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Future emission norms in India (BS6) necessitates the 2 wheeler industry to work towards emission optimization measures. Engine operation at stoichiometric Air-Fuel Ratio (AFR) would result in a good performance, durability and least emissions. To keep the AFR close to stoichiometric condition, an Oxygen sensor is placed in the exhaust system, which detects if air-fuel mixture is rich (λ<1) or lean (λ>1) and provides feedback to fuel injection system for suitable fuel control. O2 sensor has a ceramic element, which needs to be heated to a working temperature for its functioning. The ceramic element would break (thermal shock) if water in liquid form comes in contact with it when the element is hot.

Traction control (ASR) is the logical ongoing development of the antilock braking system (ABS). Due to the high costs involved though, the widespread practice of reducing the engine power by electronic throttle control (or electronic enginepower control) has up to now prevented ASR from becoming as widely proliferated as ABS. A promising method has now been developed in which fuel-injection suppression at individual cylinders is used as a low-price actuator for a budget-priced ASR. First of all, an overview of the possibilities for influencing wheel-torque by means of intervention at the engine and/or brake as a means of reducing driven wheel slip is presented. Then, the system, the control strategy, and the demands on the electronic engine-management system with sequential fuel injection are discussed. The system's possibilities and its limitations are indicated, and fears of damaging effects on the catalytic converter are eliminated.

Novel Combustion technologies and strategies show high potential in reducing the fuel consumption of gasoline spark ignition (SI) engines. In this paper, a comparison between various gasoline combustion concepts at two representative engine operating points is shown. Advantages of the combustion concepts are analyzed using thermodynamic split of losses method. In this paper, a tool for thermodynamic assessment (Split of Losses) of conventional and new operating strategies of SI engine and its derivatives is used. Technologies, like variable valve actuation and/or gasoline direct injection, allow new strategies to run the SI engine unthrottled with early inlet valve closing (SI-VVA) combined with high EGR, charge stratification (SI-STRAT) and controlled auto ignition (CAI), also known as gasoline homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI). These diverse combustion concepts show thermodynamic gains that stem from several, often different sources.

The air conditioning system is becoming more and more a competitive issue, moving from optional to standard vehicle equipment. Therefore, also thermal comfort level is moving from simple air temperature measurement to a more systemic approach, where the contribution of every element of the car cabin has to be taken in account. Improving contact thermal sensation with the seat is one of the main issues to improve overall thermal comfort in transportation. A method has been defined to assess the perceived thermal quality of seats taking into account the sweating human thermoregulatory process. The method is based on a thermal manikin representing a torso able to simulate in a portion of the back the sweating phenomena. The first part of the paper is focused on the instrument and developed measuring method description. The second part is dedicated to detail the correlation between experimental measurements and subjective quality index obtained during an extensive on-road panel test.

For the BMW V8 engine, a new LEV/EU3 emission concept has been developed by improvements to the previous engine management and secondary air supply and a complete new exhaust system. Beside the emission limits, also high engine output targets and high operating reliability were targeted. In addition the new exhaust system had to meet low cost targets. Based on these requirements an exhaust concept with separate pre catalyst and main catalyst was chosen. To reduce the heat mass and to optimize the pressure drop, 4.3mil/400cpsi thin wall ceramic substrates were used for the pre and main catalyst.

To meet LEV and EU Stage III emission requirements, it is necessary for new catalytic converters to be designed which exceed light-off temperature as quickly as possible. The technical solutions are secondary air injection, active heating systems such as the electrically heated catalytic converter, and the close coupled catalytic converter. Engine control functions are extensively used to heat the converter and will to play a significant role in the future. The concept of relocating the converter to a position close to the engine in an existing vehicle involves new conflicts. Examples include the space requirements, the thermal resistance of the catalytic coating and high temperature loads in the engine compartment.

