Search Results

Look ahead information can be used to improve the powertrain’s fuel consumption while efficiently controlling exhaust emissions. A passenger car propelled by a Euro 6d capable diesel engine is studied. In the conventional approach, the diesel powertrain subsystem control is rule based. It uses no information of future load requests but is operated with the objective of low engine out exhaust emission species until the Exhaust After-Treatment System (EATS) light off has occurred, even if fuel economy is compromised greatly. Upon EATS light off, the engine is operated more fuel efficiently since the EATS system is able to treat emissions effectively. This paper presents a supervisory control structure with the intended purpose to operate the complete powertrain using a minimum of fuel while improving the robustness of exhaust emissions.

The foremost aim of the work presented in this paper is to improve fuel economy and decrease CO2 emissions by reducing the aerodynamic drag of passenger vehicles. In vehicle development, computer aided engineering (CAE) methods have become a development driver tool rather than a design assessment tool. Exploring and developing the capabilities of current CAE tools is therefore of great importance. An efficient method for vehicle shape optimization has been developed using recent years' advancements in neural networks and evolutionary optimization. The proposed method requires the definition of design variables as the only manual work. The optimization is performed on a solver approximation instead of the real solver, which considerably reduces computation time. A database is generated from simulations of sampled configurations within the pre-defined design space. The database is used to train an artificial neural network which acts as an approximation to the simulations.

A structured, semi-automatic method for reducing a high-fidelity engine model to a fast running one has been developed. The principle of this method rests on the fact that, under certain assumptions, the computationally expensive components of the simulation can be substituted with simpler ones. Thus, the computation speed increases substantially while the physical representation of the engine is retained to a large extent. The resulting model is not only suitable for fast running simulations, but also usable and updatable in later stages of the development process. The thrust of the method is that the calibration of the fast running components is achieved by use of automatically selected neural networks. Two illustrative examples demonstrate the methodology. The results show that the methodology achieves substantial increase in computation speed and satisfactory accuracy.

This article describes an expert system for objective rating of subjective characteristics like driving comfort. The system uses radial basis neural networks that can be trained on any dynamic properties, for example acceleration. Training and retraining can be done in real-time. The system includes a measure of the reliability of automatic judgement, which can be used to signal when new training may be necessary. The article shows in detail how the system has been used to automatically judge gearshift comfort for automatic transmission. Tests indicate that the system's accuracy and consistency are as good as one of Volvo's best experts.

In two research programs, Volvo has investigated high performance turbocharged versions based on the new 3-litre inline six-cylinder naturally aspirated engine. Power and torque targets were 180 kW and 385 Nm respectively, with a wide usable torque range. The MEP-(Methanol Environment Performance)-project was linked to alternative fuel studies and focused on methanol (M85) and Flexible Fuel Vehicle-(FFV)-development. With alternative fuels, it is important to investigate not only the emissions and fuel efficiency, but also the performance potential, in particular when used in turbocharged engines. The MEP-engine could be reduced to 2.5 litre displacement, due to the good specific performance with M85 fuel. Higher charge pressures could be used compared to gasoline. An M85 turbocharged high performance engine must be designed for higher peak combustion pressures.

A prototype boost pressure control system, utilizing a microprocessor to govern the wastegate settings, has been developed and tested on a turbocharged petrol engine with intercooler. The Volvo Computer Controlled Turbo (VCCT)-system allows optimum boost pressure settings for varied operating conditions. A knock detecting system retards ignition and lowers boost simultanously, minimizing torque loss with no increase of exhaust gas temperature. For high performance turbo engines this strategy is important, since at continous high power operation no increase in thermal loading (with risk for degraded durability), can be accepted. Vehicle tests show significant improvements in performance and fuel economy.