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[Due to the increasing size of the archives, each topic page now contains only the prior 365 days of content. Access to older stories is now solely through the Monthly Archive pages or the site search function.]
Researchers Demonstrate Quantum-Coupled Thermal to Electric Conversion With Efficiency as High as 40% of Carnot Limit, With Calculated Potential of Up to 90%
November 18, 2009
| Basic scheme of the quantum-coupled converter. Shaded boxes indicate electron reservoirs. Arrows represent couplings. Letter U represents the electrostatic interaction while letter V represents the tunneling. Source: Hagelstein, 2007. Click to enlarge. |
Researchers from MIT, with colleagues from IISc in Bangalore, India and HiPi Consulting in Maryland have experimentally demonstrated the conversion of heat to electricity using thermal diodes with efficiency as high as 40% of the Carnot Limit. Their calculations find that this new kind of system could theoretically reach as much as 90% of that ceiling.
By contrast, current solid-state thermoelectric devices only achieve about one-tenth of the Carnot Limit, according to MIT Associate Professor Peter Hagelstein, co-author of a paper on the new concept published 13 November in the Journal of Applied Physics.
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Sponsors of SAE Study Conclude HFO-1234yf Can Be Used As Low-GWP Global Replacement Refrigerant in MAC Systems
November 10, 2009
A two-year Cooperative Research Program conducted through SAE International to investigate the safety and environmental performance of the low-global-warming-potential (GWP) refrigerant HFO-1234yf for mobile air conditioning (MAC) systems has finished its study.
Based on these results, the sponsors of the SAE CRP 1234 have concluded that HFO-1234yf can be used as the global replacement refrigerant in future mobile air conditioning systems and it can be safely accommodated through established industry standards and practices for vehicle design, engineering, manufacturing, and service. he report is the third SAE report to evaluate the new refrigerant.
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Chrysler Powertrain Strategy to Rely Heavily on Integrating Fiat Engine Technology; Chrysler to Be Global Center of Competence for Hybrids and EVs for Fiat and Chrysler
November 04, 2009
| Chrysler’s new powertrain strategy relies heavily on the rapid integration of Fiat technologies. Click to enlarge. |
Chrysler’s new powertrain strategy is relying on the rapid transfer of Fiat Group technology for Multiair; Gasoline Direct Injection; turbocharging and alternative fuels to support rapid downsizing and improvement of fuel economy, along with the simplification of the company’s engine line-up, according to Paolo E. Ferrero, Senior Vice President, Chrysler Powertrain. Ferrero was speaking during a briefing at Chrysler headquarters today outlining the company’s new five-year business plan.
In addition, Ferrero said, the Chrysler Group will be the global center of engineering competence for hybrids and electric vehicles for Fiat Group and Chrysler Group.
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Navistar Acquires Diesel Engine Components Business From Continental, Forms New Operating Company
November 03, 2009
Navistar, Inc., concluded an agreement to acquire certain assets and the membership interests of Continental Diesel Systems US, LLC, to manufacture key fuel injection components for Navistar MaxxForce diesel engines. The company also will establish a dedicated research and development facility to support Navistar’s diesel power system components.
The company, renamed Pure Power Technologies, LLC, will further vertically integrate research and development, engineering and manufacturing capabilities to produce world-class diesel power systems and advanced emissions control systems.
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Thordon Bearings Retrofitting Ocean-Going Vessels With Seawater-Lubricated Propeller Shaft Bearings To Reduce Stern-Tube Oil Pollution; Annual Leaks Estimated at About 2x Exxon Valdez Spill
October 29, 2009
by Jeff Curtis and Jack Rosebro
| Cross-section of COMPAC seawater-lubricated stern tube bearing system for ocean-going vessels. Source: Thordon Bearings Click to enlarge. |
At last week’s Ocean Innovation 2009 conference in Victoria, British Columbia, Craig Carter, Director of Marketing and Customer Service at Thordon Bearings detailed the company’s progress in the retrofitting of large ocean-going vessels with seawater-lubricated propeller shaft bearings to reduce waterborne pollution.
