Fossil fuels such as natural gas used in engines still play the most important role worldwide despite such measures as the German energy transition which however is also exacerbating climate change as a result of carbon dioxide emissions. One way of reducing carbon dioxide emissions is the choice of energy sources and with it a more favourable chemical composition. Natural gas, for instance, which consist mainly of methane, has the highest hydrogen to carbon ratio of all hydrocarbons, which means that carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced by up to 35% when replacing diesel with natural gas. Although natural gas engines show an overall low CO2 and pollutant emissions level, methane slip due to incomplete combustion occurs, causing methane emissions with a more than 20 higher global warming potential than CO2.
By building on mature internal combustion engine (ICE) hardware combined with dedicated hydrogen (H2) technology, the H2-ICE has excellent potential to accelerate CO2 reduction. H2-ICE concepts can therefore contribute to realizing the climate targets in an acceptable timeframe. In the landscape of H2-ICE combustion concepts, High Pressure Direct Injection (HPDI™) is an attractive option considering its high thermal efficiency, wide load range and its applicability to on-road as well as off-road heavy-duty equipment. Still, H2-HPDI is characterized by diffusion combustion, giving rise to significant NOx emissions. In this paper, the potential of H2-HPDI toward compliance with future emissions legislation is explored on a 1.8L single-cylinder research engine. With tests on multiple load-speed points, Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) was shown to be an effective measure for reducing engine-out NOx, although at the cost of a few efficiency points.
The global transportation industry is mandated to deliver significant reductions in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions within the upcoming decades. The road freight sector in particular faces formidable challenges in terms of emission reduction, while maintaining/improving the performance of the current vehicles. In Europe this transition is being driven in part by specific CO2 legislation for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) and penalties for Original Equipment Manufacturers who miss these targets, while in the US these ambitions have been embedded within the EPA regulations. Europe currently has targets for CO2 reduction of 15% by 2025 and 30% by 2030 for new HDVs, likely increasing to 45% by 2030 and 90% by 2040. These targets have been set relative to the fleet average for the industry by truck category and are evaluated using the Vehicle Energy Consumption Calculation Tool (VECTO) to determine CO2 emissions for each unique vehicle configuration.
Today’s engines used in Agriculture, Mining and Construction are designed for robustness and cost. Here, the Diesel powertrain is the established mainstream solution, offering long operation times without refueling at any desired power rating. In view of the steps towards Carbon Neutrality by 2050 this segment of the Transportation Sector needs to reduce its CO2 emissions. Currently, the EU and US emissions legislations (EU Stage V / EPA Tier4) do not include a CO2 reduction scheme but is expected to change with the next update towards EU Stage VI / EPA Tier5 coming into effect 2030 and after. Larger power and operation range still require the use of renewable, liquid fuels or hydrogen. The cost-up of such fuels could be counterbalanced by more efficient engines in combination with a hybridized powertrain.
Reducing CO2 emissions in on-the-road transport is important to limit global warming and follow a green transition towards net zero Carbon by 2050. In a long-term scenario, electrification will be the future of transportation. However, in the mid-term, the priority should be given more strongly to other technological alternatives (e.g., decarbonization of the electrical energy and battery recharging time). In the short- to mid-term, the technological and environmental reinforcement of ICEs could participate in the effort of decarbonization, also matching the need to reduce harmful pollutant emissions, mainly during traveling in urban areas. Engine thermal management represents a viable solution considering its potential benefits and limited implementation costs compared to other technologies. A variable flow coolant pump actuated independently from the crankshaft represents the critical component of a thermal management system.
In pursuing sustainable automotive technologies, exploring alternative fuels for hybrid vehicles is crucial in reducing environmental impact and aligning with global carbon emission reduction goals. This work compares methanol and naphtha as potential suitable alternative fuels for running in a battery-driven light-duty hybrid vehicle by comparing their performance with the diesel baseline engine. This work employs a 0-D vehicle simulation model within the GT-Power suite to replicate vehicle dynamics under the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Cycle (WLTC). The vehicle choice enables the assessment of a delivery application scenario using distinct payload capacities: 0%, 25%, 50%, and 100%. The model is fed with engine maps derived from previous experimental work conducted in the same engine, in which a full calibration was obtained that ensures the engine's operability in a wide region of rotational speed and loads.
