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IGT and its subcontractors, Superior Graphite Corporation and Stimsonite Corporation identified moldable blends of graphites, resins, and additives and produced a molded composite graphite bipolar separator plate that is equivalent in function and performance to state-of-the-art machined graphite plates. Complicated flow field designs can be formed by molding. Applications for patents for the blended components have been submitted and PEM Plates, LLC was formed to commercialize the production of the molded graphite bipolar separator plates. Material and production costs for commercial quantities of the plates are estimated to be within $10 / kW, depending on the complexity of the design of the bipolar plate and fuel cell stack.

Advanced battery safety is of concern for the successful commercialization of these technologies. The USABC (United States Advanced Battery Consortium) and PNGV (Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles) are developing high power battery systems for use in electric and hybrid/electric vehicle applications. Part of the objectives of these programs is to establish and verify testing procedures regarding the safety and abuse resistance of particular batteries or battery technologies. This paper will discuss the status of abuse testing procedures that have been developed for battery systems. The goal of these tests is to determine the extent to which defined abuse conditions contribute to venting, rupture, release of hazardous substances, fire, smoke or uncontrolled energy releases. Areas of abuse testing that have been identified are (1) mechanical, (2) electrical, and (3) thermal.

The commonly known technology of field weakening for permanent-magnet (PM) motors is achieved by controlling the direct-axis current component through an inverter. Without using mechanical variation of the air gap, a new machine approach for field weakening of PM machines by direct control of air-gap fluxes is introduced. The demagnetization situation due to field weakening is not an issue with this new method. In fact, the PMs are strengthened at field weakening. The field-weakening ratio can reach 10:1 or higher. This technology is particularly useful for the PM generators and electric vehicle drives.

Hydrogen fuel cell powered systems might soon replace the conventional combustion engines used in today's vehicles. Fuel cells hold a great deal of promise for mobile applications including vehicles because they are environmentally friendly and can provide an alternative power supply. They may prove to be the keystone in making traditional electric vehicles a feasible everyday and long-range alternative to conventional combustion driven vehicles. One example of this type of electric vehicle is the New Jersey Venturer, which was equipped with a PEM fuel cell system to demonstrate the use of this new technology.

The objective of this paper is to discuss the challenge of increasing complexity in automotive electronics and the advanced semiconductor solutions which are being developed to simplify these systems. The main areas which are discussed are the increase in throughput / performance requirements, future implementations of multiplexed communications systems which provide high dependability, increasing memory requirements and the challenge of increased sensor implementation.

Because of the inherent advantageous energy conversion features of a fuel cell power system, it is a prime candidate technology to meet the national needs for a high mileage, low emission automotive engine replacement that can be realized with both near term and future fuels. This paper provides an overview of efforts to develop such an automotive power system and summarizes early data related to system integration efforts to attain U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) program goals for performance, emissions and multi-fuel operation. Efforts to date have led to the first testing of an integrated fuel cell power system utilizing gasoline.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. automotive industry are collaborating on research and development of advanced compression ignition direct injection (CIDI) engine technology and polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells for automotive applications. Under the auspices of the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV), the partners are developing technologies to power an automobile that can achieve up to 80 miles per gallon (mpg), while meeting customer needs and all safety and emissions requirements. Research on enabling technologies for CIDI engines is focusing on advanced emissions control to meet the proposed stringent Environmental Protection Agency emissions standards for oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) in 2004, while retaining the high efficiency and other traditional advantages of CIDI engines.

Energy Partners developed, designed, built, and tested a 20 kWe automotive fuel cell stack, which was then used in Virginia Tech's 1999 Future Car Challenge hybrid electric vehicle. Performance of the stack on a “state-of-the-art” test stand at Energy Partners is compared to data taken while the stack was in operation in the vehicle. Overall, the stack in the vehicle performed as expected. The difference in performance may be explained by different operating conditions. System considerations, such as temperature, humidification, reactant stoichiometry, monitor and control software necessary for proper fuel cell operation, are presented and reviewed.

The most significant obstacle to the widespread use of carbon-fiber-based composites by the automotive industry is the high cost of carbon fibers in comparison to other potential structural materials. Carbon fibers are currently produced by thermal pyrolysis of a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursor to obtain the desired properties. The most significant cost factors in the process are the high cost of precursors and the high capital equipment and energy costs in conversion to carbon fiber. The Department of Energy is supporting developmental efforts to reduce costs in both precursor production and conversion areas. This paper describes developments in the conversion process. Because of the unsuccessful results of manufacturing carbon fibers through their direct heating with microwave radiation (variable frequency microwave [VFM] and single frequency microwave [SFM] energy), new avenues were explored for this processing.

Electron beam curing is a very fast, non-thermal curing method that uses high energy electrons and/or X-rays as ionizing radiation at controlled rates to cure polymer matrix composites, making them more affordable. A number of programs and initiatives are now actively evaluating the materials and processes for applications as varied as next generation aircraft, space transportation, military ground vehicles, and others. This technology offers a variety of potential benefits to the transportation industry.

The performance of large tow-size carbon fiber was evaluated to determine any design impacts that would prohibit their introduction into the fabrication process of compressed natural gas (CNG) storage tanks. The evaluation was based on manufacturing process trials and mechanical property tests. The tests consisted of impregnated strand, composite ring, and composite subscale cylinder tests for static strength, fatigue, and stress rupture. Modifications required in the wet-filament winding process are documented as well as the development of test methodologies required for testing large tow-size impregnated strands.