At present, most commercial ocean-going ships use a propeller shaft that is supported by oil-lubricated bearings in the ship’s stern tube. Although the stern tube is typically fitted with forward and aft shaft seals, the seals are designed to expel contaminants by leaking aft into the sea or forward into the bilge. Aft seals are also commonly damaged by fishing net or rope that becomes entangled on the propeller shaft.
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Williams F1 Establishes Technical Center in Qatar; Initial Focus on Commercial Development of Magnetically Loaded Composite Flywheel
| CAD rendering of the MLC flywheel. Source: WHP. Click to enlarge. |
Williams F1 and the Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP) formally signed an agreement to inaugurate the Williams Technology Center (WTC). QSTP is a world-class incubator for the research, development and commercialization of new technologies that has attracted significant R&D investment from companies such as Shell, Microsoft and GE.
The Williams Technology Center at QSTP will be the first Formula One-related Technical Center outside the sport’s traditional heartland of Europe. The WTC will initially be tasked with the progression of two Formula One inspired R&D projects with clear commercial goals. The first is the development of an industrial-application large Magnetically Loaded Composite (MLC) flywheel—essentially a wholly composite flywheel which integrates the magnets of the electric motor into the composite.
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DOE Selects Tenneco for Fifth ATVM Loan; $24M for Fuel Efficient Emission Control Components
October 28, 2009
The Department of Energy (DOE) has entered into a $24 million conditional loan commitment with Tenneco Inc. to develop fuel efficient emission control components for advanced technology vehicles. Tenneco, which is headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois, is the first component manufacturer to receive a conditional loan commitment under the Department’s Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing (ATVM) program.
Tenneco will use the proceeds of the loan to design, engineer and produce emission control components for gas, hybrid and diesel-powered vehicle engines. These advanced technology products will help car and light truck manufacturers meet increased CAFE standards, while also meeting new, more stringent standards for vehicle tailpipe emissions.
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Sturman Industries Targeting Diesel-like Efficiency for Natural Gas Using Digital Hydraulic Controls
October 27, 2009
Sturman Industries has begun work on a recently awarded $1-million grant by the California Energy Commission under its Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program. The grant was awarded in response to a Sturman proposal to convert a diesel truck engine to enabling Sturman Digital Hydraulic air controls to demonstrate its efficient and practical use for natural gas stationary power generation.
The project will show that natural gas can achieve diesel-like efficiency by utilizing state-of-the-art control techniques, said Sturman co-founder Eddie Sturman. Sturman will use its Hydraulic Valve Actuation (HVA) technology to achieve this increased efficiency and decreased emissions.
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Ford Partnering With University of Michigan to Speed Development of Control Systems for Next Generation of Hybrids
October 22, 2009
Ford Motor Company and the University of Michigan are working together on a project to accelerate the development of future hybrid vehicles. Researchers are analyzing data from 2,500 road trips to determine how internal electronic vehicle controls could be tweaked to further improve fuel efficiency and fun-to-drive attributes.
Working with U of M, Ford has tested nearly 1 million design simulations of hybrid vehicle control systems to date—as many as 175,000 per week—and continues to conduct about 50,000 a week. While other academic work in hybrid vehicle technology primarily has been focused on fuel economy, Ford and U of M are looking at the union fuel economy and drivability.
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Xtrac Suggests Specialty Steels for F1 Gearboxes Could Support Performance Improvements, Lightweighting and Downsizing in Commercial Transmissions
October 13, 2009
| Xtrac transmission components. Click to enlarge. |
The advent of new high performance steels for motorsport gearboxes developed by transmission specialist Xtrac—the latest specification of steel being required to significantly extend the life of a Formula One gearbox—could be broadly applied to a wide range of vehicles to improve their driveline reliability and efficiency according to Xtrac’s chief metallurgist Steve Vanes.
Xtrac, best known for the gearboxes and driveline components it develops for numerous motorsport formulas and high performance road cars, is joining a group of experts from industry and academia this week looking at cutting-edge technologies that could enhance the performance of transmission systems generally.
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Delphi Showcases Advanced Powertrain and Vehicle Electrification Technologies at 18th Aachen Colloquium
October 05, 2009
At the 18th Aachen Colloquium of Automobile and Engine Technology this week (5-7 October), Delphi is highlighting a range of its technologies including advanced gasoline and diesel engine management systems, fuel handling systems, powertrain cooling solutions and hybrid and electric vehicle products.
