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Abstract The escalating demand for more efficient and sustainable working machines has pushed manufacturers toward adopting electric hybrid technology. Electric powertrains promise significant fuel savings, which are highly dependent on the nature of the duty cycle of the machine. In this study, experimental data measured from a wheel loader in a short-loading Y-cycle is used to exercise a developed mathematical model of a series electric hybrid wheel loader. The efficiency and energy consumption of the studied architecture are analyzed and compared to the consumption of the measured conventional machine that uses a diesel engine and a hydrostatic transmission. The results show at least 30% reduction in fuel consumption by using the proposed series electric hybrid powertrain, the diesel engine rotational speed is steady, and the transient loads are mitigated by the electric powertrain.

Abstract The cooperative platoon of multiple trucks with definite proximity has the potential to enhance traffic safety, improve roadway capacity, and reduce fuel consumption of the platoon. To investigate the truck platooning performance in a real-world environment, two Peterbilt class-8 trucks equipped with cooperative truck platooning systems (CTPS) were deployed to conduct the first-of-its-kind on-road commercial trial in Canada. A total of 41 CTPS trips were carried out on Alberta Highway 2 between Calgary and Edmonton during the winter season in 2022, 25 of which were platooning trips with 3 to 5 sec time gaps. The platooning trips were performed at ambient temperatures from −24 to 8°C, and the total truck weights ranged from 16 to 39 tons. The experimental results show that the average time gap error was 0.8 sec for all the platooning trips, and the trips with the commanded time gap of 5 sec generally had the highest variations.

Abstract A previously developed piston damage and exhaust gas temperature models are coupled to manage the combustion process and thereby increasing the overall energy conversion efficiency. The proposed model-based control algorithm is developed and validated in a software-in-the-loop simulation environment, and then the controller is deployed in a rapid control prototyping device and tested online at the test bench. In the first part of the article, the exhaust gas temperature model is reversed and converted into a control function, which is then implemented in a piston damage-based spark advance controller. In this way, more aggressive calibrations are actuated to target a certain piston damage speed and exhaust gas temperature at the turbine inlet. A more anticipated spark advance results in a lower exhaust gas temperature, and such decrease is converted into lowering the fuel enrichment with respect to the production calibrations.

Abstract The Wankel engine is an eccentric rotary internal combustion engine known for its simplicity, compactness, reliability, and efficiency. However, issues related to sealing, efficiency, and emissions have hindered its widespread use. Recent advancements in sealing technology, novel designs, material coatings, and alternative fuels have addressed some of these problems, leading to improvements in Wankel engine performance. This study examines these advancements in Wankel engine technology and proposes three potential applications for future automotive use. The first application involves utilizing a Wankel engine with a continuously variable transmission to replace the powertrain in conventional vehicles. The second application suggests replacing the engine in a series-parallel electric-hybrid architecture with a Wankel engine. Lastly, the third application explores using a Wankel engine as a range extender for electric vehicles.

Abstract Biodiesel is a suitable alternative to diesel because of its carbon neutrality, renewability, lubricity, and lower pollutant emissions. However, extensive research indicates higher oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions with biodiesel. A practical method to combat this problem is utilizing water and biodiesel as emulsions. The effect of biodiesel-water emulsion in high-pressure fuel injection systems is not fully explored in the existing literature. The present study addresses this research gap by utilizing biodiesel-water emulsions in a modified light-duty diesel engine. The governor-controlled injection system was adapted to a fully flexible electronic system capable of high-pressure injection. Unlike other literature studies, the fuel injection timings were optimized with biodiesel-water emulsions to maximize brake thermal efficiency (bte) at every load condition.

Abstract The reasonable engine cooling system design can give a better cooling of engine, the coolant flow direction and different cooling structure designs have great impact on the cooling performance and fuel consumption of engine. Therefore, to gain a deeper understanding of the impact of different cooling system designs on engine cooling performance, three different split cooling structures and two oil–water heat exchanger (OWHE) layouts are designed for a two-cylinder motorcycle engine. Three-dimensional CFD analysis method is used for analyzing the coolant velocity distributions and one-dimensional systematic analysis method is used for analyzing the system flow rate at those cooling structure designs and OWHE designs. Meanwhile, experimental investigation of different cooling structures and OWHE layouts on fuel consumption is conducted by the bench test of worldwide motorcycle test cycle.