The tightening of Heavy Duty Diesel (HDD) emissions legislation throughout the world is leading to the development of emission control devices to enable HDD engines to meet the new standards. NOx and Particulate Matter (PM) are the key pollutants which these emission control systems need to address. Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) are already in use in significant numbers to control PM emissions from HDD vehicles, and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) is a very promising technology to control NOx emissions. This paper describes the development and performance of the Compact SCR-Trap system - a pollution control device comprising a DPF-based system (the Continuously Regenerating Trap system) upstream of an SCR system. The system has been designed to be as easy to package as possible, by minimising the total volume of the system and by incorporating the SCR catalysts on annular substrates placed around the outside of the DPF-based system.

A stationary model of a car air conditioning system was developed to evaluate refrigerant, mechanical power and all the fluid properties along the circuit. The model requires only the characteristics of the constituents, which are normally available from suppliers. This approach enables estimation of system performance with satisfactory accuracy, already during the design approach, and allows to determine the most appropriate components in order to meet target requirements with a satisfactory balance of the refrigerant circuit.

In recent years, car manufacturers have been shifting their efforts towards improving quality of interior noise, rather than simply reducing noise levels. One of the most important issues, which is today widely accepted, is that noise contains information. Slamming noise should warn us that doors are safely closed, control panel pushbutton “clicks” inform us about the correct turning on of devices, etc.. One of the acoustic researchers' task is therefore to modify the original noise to emphasize quality of information and to reduce annoying components. For these reasons, it is very important to affect noise timbre, by investigating the relationships between mechanical and acoustical parameters. In this paper we describe a workstation (which we have called N.O.T.E.: Noise Optimizator for Thermal Engine) for intake and exhaust system noise synthesis, that integrates an acoustical simulation code with a synthesizer.

The cabin comfort is one of the most competitive issues in the automotive area of business. The thermal comfort and the environmental well-being are fundamental performances that contribute to generate the more general idea of perceived quality. The CRF developed in the past the concept so-called “healthy bubble” that was implemented in the Lancia Dialogos concept car. The passengers are surrounded by an air bubble, created by generating low velocity air flows, that are diffused through the interior panels and components (e.g. dashboard, roof, back of the seats, etc.), and by surfaces temperature control (e.g. carpet, seats, etc.). At present the original idea has generally been accepted, and different solutions to diffuse air and to control surface temperature of vehicle interiors have been proposed by some automotive supplier.

It is particularly easy to get tunnel vision as a domain expert, and focus only on the improvements one could provide in their area of expertise. To make matters worse, many Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are silo-ed by domain of expertise, unconsciously promoting this single mindedness in design. Unfortunately, the successful and profitable development of a vehicle is dependent on the delicate balance of performance across many domains, involving multiple physics and departments. Taking for instance the design of a Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, the device’s primary function is to control the climate system in vehicle cabins, and more importantly to make sure that critical areas on the windshield can be defrosted in cold weather conditions within regulation time. With the advent of electric and autonomous vehicles, further importance is now also placed on the energy efficiency of the HVAC, and its noise.

Secondary air injection after cold start gives two effects for reduced exhaust emissions: An exothermic reaction at the hot exhaust valves occurs, which increases the temperature of the exhaust gas. It gives sufficient air to the catalyst during the cold start fuel enrichment that is necessary to prevent driveability problems. Handicaps for the wide use of air injection include space constraints, weight and price. An electrical air blower was choosen to best satisfy all these requirements. The development steps are described. The result is a three stage radialblower with extremly high revolutions of about 18000 rpm. The system configuration and the outcome are demonstrated on the new C-Class of Mercedes-Benz. The results show emission reductions higher than 50 %, while also satisfying the development goals of noise, volume, weight and cost requirements.

A new category of hypereutectic aluminum liners, made by PM route is now available on the market (SILITEC) and it is successfully applied to high-pressure die casting process to produce open deck cylinder blocks. The claimed achievable engine performances over cast-iron liners (weight saving, reduction of oil consumption, optimal heat transfer, wear and friction losses reduction) justify the interest of automotive industry in developing such a technology. The paper will present the experience and the achieved results in permanent mold gravity casting with Silitec liners, where metal flow definition and temperature distribution control make the casting technique more challenging for the manufacturing of closed deck cylinder blocks.