On Tuesday, Delphi’s Dr. Detlev Schoeppe, technical director for Delphi Diesel Systems, will present a paper detailing Delphi’s developments in fuel injection equipment and control strategies for light-duty diesel engines, including the recent introduction of the Delphi Direct Acting Diesel Common Rail System (earlier post). The paper will demonstrate how the system meets the needs of future diesel powerplants that are being designed for high boost, high power density, low emissions, and low fuel consumption, says Dr. Schoeppe.
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Audi Combines Start-stop Function with Dual-Clutch Transmission on A3
Audi is now offering the its start-stop system in conjunction with an automatic transmission. The A3 1.6 TDI with 77 kW (105 hp) and the 1.4 TFSI with 92 kW (125 hp) combine, for the first time, the start-stop function with the S tronic dual-clutch transmission. In September, Audi introduced new models of the A3 1.6 TDI featuring start-stop with a manual transmission. (Earlier post.)
The diesel 1.6 TDI A3 with automatic transmission consumes 4.2 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (56 mpg US); the gasoline 1.4 TFSI with automatic consumes 5.3 liters per 100 kilometers (44.38 US mpg) of premium unleaded. The A3 1.6 TDI emits 109 grams of CO2 per kilometer (175 g/mile); the A3 1.4 TFSI emits 124 g/km (200 g/mile).
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Delphi Highlighting New Components and Systems for Improving Fuel Consumption in Spark Ignition Engines
September 24, 2009
| Spray stratified GDi. Click to enlarge. |
Delphi is highlighting new developments in the area of fuel injection systems, ignition, valve train and ancillary systems for improving fuel consumption and lowering CO2 emissions from spark ignition engines without what it calls the cost and risk of different technologies. The new systems are part of Delphi’s broad portfolio of powertrain technologies for gasoline, diesel, hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles.
Delphi’s portfolio of technologies for gasoline engines includes port fuel injection, homogeneous and stratified gasoline direct injection (GDi) and compressed natural gas (CNG), new Multi-Charge Ignition, and the new electrically driven cam phaser (e-Phaser).
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Purdue Researchers Detail Mechanisms of Fluid Boiling in Microchannels; Commercializing Hybrid and EV IGBT Cooling Systems with Delphi
September 23, 2009
| Researchers identified five major flow regimes of bubbly, slug, churn, wispy-annular, and annular flow, and a postdryout regime of inverted-annular flow. Garimella 2009. Click to enlarge. |
Researchers at Purdue University have determined precisely how fluid boils in microchannels, and as a result have created formulas and models that will help engineers design systems to cool high-power electronics in electric and hybrid cars, aircraft, computers, and other applications.
Allowing a liquid to boil in cooling systems dramatically increases how much heat can be removed, compared to simply heating a liquid to below its boiling point, said Suresh Garimella, the R. Eugene and Susie E. Goodson Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University. However, boiling phenomena at the microscale are complex.
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CPT VTES Electric Supercharger Selected for Two Projects
September 22, 2009
| The VTES unit (inset) and installed in the AVL VW Passat demonstrator. in Click to enlarge. |
Controlled Power Technologies’ VTES (Variable Torque Enhancement System) electric supercharger (earlier post) is being incorporated in a project by engine developer AVL (earlier post) and will also feature in the Ricardo-led £3 million (US$5-million) HyBoost program announced by the Technology Strategy Board on 9 September (earlier post). Both projects are seeking to maximize powertrain efficiency at the lowest possible cost.
VTES is an air-cooled Switched Reluctance machine, coupled to power electronics and an optimized radial compressor, that delivers high airflow, pressure and efficiency. The electric supercharger operates independently of engine speed, making it suitable to maintaining vehicle transient performance and driveability. The product is designed for integration into both Otto and Diesel engines to deliver enhanced torque, emissions control and CO2 reduction. VTES is optimized to use the standard 12V vehicle architecture.