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Abstract Certain advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) have the potential to boost energy efficiency in real-world scenarios. This article details a radar-based driver assistance scheme designed to minimize fuel consumption for a commercial vehicle by predictively optimizing braking and driving torque inputs while accommodating the driver’s demand. The workings of the proposed scheme are then assessed with a novel integration of the driver assistance functionality in randomized traffic microsimulation. Although standardized test procedures are intended to mimic urban and highway speed profiles for the purposes of evaluating fuel economy and emissions, they do not explicitly consider the interactions present in real-world driving between the ego vehicle equipped with ADAS and other vehicles in traffic. This article presents one approach to address the drawback of standardized test procedures for evaluating the fuel economy benefits of ADAS technologies.

Abstract In Asian countries, small two-wheelers form a major share of the automobile segment and contribute significantly to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Hybrid drives, though not widely applied in two-wheelers, can reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. In this work three hybrid topologies, viz., P2 (electric motor placed between engine and transmission), P3 (electric motor placed between transmission and final drive), and power-split concepts (with planetary gear-train) have been modeled in Simulink, and their fuel consumption and emissions under the World Motorcycle Test Cycle (WMTC) have been evaluated. A physics-based model for the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) was used which is capable of predicting its transient characteristics. A map-based fuel consumption model and a Neural Network (NN)-based transient emission model were used for the engine.

Abstract A modelling tool has been developed for the prediction of fuel effects on the performance and exhaust emissions of a heavy-duty diesel engine. Recurrent neural network models with duty-cycle, engine control, and fuel property parameters as inputs were trained with transient test data from a 15-liter heavy-duty diesel engine equipped with a common-rail fuel injection system and a variable geometry turbocharger. The test fuels were formulated by blending market diesel fuels, refinery components, and biodiesel to provide variations in preselected fuel properties, namely, hydrogen-to-carbon (H/C) ratio, oxygen-to-carbon (O/C) ratio, derived cetane number (CN), viscosity, and mid- and end-point distillation parameters. Care was taken to ensure that the correlation between these fuel properties in the test fuel matrix was minimized to avoid confounding model input variables.

Abstract Natural gas (NG) can be compressed to a high pressure of around 200 bar for use in engines and other applications. Compressed natural gas (CNG) contains 87–92% methane (CH4) and has a low carbon-to-hydrogen ratio compared to other hydrocarbon (HC) fuels. Due to this, it can potentially reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by more than 20% compared to conventional fuels like diesel or gasoline. This makes CNG one of the most environmentally friendly fuels for internal combustion engines (ICEs). To improve the thermal efficiency of ICEs, higher compression ratios (CRs) and leaner combustion are essential. Since CNG is a gaseous fuel, it has several advantages over liquid fuels due to its favorable physical and chemical properties. A few of these advantages are minimal fuel evaporation issues, a low-carbon content in the fuel composition and a high-octane number. The CNG high-octane number allows for a high CR, resulting in higher thermal efficiency and lower emissions.

Abstract Engine thermal management (ETM) is a promising technology that allows the reduction of harmful emissions and fuel consumption when the internal combustion engine (ICE) is started from a cold state. The key technology for ETM is the decoupling of the cooling pump from the crankshaft and the actuation of the pump independently. In this article, an electric engine cooling pump has been designed through a novel experimentally based procedure and operated on a vehicle equipped with an advanced turbocharged gasoline engine, particularly interesting for its hybridization potential. In the first phase, a dedicated experimental campaign was conducted off board on an engine identical to the one equipped in the vehicle to assess the characteristics of the cooling circuit and the reference pump performances.

Abstract Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) are increasingly gaining focus and usage for their ability to effectively reduce fuel consumption and emissions. In retrofit HEVs, additional electrical power components are retrofitted to the existing fuel-powered engine-based conventional vehicles which provide an easier and more economical means to transform them into HEVs. In this work, a novel control strategy is developed for the energy management of a retrofit mild parallel HEV where there is neither any control over the engine system nor direct sensing of engine variables. The energy management–based control strategies of a Model Predictive Control (MPC) and Equivalent Consumption Minimization Strategy (ECMS) are analyzed in the context of a retrofit HEV, and the ECMS cost function is integrated into the MPC framework, which is successfully implemented in a Model-In-the-Loop (MIL) platform by execution under suitable driving cycles.

Abstract Ducted Fuel Injection (DFI) is a concept of growing interest to abate soot emissions in diesel combustion based on a small duct within the combustion chamber in front of the injector nozzle. Despite the impressive potential of the DFI proven in literature, its application for series production and the complexity for the adaptation of existing Compression-Ignition (CI) engines need to be extensively investigated. In this context, the aim of this study is to numerically assess the potential of DFI implementation in a CI engine for light-duty applications, highlighting the factors which can limit or facilitate its integration in existing combustion chambers. The numerical model for combustion simulation was based on a One-Dimensional/Three-Dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (1D/3D-CFD) coupled approach relying on a calibrated spray model, extensively validated against experimental data.

