Toyota patents smarter PCV for hydrogen ICE reliability
Toyota’s hydrogen engine patent tackles moisture and oil blow-by
Toyota patents smarter PCV for hydrogen ICE reliability
Toyota details an H2 engine patent that reworks the PCV to curb moisture and oil blow-by, lowering contamination and improving emissions and reliability.
2025-10-20T23:55:51+03:00
2025-10-20T23:55:51+03:00
2025-10-20T23:55:51+03:00
Toyota is pressing ahead with hydrogen-fueled internal combustion alongside fuel cells. The company has patented a new H2-engine solution aimed at reducing the chance of oil entering the combustion chamber and making the motor more stable and cleaner in operation. Unlike a conventional ICE, hydrogen combustion produces more moisture in blow-by gases, which can lead to emulsion, condensation, and even icing in the ventilation hardware.Toyota’s fix centers on a redesigned crankcase ventilation passage with a one-way valve and a relocated assembly positioned closer to the cylinder block, where temperatures are higher. This speeds warm-up and helps prevent moisture buildup. The payoff is a lower risk of oily mist entering the intake, which benefits emissions and reliability. In essence, it’s the familiar PCV concept reworked for the realities of a hydrogen ICE—a pragmatic tweak that targets a real pain point.Toyota’s hydrogen engines are already being tested in racing and are being readied for participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2028. The company is also experimenting with CO2 capture and water injection to cool the cylinders. Even with a sparse refueling network, the hydrogen ICE remains, for Toyota, a way to keep internal combustion in the picture for 2025 and beyond—trimming emissions while preserving a layout that feels familiar. It comes across as a measured, incremental route rather than a moonshot, and that restraint could be its strength.
Toyota, hydrogen engine, hydrogen ICE, H2 engine, PCV, crankcase ventilation, patent, blow-by, moisture, oil mist, emissions, reliability, Le Mans 2028, racing, CO2 capture, water injection
2025
Michael Powers
news
Toyota’s hydrogen engine patent tackles moisture and oil blow-by
Toyota details an H2 engine patent that reworks the PCV to curb moisture and oil blow-by, lowering contamination and improving emissions and reliability.
Michael Powers, Editor
Toyota is pressing ahead with hydrogen-fueled internal combustion alongside fuel cells. The company has patented a new H2-engine solution aimed at reducing the chance of oil entering the combustion chamber and making the motor more stable and cleaner in operation. Unlike a conventional ICE, hydrogen combustion produces more moisture in blow-by gases, which can lead to emulsion, condensation, and even icing in the ventilation hardware.
Toyota’s fix centers on a redesigned crankcase ventilation passage with a one-way valve and a relocated assembly positioned closer to the cylinder block, where temperatures are higher. This speeds warm-up and helps prevent moisture buildup. The payoff is a lower risk of oily mist entering the intake, which benefits emissions and reliability. In essence, it’s the familiar PCV concept reworked for the realities of a hydrogen ICE—a pragmatic tweak that targets a real pain point.
Toyota’s hydrogen engines are already being tested in racing and are being readied for participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2028. The company is also experimenting with CO2 capture and water injection to cool the cylinders. Even with a sparse refueling network, the hydrogen ICE remains, for Toyota, a way to keep internal combustion in the picture for 2025 and beyond—trimming emissions while preserving a layout that feels familiar. It comes across as a measured, incremental route rather than a moonshot, and that restraint could be its strength.