The emissions legislation in the US and Europe introduces the need for the application of diesel particulate filters (DPF) in most diesel vehicles. In order to fulfill future OBD legislations, which include more stringent requirements on monitoring the functionality of those particulate filters, new sensors besides the differential pressure sensor are necessary. The new sensors need to directly detect the soot emission after DPF and withstand the harsh exhaust gas environment. Based on multi layer ceramic sensor technology, an exhaust gas sensor for particulate matter (EGS-PM) has been developed. The soot-particle-sensing element consists of two inter-digitated comb-like electrodes with an initially infinite electrical resistance. During the sensor operation, soot particles from the exhaust gas are collected onto the inter-digital electrodes and form conductive paths between the two electrode fingers leading to a drop of the electrical resistance.

Air conditioning acoustics have become of paramount importance in electric vehicles, where noise from electromechanical components is no longer masked by the presence of the internal combustion engine. In a car HVAC systems, the coolant compressor is one of the most important sources in terms of vibration and noise generation. The paper, the generated structural noise is studied in detail on a prototype installation, and the noise transmission and propagation mechanisms are analyzed and discussed. Through ”in situ” measurements and virtual point transformation, the rotor unbalance forces and torque acting within the component are identified. The dynamic properties of the rubber mounts, installed between the compressor and its support, are identified thanks to matrix inversion methods. To assess the quality of the proposed procedure, the synthesized sound pressure level is compared with experimental SPL measurements in different operational conditions.

The air conditioning system of a car uses the reverse Carnot thermodynamic cycle of a refrigerant gas. The fluids normally used have at least a direct impact on global warming, so their losses have to be avoided. A very simple method to detect refrigerant charge level was developed, using few standard sensors. Results show that it is possible to have an estimation of system charge level with satisfactory accuracy, and seems able to avoid complete loss of refrigerant.

CNG direct injection is a promising technology to promote the acceptance of natural gas engines. Among the beneficial properties of CNG, like reduced pollutants and CO2 emissions, the direct injection contributes to a higher volumetric efficiency and thus to a better driveability, one of the most limiting drawbacks of today’s CNG vehicles. But such a combustion concept increases the demands on the injection system and mixture formation. Among other things it requires a much higher flow rate at low injection pressure. This can be only provided by an outward-opening nozzle due to its large cross-section. Nevertheless its hollow cone jet with a specific propagation behavior leads to an adverse fuel-air distribution especially at higher loads under scavenging conditions. This paper covers numerical and experimental analysis of CNG direct injection to understand its mixture formation.

Modern zirconia oxygen sensors are heated internally to achieve an optimal detection of the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas and fast light off time. The temperature of the gas in the exhaust pipe varies in a wide range. The zirconia sensor is cooled by radiation and forced convection caused by cold exhaust gas. If the zirconia temperature falls, the oxygen detection capability of the sensor decreases. To minimize the cooling effects, protection tubes cover the zirconia sensor. However, this is in conflict with the aim to accelerate the dynamics of the lambda sensor. In this paper, the heat transfer at the surface of a heated planar zirconia sensor with two different double protection tubes of a Bosch oxygen sensor is examined in detail. The geometric configuration of the tubes forces different flow patterns in the inner protection tube around the zirconia sensor. The zirconia sensor is internally electrically heated by a platinum heater layer.

In new exhaust system specifications such as single cylinder balancing, closed coupled catalyst systems, sensor locations close to the engine, turbo applications, fast light off situations and diesel engine applications the dynamic behavior of the lambda sensor becomes more important. This demands a detailed knowledge and modeling of the relevant parameters. In former analysis of exhaust gas sensors the main focus has been the electrochemical processes in the sensor. The influence of flow structure and protection tubes had lower priority. In this paper we present the numerical and experimental analysis of cold air flowing in a pipe including mounted exhaust sensors. Two double-protection tubes from the Robert Bosch GmbH have been examined named (a) and (b). The predicted results have been compared with values measured with Laser Doppler Anemometry (LDA). The flow pattern in the protection tube type (a) depends on the geometric configuration of the sensor element and the tubes.