This Electric Road System was devised that would provide electric power to EVs directly from the infrastructure so that EVs could undergo intermittent charging while driving. This system is a conductive dynamic charging system that operates from the side of the vehicle (roadside), and research has been underway on the application of this approach to passenger cars and race cars. This paper focused on resolving issues with freight vehicles, which account for most of the CO2 emissions in the transportation sector. This Electric Road System that operates by contact from the roadside was applied to heavy-duty trucks, which have been considered a challenge to convert to EVs, and at the same time the infrastructure technology was also expanded and evolved. And verification tests using actual vehicles were conducted for regenerative energy absorption control of a charging vehicle while driving.
Proportional integral derivative (PID) control technique is a famous and cost-effective control strategy, in real implementation, applied in various engineering applications. Also, the ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithm is extensively applied in various industrial problems. This paper addresses the usage of a ACO algorithm to tune the PID controller gains for a semi-active heavy vehicle suspension system integrated with cabin and seat. The magnetorheological (MR) damper is used in main suspension as a semi-active device to enhance the ride comfort and vehicle stability. The proposed semi-active suspension consists of a system controller that calculate the desired damping force using a PID controller tuned using ACO, and a continuous state damper controller that predict the input voltage that is required to track the desired damping force.
The transition towards electrification in commercial vehicles is getting more attention in recent years. This technical paper details the conversion of a production medium duty class-5 commercial truck, originally equipped with a gasoline engine and 10-speed automatic transmission, into a battery electric vehicle (BEV). The conversion process involved the removal of the internal combustion engine, transmission, and differential unit, followed by the integration of an ePropulsion system housing a newly developed dual-motor eBeam axle that propels the rear wheels. Complementary additions encompass components such as an 800V/99 kWh battery pack, advanced SiC inverters, an 800V HVAC system, and a DC fast charging system. Central to this study is the control system governing the converted vehicle, prioritizing drivability, NVH suppression, and energy optimization. Evident improvements in responsiveness and reduced noise emission underscore the efficacy of the BEV's design.
In order to improve the braking energy recovery rate of pure electric garbage trucks and ensure the braking effect of garbage trucks, a strategy of optimizing the regenerative braking fuzzy control of garbage trucks by particle swarm optimization is proposed. A multi-stage front and rear wheel braking force distribution curve considering braking effect and braking energy recovery is designed. According to the vehicle demand braking force and braking strength, a hierarchical regenerative braking fuzzy control strategy is established. The first layer is based on the vehicle demand braking force, based on the front and rear axle braking force distribution scheme, and uses the fuzzy controller to realize the first distribution of the front axle braking force.
Off-road diesel engines remain one of the most significant contributors to the overall NOX inventory, and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has indicated that reductions as large as 90% from current standards may be necessary to achieve air quality goals. In recognition of this, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has funded a program aimed at demonstrating emission control technologies for off-road engines. This program builds on previous efforts to demonstrate Low NOX technologies for onroad engines. The objective is to demonstrate technologies to reduce tailpipe NOX and particulate matter (PM) emissions by 90 and 75%, respectively, from the current Tier 4 Final standards. In addition, the emission reductions are to be achieved while also demonstrating a 5 to 8.6% carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction and remaining Greenhouse Gas (GHG) neutral with respect to nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4).
Catalytic converters have been considered as an integral part of the vehicle powertrain for over a decade now, their application along with the engines increased significantly with the constant evolution of emission standards. Recent regulations keep a strict control on the major four pollutants of engine exhaust gas, i.e., Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Hydrocarbons (HC) & Particulate Matter (PM), which demands a highly efficient aftertreatment system. Efforts are continuously being made to downsize the engine for better fuel economy and low emissions, this puts additional requirement of designing a compact aftertreatment system equipped with Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC), Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). Compact catalytic converters experience larger vibration force transferred from the engine and hence the durability of the product is significantly impacted.
The widely accepted best practice for spark-ignition combustion is the four-valve pent-roof chamber using a central sparkplug and incorporating tumble flow during the intake event. The bulk tumble flow readily breaks up during the compression stroke to fine-scale turbulent kinetic energy desired for rapid, robust combustion. The natural gas engines used in medium- and heavy-truck applications would benefit from a similar, high-tumble pent-roof combustion chamber. However, these engines are invariably derived from their higher-volume diesel counterparts, and the production volumes are insufficient to justify the amount of modification required to incorporate a pent-roof system. The objective of this multi-dimensional computational study was to develop a combustion chamber addressing the objectives of a pent-roof chamber while maintaining the flat firedeck and vertical valve orientation of the diesel engine.
Hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion engines (ICEs) offer a promising zero-carbon fuel option for some applications. As part of the global effort to study hydrogen ICEs Ricardo has developed single-cylinder and multi-cylinder heavy-duty engines. The engines are representative of a 13 litre Euro VI heavy-duty production application converted to run on hydrogen fuel with limited changes. The engine is fitted with direct hydrogen injectors which enable flexible injection strategies and reduce hydrogen in the intake system. Steady-state testing was carried out over an array of speed and load points covering a typical heavy-duty drive-cycle area. Engine test results are presented and analysed in this paper. The combustion system can run to values exceeding lambda 5 and 40% exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) can be tolerated.
Multiple areas in the U.S. continue to struggle with achieving National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone. These continued issues highlight the need for further reductions in NOX emission standards in multiple industry sectors, with heavy-duty on-highway engines being one of the most important areas to be addressed. Starting in 2014, CARB initiated a series of technical demonstration programs aimed at examining the feasibility of achieving up to a 90% reduction in tailpipe NOX, while at the same time maintaining a path towards GHG reductions that will be required as part of the Heavy-Duty Phase 2 GHG program. These programs culminated in the Stage 3 Low NOX program, which demonstrated low NOX emissions while maintaining GHG emissions at levels comparable to the baseline engine.
Given the spread of natural gas engines in low-term toward decarbonization and the growing interest in gaseous mixtures as well as the use of hydrogen in Heavy-Duty (HD) engines, appropriate strategies are needed to maximize thermal efficiency and achieve near-zero emissions from these propulsor systems. In this context, some phenomena related to real-world driving operations, such as engine cut-off or misfire, can lead to inadequate control of the Air-to-Fuel ratio, key factor for Three-Way Catalyst (TWC) efficiency. Goal of the present research activity is to investigate the performance of a bio-methane-fueled HD engine and its aftertreatment system, consisting of a Three-Way Catalyst, at different Air-to-Fuel ratio. An experimental test bench characterization, in different operating conditions of the engine workplan, was carried out to evaluate the catalyst reactivity to a defined pattern of the Air-to-Fuel ratio.
In light of the current trend towards the electrification of commercial vehicles, the imperative for the development of a Beam eAxle solution has become apparent. The utilization of an electric drive unit in heavy-duty solid axle-based commercial vehicles presents unique and demanding challenges, including the necessity for elevated peak and continuous torque, while meeting spatial constraints, structural integrity requirements, additional functionalities, and extended service life. BorgWarner has developed a solution that addresses these challenges, meeting the rigorous demands of commercial vehicle electrification. This paper offers a comprehensive overview of the design and prototyping processes undertaken to develop the Beam eAxle, including an analysis of market demands, a comparative examination of eAxle solutions, and the methodologies and procedures employed in the design, prototyping, and evaluation phases of the Beam eAxle development.