In the effort to achieve the goal of a climate-neutral transportation system, the use of hydrogen and other synthetic fuels plays a key role. As Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) become more widespread, e-fuels could be used to defossilize the hard-to-electrify transportation sectors and to store energy produced from renewable and non-continuous energy sources. Among e-fuels, hydrogen and ammonia are attractive because they are carbon-neutral and their oxidation does not lead to any CO2 emissions. Furthermore, hydrogen/ammonia blends overcome the issues that arise as each of the two fuels is used separately. As a matter of fact, hydrogen/ammonia mixtures can be liquified at a lower pressure than hydrogen and are more reactive than ammonia. In the automotive sector, the use of hydrogen and ammonia or their blends requires a characterization of such mixtures under engine-like conditions, that is, at high pressures and temperatures.
The current work presents the results of an investigation on the impact of renewable fuels on the combustion and emissions of a turbocharged compression-ignition internal combustion engine. An experimental study was undertaken and the engine settings were not modified to account for the fuel's chemical and physical properties, to analyze the performance of the fuel as a potential drop-in alternative fuel. Three fuels were tested: mineral diesel, a blend of it with waste cooking oil biodiesel and a hydrogenated diesel. The analysis of the emissions at engine exhaust highlights that hydrogenated fuel allows to reduce CO, total hydrocarbon emissions, particulate matter and NOx.
In response to global climate change, there is a widespread push to reduce carbon emissions in the transportation sector. For the difficult to decarbonize heavy-duty (HD) vehicle sector, lower carbon intensity fuels can offer a low-cost, near-term solution for CO2 reduction. The use of natural gas can provide such an alternative for HD vehicles while the increasing availability of renewable natural gas affords the opportunity for much deeper reductions in net-CO2 emissions. With this in consideration, the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory launched the Natural Gas Vehicle Research and Development Project to stimulate advancements in technology and availability of natural gas vehicles. As part of this program, Southwest Research Institute developed a hybrid-electric medium-HD vehicle (class 6) to demonstrate a substantial CO2 reduction over the baseline diesel vehicle and ultra-low NOx emissions.
Ammonia has emerged as a promising carbon-free alternative fuel for internal combustion engines (ICE), particularly in large-bore engine applications. However, integrating ammonia into conventional engines presents challenges, prompting the exploration of innovative combustion strategies like dual-fuel combustion. Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions have emerged as a significant obstacle to the widespread adoption of ammonia in ICE. Various studies suggest that combining exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) with adjustments in inlet temperature and diesel injection timing can effectively mitigate nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions across diverse operating conditions in dual-fuel diesel engines.
Climate change and the decarbonization process are challenges for our times. In this context, the transportation sector is undergoing significant changes and new scenarios in the future mobility are open. For light duty vehicles, electrification represents the most immediate and spreading solution; however, to promote the e-mobility expansion, technological improvements mainly related to the charging infrastructures are needed. This work aims at investigating the possibility to use a spark ignition engine fueled with bio-ethanol for off-grid electric vehicle charging station. The engine is a 8.7 liter turbocharged spark ignition engine, single point injection and develops a maximum rated power of about 230 kW at 1500 rpm. A 1-D numerical model was developed to evaluate the main performance in terms of brake power, efficiency, specific fuel consumption and NOx emissions at different spark advances and air-fuel ratio.