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New Audi A3 1.6 TDI Models Reach 99 gCO2/km Mark; Start-stop and Energy Recovery
September 21, 2009
Audi’s new A3 1.6 TDI diesel models (A3 and A3 Sportback) have dropped below the 100 g/km mark, emitting 99 grams of CO2/km (159 g/mile), corresponding to fuel consumption of 3.8 liters of diesel per 100 km (61.9 US mpg US). The four-cylinder TDI engine delivers 77 kW (105 hp) at 4,400 rpm from a displacement of 1,598 cc and 250 N·m (184 lb-ft) of torque between 1,500 and 2,500 rpm. The three-door A3 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 11.4 seconds and on up to a top speed of 190 km/h (118 mph); the A3 Sportback reaches 100 km/h in 11.7 seconds.
In addition to the efficiency of the engine, the low fuel consumption results from the leverage of technologies from Audi’s Modular Efficiency Platform, including a start-stop system and energy recovery. (Earlier post.)
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ZF Developing Hybridizable Multi-ratio Transmission and Other Systems for Smaller Cars
September 20, 2009
| ZF is developing a hybridizable multi-ratio transmission for use with front-transverse drives. Click to enlarge. |
At the Frankfurt Auto Show (IAA 2009), ZF is highlighting changes in its driveline and chassis technology to adapt to market requirements for smaller vehicles. ZF’s product range for this trend includes a new, hybridizable multi-ratio transmission currently under development for front-transverse drives; new damper technology; electric steering technology; and a lightweight chassis design.
Automatic transmissions for front-transverse drives. At the IAA 2009, ZF is exhibiting for the first time a multi-ratio transmission for vehicles with front-transverse drives. It is adapted to mid-size and smaller vehicle categories. Currently, ZF is working on an entire, modular front-transverse kit which can also be used with hybrid variants.
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ixetic Shows R744-based Thermal Management Concept for Li-ion Packs; Other Pumps for Lower Energy Consumption
September 18, 2009
At the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA), ixetic GmbH presented a concept R744-based thermal management system for lithium-ion battery packs in electric cars. (R744 refrigerant is chemically nothing more than pure CO2.)
The system uses a special compressor that works according to the principle of a heat pump—i.e., it can both cool and heat to an equal extent. The system constantly maintains the pack temperature at between 15 to 35 °C (59 to 95 °F), even when the vehicle is parked. If the vehicle is not running, the compressor takes the electricity it requires for cooling or heating directly from the battery.
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UQM Technologies and BorgWarner Collaborate on Electric Powertrain Systems; Initial Project is the CODA Sedan
September 03, 2009
UQM Technologies is collaborating with BorgWarner on electric powertrain products for all-electric and hybrid-electric passenger automobiles.
Initially, the companies are working together to integrate UQM Technologies’ PowerPhase electric propulsion system with BorgWarner’s 31-03 eGearDrive transmission (earlier post) for the all-electric CODA front-wheel drive five-passenger sedan, scheduled for introduction in the California market in mid-2010. (Earlier post.)
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New US Army Laboratory Will Support Next-Generation Ground Vehicles; Hybrid-Electric and Fuel Cell Configurations
August 18, 2009
| The GSPEL facility, designed by SwRI. Click to enlarge. |
The US Army Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) broke ground on a new 30,000-square-foot facility for testing military ground vehicles. Called the Ground Systems Power and Energy Laboratory (GSPEL), the facility will evaluate an array of military vehicles, from light transports such as HMMWVs to heavy combat vehicles such as military tanks, with hybrid-electric and fuel-cell configurations.
Military vehicles provide special testing challenges because they operate at extremely high power levels under extreme environmental conditions, often requiring new and experimental technologies. Currently no such facility exists to meet these challenges; therefore, the Army determined it needed a one-of-a-kind, fully integrated test facility.
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Increasing the Porosity of Anode Material Could Lead to Better Performing Low-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
August 14, 2009
| Schematic of the tubular SOFC and cross-sectional SEM image of the cell. Credit: Suzuki et al., Science. Click to enlarge. |
Researchers at Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology have shown that increasing the porosity of the anode material of a solid oxide fuel cell can significantly improve its electrochemical performance at lower temperatures.
