexible SW approach.

Injectors' parameters are calculated in open loop chain or in closed loop system, using the two available lambda UEGO channels, to increase precision on test.

To minimize time consuming, maximize precision of test results and decrease costs, we customized the SPARK software to directly implement the engine control and thanks to the internal ADC at 200 kS/s, we integrated the combustion analysis software (Alma-Automotive On Board Indicating) for 2 cylinders engines. In this configuration, the ECU could control the engine with real-time feedback on last cycle combustion without any external combustion analysis device.

CAN, RS232 and TTL protocol allows every user to easy integrate SPARK in research & development laboratories, test benches or on-board application as a primary or secondary unit, based on customer need.

Alma Automotive gives to its costumers the possibility to autonomously implement software strategies or rely on the experience of internal engineers, with competence in software development and engine testing activities with both traditional and innovative fuel applications.