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As part of an electric vehicle state-of-the-art evaluation, General Motors built a fuel cell powered van, the Electrovan, to explore the potential and problems of the fuel cell powerplant. Fuel cells were considered because they offer the potential of high thermal efficiency and extended range compared with batteries. Although the Electrovan was successfully operated on the road, we concluded that much research and development work is still needed to solve the many major problems. The encouraging rate of progress and the advantages of fuel cells provide the stimulus to maintain a strong continuing effort in this field.

This paper describes a fuel cell system capable of delivering a peak power of 160 kW. It consists of 32 Union Carbide fuel cell modules together with the electrical and fluid system auxiliary components needed to operate and control them in a vehicle. The reactants are hydrogen and oxygen, and the modules use a circulating electrolyte, potassium hydroxide. Two of these 160 kW electric powerplants were built. One is a laboratory test bed and the second is installed in a vehicle.

The development of a plasma jet ignition system is described on a 4-cyl, 140 in3 engine. Performance was evaluated on the basis of combustion flame photographs in a single-cylinder engine at 20/1 A/F dynamometer tests on a modified 4-cyl engine, and cold start emissions, fuel economy, and drivability in a vehicle at 19/1 air fuel ratio. In addition to adjustable engine variables such as air-fuel ratio and spark advance, system electrical and mechanical parameters were varied to improve combustion of lean mixtures. As examples, the air-fuel ratio range was 16-22/1, secondary ignition current was varied from 40 to 6000 mA, and plasma jet cavity and electrode geometry were optimized. It is shown that the plasma jet produces on ignition source which penetrates the mixture ahead of the initial flame front and reduces oxides of nitrogen emission, in comparison to a conventional production combustion chamber.

This is a technological assessment of alternate engine component configuration and material alternatives. It includes a comparative analysis of key characteristics of Gasoline, Diesel and Gas Turbine engines built by Daihatsu. Honda, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan. Suburu. Suzuki and Toyota. The piston engines range from two to ten cylinders with inline, vee and opposed configurations. Furthermore, additional special features and alternative choices include variable compression ratio, ceramic structural components, supercharger, turbocharger, twin turbocharger, supercharger-turbocharger combined and the regenerative gas turbine.

This study identifies the ambient conditions under which a so-called empty-Boeing model 747-131 fixed wing jet center wing tank (CWT), containing a residual fuel loading of about 3 kg/m3, less than 60 gallons of aviation kerosene (JetA Athens refinery jet fuel), could form hazardous air/fuel mixtures. The issues are limited to explosion safety concerns relating to certificated fixed wing jet aircraft in scheduled passenger service. It is certain that combustible mixtures do not exist in a fuel tank containing JetA type fuel at ambient temperatures below 38°C (100°F), the lean limit flash point (LFP) for jet fuel at sea level. Never the less, the original study by Wyczalek and Suh (1997), identified six rational conditions which can occur and permit hazardous mixtures to exist in a fuel tank.

The US EPA 40CFR certification label fuel economy mpg for 114 model types of 1998 model year passenger vehicles marketed in the United States (US) by European. Pacific Rim, and American manufacturers, was correlated with fuel economy mpg test data obtained by the Consumers Union (CU) of US, Inc., a nonprofit, independent consumer information organization. The 114 model types range in curb mass (empty weight) from 916 kg (2015 lbs) to largest 2425 kg (5335 lbs). This correlation shows that the manufacturers US EPA label values overstate city mpg and understate the highway mpg significantly; in comparison to the CU city mpg and CU highway mpg test data, for the 114 model types of motor vehicles, reported by Consumers Union in 1998.