Toshio Suzuki and his colleagues found that with an anode with a highly porous microstructure, the SOFC had a power density of greater than 1 watt per square centimeter at an operating temperature as low as 600 °C with a conventional zirconia-based electrolyte, a nickel cermet anode, and a lanthanum ferrite perovskite cathode material. A report on their work was published in the 14 August issue of the journal Science.
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AeroVironment Awarded Patent for Electric Vehicle Energy Data Management and Control; Web-based System Solution for EV Battery Optimization
August 10, 2009
AeroVironment, Inc. (AV) has been granted a patent (no. 7,444,192) by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for technology that facilitates the optimal charging, management, control and maintenance of battery packs, chargers and electric vehicles (EVs).
AV’s technology is directly applicable to battery packs, chargers and battery-powered EVs that can be linked to the electric utility network and managed by a “smart grid” controller. The technology is designed to gather data from the EV or the charger, and uses the data to determine whether the rate of charge is optimized for the vehicle’s performance, the battery’s long-term health, and the utility’s power availability.
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Enova Delivers Hybrid Drive Systems to First Auto Works for Hybrid Buses
| Enova’s Pre-Transmission Parallel Hybrid System locates the electric motor between the engine and transmission. Click to enlarge. |
Enova Systems, Inc. has delivered the first 70 pre-transmission hybrid drive systems to First Auto Works for application in a hybrid bus. FAW has ordered an additional 150 hybrid drive systems for delivery in 2009. Enova Systems and FAW have executed an agreement to supply a further 800 pre-transmission hybrid drive systems in 2010.
First Auto Works is one of China’s largest vehicle producers, manufacturing in excess of 1,000,000 vehicles annually. The Enova drive system will be integrated and branded under the name of Jiefang. The Jiefang 12-meter hybrid bus can carry 103 passengers and travel at a maximum speed of 85 km/h (53 mph). The bus meets Euro III emission standards. It will consume 30 liters of fuel every 100 kilometers (7.8 mpg US) and discharge 20% less emissions.
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BorgWarner to Supply VTG Turbochargers for Deere Off-Road Engine Emission Compliance, Improved Fuel Economy
August 06, 2009
| BorgWarner VTG turbochargers are the first to help industrial diesel engines for the off-highway market meet new emissions regulations while improving fuel economy. Click to enlarge. |
BorgWarner will supply variable turbine geometry (VTG) turbochargers to boost John Deere Power Systems Interim Tier 4/Stage III B PowerTech PVX and PowerTech PSX 4.5L, 6.8L and 13.5L diesel engines for agricultural, construction, forestry and OEM applications.
BorgWarner’s turbocharging technology helps these new industrial engines meet the more stringent Interim Tier 4/Stage III B regulations for off-highway applications. These regulations require up to a 50% reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions compared with previous standards.
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Detroit Diesel Developing a Model-Based Controller for Real-Time Fuel Efficiency Optimization in a Heavy-Duty Diesel
August 05, 2009
A team of researchers from Detroit Diesel and Chris Atkinson, of Atkinson LLC, are developing, demonstrating and validating a next-generation, model-based diesel engine controller that can optimize fuel efficiency in real time in low-emissions heavy-duty diesel engines under fully transient engine operating conditions.
To meet increasingly stringent emission control standards, heavy-duty diesels have become increasingly complex. While a diesel engine in 1998 would typically have one actuator, noted Marc Allain in his presentation of the project at the DEER 2009 conference in Dearborn, engines for 2010 and beyond will have 7-8 actuators.
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Use of Supercritical Diesel Fuel for Improved Efficiency and Reduced Emissions
August 04, 2009
| An experimental P-T diagram mapping the liquid, liquid-vapor, and SC regions for diesel fuel-CO2 mixtures with different compositions and densities (numbers in red and black, respectively). The fuel may coke for temperatures higher than 750 K (at the right of the red line). Anitescu et. al., Energy & Fuels 2009. Click to enlarge. |
Researchers at Syracuse University (New York) have developed a method to prepare, inject and combust supercritical (SC) diesel fuel. The central part of the method is a new fuel system including high-temperature fuel injectors and a common rail to deliver SC fuel-diluent mixtures for combustion over ranges of conditions which will significantly improve engine efficiency, reduce PM and NOx and mitigate the environmental thermal impact. Heat required to bring the fuel to SC states is recovered from the exhaust gas of the engine. George Anitescu from Syracuse presented the work in a poster at the DEER 2009 conference in Dearbon, Michigan.