The benefits introduced by the replacement of conventional centrifugal pumps with volumetric machines for Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs) cooling were experimentally and theoretically proven in literature. In particular, Sliding Rotary Vane Pumps (SVRPs) ensure to achieve an interesting reduction of ICEs fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Despite volumetric pumps are a reference technology for ICE lubrication oil circuits, the application in ICE cooling systems still not represent a ready-to-market solution. Particularly challenging is the case of Heavy-Duty ICE due to the wide operating range the pump covers in terms of flow rate delivered. Generally, SVRPs are designed to operate at high speeds to reduce machine dimensions and, consequently, the weight. Nevertheless, speed increase could lead to a severe penalization of pump performance since the growth of the friction losses.
For battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), the climate control and the driving range are crucial criteria in the ongoing electrification of automobiles in Europe towards the targeted carbon neutrality of the automotive industry. The thermal management system makes an important contribution to the energy efficiency and the cabin comfort of the vehicle. In addition to the system architecture, the refrigerant is crucial to achieve high cooling and heating performance while maintaining high efficiency and thus low energy consumption. Due to the high efficiency requirements for the vehicle, future system architectures will largely be heat pump systems. The alternative refrigerant R-474A based on the molecule R-1132(E) achieved top performance for both parameters in various system and vehicle tests.
Under the Green Deal, the European Union (EU) has set more ambitious targets for reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of passenger cars. This action translated into changing the 30% fleet-wide carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction to 55% for the year 2030, based on 2021. The resulting fleet-wide average target for 2030 is 49.5 g/km, and to achieve this, the Member States and manufacturers need to promote affordable zero and low-emissions vehicles to consumers. Several studies have assessed the level of electrification needed in the following years to meet the targets set and progressively electrify the EU passenger car fleet and promote other zero emission solutions. Such studies are of high importance for the Member States as they must implement the infrastructure changes to cover the new energy demands in the transport sector accordingly. Most studies assume that parallel to the uptake of electrified vehicles, conventional vehicles will continue to increase their efficiency.
The concerns surrounding climate change necessitate implementing sustainability policies that permeate everyday mobility. The EU's Fit for 55 package, aiming at achieving carbon neutrality by 2035, proposes a ban on fuels with positive CO2 emissions, phasing out ICEs. However, this approach, when considered in the context of European mobility habits, appears to be much less than ideal. At urban level the electric option is attractive, locally unpolluting, offering a greater independence in terms of source and higher tank-to-wheel (TTW) efficiency - not necessarily true along the life cycle (LCA): however, these outcomes are pursuable with other solutions. This study presents a novel approach for the homologation driving cycle split into two phases, aiding to shape a better match between supply and demand on real-world data.
Combustion engines in hybrid vehicles turn on and off several times during a typical passenger car trip. Each engine restart may pose a risk of excessive tailpipe emissions in real-drive conditions if the after-treatment system fails to maintain an adequate temperature level during zero flow. In view of the tightening worldwide tailpipe emissions standards and real-world conformity requirements, it is important to detect and resolve such risks via cost-effective engineering tools relying on accurate 3d analysis of the thermal and chemical behavior of exhaust systems. In this work, we present a series of experiments to examine the impact of zero-flow duration on the exhaust system cooling and subsequent emissions risk. We also present a catalyst model calibrated to predict the 3d thermal and chemical behavior under normal and zero flow conditions. Particular emphasis is given to the phenomena of free convection and thermal radiation dominating the heat transfer at zero flow.
Abstract: Hydraulic systems in aircrafts largely comprise of metallic components with high strength to weight ratios which comprise of 2024 Aluminum and Titanium Ti-6AL-4V. The selection of material is based on low and high pressure applications respectively. For aircraft fluid conveyance products, hydraulic conduits are fabricated by axisymmetric turning to support flow conditions. The hydraulic conduits further carries groves within for placement of elastomeric sealing components. This article presents a systematic study carried out on common loads experienced by fluid carrying conduits and the failure modes induced. The critical failure locations on fluid carrying conduits of 2024-T351 Aluminum was identified, and the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis was carried out to identify the characteristic footprints of failure surfaces and crack initiation. Through this analysis, a load to failure mode correlation is established.