Abstract Using a compression engine with dual fuel is the most promising technology to control emissions and for fuel economy, to meet the upcoming legislative norms. This experimental study was conducted to understand the effect of fuel reactivity on engine performance and emission in a compression ignition (CI) engine. The effect of injection timing, gasoline ratio, and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) rate on emission is compared to the conventional diesel engine. In this study, high-octane fuel (gasoline) is injected manifold the intake of a diesel engine (high-reactivity fuel) to primarily investigate the effects of balance between fuels having low and high reactivity. Fuel reactivity is optimized on different load and speed conditions by varying the diesel and gasoline quantity. Experimental results indicate that dual fuel helps to avoid nitrogen oxides (NOx) and soot trade-off, mitigating both to near-zero values.

Abstract Strict measures in emission regulations constantly lead researchers to technologies that are cleaner, renewable, and energy conversion efficient. Reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI), which is a low-temperature combustion (LTC) mode, is a promising technology providing simultaneously low nitrogen oxides (NOx) and soot emissions without reduction in engine thermal efficiency. However, the fact that the operating range is still not wide enough compared to conventional engines is one of the most challenging obstacles to RCCI engines. In this study the effects of the premixed ratio (PR) on engine operating range and emissions were investigated experimentally. A compression ignition (CI) engine was modified to be run in RCCI mode. Gasoline and diesel fuels were used as fuel pair in the experiments. The engine was operated at three different PRs of PR25, PR50, and PR75.

Abstract The current work experimentally and theoretically studied the effect of water injection on improving the performance of three different types of single-cylinder internal combustion engines. The first engine is a four-stroke diesel, the second is a four-stroke gasoline, and the third is a two-stroke gasoline engine. Different amounts of water were injected relative to fuel consumption for the three engines to find how it affected the performance, exhaust gas temperatures, and emissions. Comparing the experimental and theoretical results was done to determine the effect of spraying water on lowering the temperatures of the exhaust gases, increasing the thermal efficiency, and lowering specific fuel consumption. The experimental results for the various tested engines show that, in general, the exhaust gas temperature and gas emission decreases by increasing the mass of water injection; these differences vary based on the engine and the operating conditions.

Abstract The sustainability of mines is becoming ever more important to reduce the greenhouse gas footprint and keep the resources extraction economically sustainable. Despite the electrification and hybridization trend of mining equipment, diesel engines are still expected to maintain their importance as a primary source of power especially for open pit equipment, thanks to their longer operating range. However, in order to keep high efficiency and minimize fuel consumption for the entire operating life it is crucial to understand and tackle the aging effect on the engine performance. In this research a 500-h durability test was performed on a Liebherr mining engine, with the aim of better understanding how aging affects the combustion process and engine performance (power and fuel consumption), and how this effect can be compensated. Experimental results show a 1% specific fuel consumption increase, ascribable to injector aging.

Abstract The tightening of emission standards and homologation rules lead car manufacturers to rely on simulation testing in early development phases. Coupling an engine to a testbench controlled by a real-time simulation environment allows flexible, reliable, and reproducible testing for consumption and emission studies. However, interest in this method referred to as engine-in-the-loop (EiL) is relatively recent and few details can be found regarding the simulation environment. Following previous work, this study details a driver model based on the PI structure and augmented with preview and anti-windup. The focus is set on a conventional powertrain with a manual transmission for which the driver must also manage the clutch pedal during gearshift and take-off phases. Extended analysis of vehicle tests allows defining the driver’s behavior during these phases for different profiles.

Abstract Reducing the friction of the internal combustion engine (ICE) is of major interest to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A huge potential for friction reduction is seen in the piston ring-cylinder liner (PRCL) coupling. Approaching the cylindrical liner shape in the hot operation state will enhance the PRCL conformation. Recently, newly developed freeform honing techniques can help to achieve this perfect cylinder shape. This article presents a numerical study of the effect of freeform honing on the geometrical performance of the liner in the hot operation state. The freeform honed liner (TR) concept is based on the approach of reversing the local deformation of a conventional circular liner. A validated computational model for a gasoline engine is used to compare the geometrical performance of those TR cases with circular, elliptical (EL), and conical elliptical liners (NEL) at different operational points.