A supercritical fluid is any substance at a temperature and pressure above its thermodynamic critical point. The injection and combustion of supercritical fuels is also the core of Khosla-backed startup Transonic Combustion’s technology. (Earlier post.)
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DfT Publishes Ricardo Report on Technology Options for Reducing CO2 Emissions from Heavy Goods Vehicles; Focus on Vehicles, Powertrains and Fuels
July 18, 2009
| Representation of cost vs. benefit of low-carbon HGV technologies. Source: Ricardo/DfT. Click to enlarge. |
The UK Department for Transport has published a report prepared by Ricardo on the potential of various technologies for reducing CO2 emissions that are applicable to the heavy goods vehicle (HGV) sector. HGVs (goods transport vehicles with >3.5t GVW) represent 24% and vans 12% of total UK road transport greenhouse gas emissions.
The report presents an analysis of a number of HGV technologies with carbon saving potential and evaluates these technologies in terms of CO2 benefits, technology costs, environmental costs arising from production of the technology, safety and other limitations, and the maturity of the technology within the market. The report then summarizes which technologies are the most promising in terms of CO2 benefits when all these other factors are taken into consideration.
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GKN Driveline Says Countertrack Constant Velocity Joint Technology Saves Fuel
July 17, 2009
| GKN Driveline countertrack technology for fixed joints. Top: sideshaft SX CVJ. Bottom: propshaft PX CVJ. Click to enlarge. |
GKN Driveline’s new constant velocity joint (CVJ) technology “countertrack” offers potential for fuel savings, according to the company. CVJs allow the transmission of power through a variable angle at constant rotational speed; they are used on both ends of front-wheel drive (FWD) axle shafts and also in other vehicle applications as well. Most vehicles today have two CVJ driveshafts per vehicle and some SUVs have up to seven.
GKN cited independent engineering analysis showing the countertrack technology improves fuel economy by an average of 0.2 mpg US on a typical FWD mid-size vehicle, resulting in a CO2 emission reduction of 1g/km. For special vehicle segments such as SUVs, GKN said that case studies have shown that countertrack technology can lead to CO2 emission reductions of 3g/km and more.
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Nissan Introduces New Dual Injector System for Improved Fuel Efficiency in Small-Displacement PFI Engines
July 14, 2009
| Nissan’s Dual Injector. Click to enlarge. |
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. has developed a Dual Injector system designed to improve fuel efficiency in small-displacement gasoline engines using port fuel injection (PFI).
While most current port fuel injected gasoline engines utilize one injector per cylinder (furnishing fuel to two intake ports), the new Nissan Dual Injector system uses an injector for each intake port—i.e., doubling the number of injectors per cylinder.
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New Delphi Powertrain Mounts Use Magneto Rheological Fluids to Improve Performance, Safety and Refinement; Improved Handling of Transient Torque Events
July 09, 2009
| Delphi’s new MR Mount is the first technology that allows precise real-time management of all the relevant frequencies created by an automotive powertrain. Click to enlarge. |
Delphi Corporation has developed a new powertrain mount that uses magneto rheological (MR) fluid to change its dynamic rate in real time. MR fluid is a suspension of magnetically soft particles in a synthetic hydrocarbon fluid.
The new MR Mount prevents the build-up of resonance in a system by maintaining control of the mounted mass across all appropriate frequencies. As well as significantly reducing powertrain noise and vibration, the new mount can improve vehicle performance and stability and help isolate the occupants from torque step events such as those generated by start-stop operation.
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Integral Powertrain Developing New Variable Ratio Drive B-ISG System for Stop-Start Applications
June 18, 2009
| A variable ratio pulley allows improvements in cost and functionality. Click to enlarge. |
UK-based engineering consultancy Integral Powertrain has developed a new generation of belt-integrated starter generator (B-ISG systems) for stop-start applications using a new multi-mode, variable ratio drive pulley. The company anticipates that the total CO2 reduction achieved by the system will be greater than that possible with current B-ISG systems.