Life cycle assessment offers a suitable methodology to evaluate environmental impacts over the total life cycle of the car. Indeed the effort for LCA studies of complex products like cars is very high. Design for environment tools can help to reduce the effort for environmental evaluation because of their direct integration in the designers workflow. As DFE is not standardized, it should be based on the reliable data from LCA. A connection between LCA and DFE offers the possibility to integrate environmental evaluation with tolerable effort directly in the design process while keeping the transparency and reliability of LCA.

The Epyx multi-fuel processor provides the key to integrating fuel cell vehicles into existing fueling infrastructures while maintaining the advantages of using a fuel cell - low emissions and increased drive cycle efficiency. The fuel processor can convert various fuels such as gasoline, methanol, ethanol, or natural gas to a hydrogen rich stream that feeds a fuel cell. Development efforts have led to a fuel processor capable of providing high efficiency (76-82% with gasoline, 82-88% with methanol), a reliable CO clean-up device that maintains CO outlet concentrations under 10 ppm during steady state and transient operation, and a tailgas burner that reduces startup time and maintains low emissions. Results from integrated fuel processor/fuel cell system testing show system efficiencies of 32 - 37%, assuming an overall stack efficiency of 42%, well on the way to an overall fuel processor/fuel cell system peak efficiency goal of 40% (DOE targets).

Hybrid Electric vehicles (HEVs) and Fuel Cell vehicles (FCVs) are showing promise of success as a commercial product as they are being developed by the industry. It is only prudent to closely consider safety issues for both post-crash and failure (non-crash) scenarios. A review of most relevant technologies being considered for HEVs was performed to identify potential hazard conditions and interactions between systems and sub-systems within these vehicles. Energy storage, propulsion systems and fuel storage were examined for different configurations of such vehicles. It is anticipated that plastics, composites and other nonconductive materials will be used more widely in future cars. This can result in an increased propensity to generate substantial static charge levels. Furthermore, the presence of high-voltage and high-current lines, batteries, electric motors and other components not present in conventional vehicles with alternative fuels or hydrogen justifies this examination.

Currently Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) are being considered as an alternative to conventional automobiles in order to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. A major concern of these vehicles is how to effectively operate the electric machine and the ICE. Towards this end two operation strategies, an best efficiency and a least fuel use strategy, are presented in this paper. To demonstrate the potential of an advanced operation strategy for HEV's, a fuzzy logic controller has been developed and implemented in simulation in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's simulator Advisor (version 2.0.2). Results have also been gathered from chassis dynamometer tests in order to verify the effectiveness of Advisor. The Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) utilizes the electric motor in a parallel hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) to force the ICE (66KW Volkswagen TDI) to operate at or near its peak point of efficiency or at or near its best fuel economy.

In an effort to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, hybrid vehicles incorporating fuel cell systems are being developed by automotive manufacturers, their suppliers, federal agencies (specifically, the U.S. Department of Energy) and national laboratories. The fuel cell system will require an air management subsystem that includes a compressor/expander. Certain components in the compressor will require innovative lubrication technology in order to reduce parasitic energy losses and improve their reliability and durability. One such component is the air bearing for air turbocompressors designed and fabricated by Meruit, Inc. Argonne National Laboratory recently developed a carbon-based coating with low friction and wear attributes; this near-frictionless-carbon (NFC) coating is a potential candidate for use in turbocompressor air bearings. We presents here an evaluation of the Argonne coating for air compressor thrust bearings.

The Young's modulus, hardness, and fracture toughness of barium titanate dielectric ceramics in three commercially available multilayer capacitors (MLCs) were measured in-situ using indentation and a mechanical properties microprobe. The three MLCs were equivalent in size (0805), capacitance (0.1 μF) and dielectric type (X7R). The Young's modulus and hardness of the dielectric ceramics in the three MLCs were similar, while there were statistically significant differences in their fracture toughnesses. The results provide insight into the assessment of MLC mechanical reliability, and show that equivalent electrical MLC rating is not necessarily a guarantee that the dielectric ceramics in them will exhibit equivalent mechanical performance.

General Motors has developed a unique hybrid electric concept vehicle to satisfy requirements of the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) program. The Precept vehicle features a fundamental architecture that is unconventional compared to contemporary passenger car design, or even to other hybrid vehicles. This paper describes a unique parallel hybrid traction system used to achieve the requirements of the PNGV program and its development.

This paper summarizes the results of an investigation of high risk, high potential technologies for hybrid vehicle drive applications and investigate potential solutions for the technical risk items associated with these technologies. The study consisted of the design, build, and test of different types of electric machines to understand their performance, efficiency, and manufacturability to develop hybrid vehicles with cost and performance similar to the present day IC engine based vehicles, but with lower emissions and better fuel economy. Machine technologies examined include synchronous reluctance, permanent magnet, and switched reluctance. Test data for various machine technologies is presented along with a discussion of the technical risk associated with each technology.

Electric vehicle use has reached a new era, as vehicles are now available as commercial products from original equipment manufacturers. While previous vehicles were considered test products or prototypes, today's electric vehicles are being purchased or leased by fleet managers for utility, government, and private fleets. Unfortunately, these vehicles do not have documented histories in fleet applications, and fleet managers often need support when determining if electric vehicles fit mission requirements. In support of the electric vehicle deployment effort, the U.S. Department of Energy's Field Operations Program evaluates electric vehicles in real-world applications and environments with the goal of increasing the awareness and acceptance of electric vehicles.