The core of the new system is the Variable Ratio Pulley, which packages a two-ratio epicyclic gearbox into the belt drive pulley hub. To start the engine, the high ratio (3.1:1 in the development system) is engaged to substantially reduce the torque requirement, allowing a medium-sized diesel engine to be cranked without the need for a high belt tension and the associated friction and wear.
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Fiat Launches MultiAir Combined with Start/Stop on the MiTo
June 15, 2009
| The MiTo Multiair. Click to enlarge. |
Fiat is launching a 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine equipped with the new MultiAir air handling system (earlier post) on the Alfa Romeo MiTo (earlier post) in September. The MultiAir models will also feature the Start&Stop system (from Bosch, earlier post)—the first application in the MiTo. This also marks the first production engine using the MultiAir system, introduced at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year.
MultiAir is an electro-hydraulic valve-timing system that provides dynamic and direct control of air and combustion, cylinder by cylinder and stroke by stroke. With direct control of the air through the intake engine valves without using the throttle, MultiAir helps reduce fuel consumption and pollutant emissions.
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BorgWarner Electric Butterfly EGR Valve to Debut with Diesel Engine OEM in 2010
| BorgWarner’s new electric butterfly EGR valve technology will debut with a leading commercial engine manufacturer in 2010. Click to enlarge. |
BorgWarner is introducing an electric butterfly EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) valve for diesel applications. The EGR valve was developed to deliver precise, responsive flow control combined with high flow capability, excellent sealing, corrosion resistance and reliable operation in the most severe operating environments. The technology will debut with a leading commercial engine manufacturer in 2010.
Recirculating exhaust gas and combining it with an air and fuel mixture reduces the combustion temperatures that produce NOx emissions. New engine concepts for commercial diesel vehicles require greater use of state-of-the-art EGR systems to meet ever stricter emissions standards, according to Roger Wood, BorgWarner Engine Group President.
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Ricardo Generic Battery Management System Designed to Provide Flexibility to OEMs
A battery management system is a key component of advanced automotive electric energy storage systems. Engineering firm Ricardo has developed a generic battery management system (BMS) for Li-ion batteries that is independent of cell size or chemistry. The effort is designed to help OEMs in response to the wide variety of cell-level Li-ion chemistries, with different cost, reliability, life, safety and availability factors. Overall, the BMS is designed to be universal—suitable for other energy storage systems such as NiMH or ultracapacitors as well as Li-ion batteries.
The availability of such a generic BMS could reduce the cost to OEMs of changing a cell supplier or even cell chemistry. It would provide flexibility for dual sourcing—e.g., if a current supplier could not meet production volumes—and would reduce risk by more cost-effectively supporting future changes. Dr. Peter Miller, Director of Ricardo’s Electrical/Electronic Engineering efforts, provided an overview of the project at the recent Advanced Automotive Battery Conference 2009 (AABC 2009) in Long Beach.
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COFs Among the Best Adsorbents for Storage of Hydrogen, Natural Gas and CO2
June 07, 2009
| High-pressure CH4 isotherms for COFs measured at 298 K. Credit: ACS. Click to enlarge. |
COFs (covalent organic frameworks)—thermally stable and highly functional crystalline organic networks—are among the most porous and the best adsorbents for hydrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide, according to a new study by Professor Omar Yaghi and postdoc Hiroyasu Furukawa at the Center for Reticular Chemistry at UCLA. A paper on their findings was published online 4 June in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Yaghi and his colleagues have been at the forefront of inventing new classes of crystalline porous materials: metal organic frameworks (MOFs), and then COFs, reported in the journal Science in 2007. (Earlier post.)
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Oil Drum Licenses On-Board Hydrogen Generator for Baltic States
June 03, 2009
University of Kent (UK) spin-off Oil Drum Ltd, has signed a licensing deal with UAB Hydro2 that will enable its on-board hydrogen generator technology to be manufactured, sold and installed in the Baltic States. The deal will allow UAB Hydro2 to manufacture, sell and install the Save-Fuel On Demand Hydrogen Technology for the truck, bus and coach industries in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
The retrofit device reduces fuel consumption by adding hydrogen, produced by electrolysis, into the engine via the air intake of the vehicle before the combustion process. As a result the engine burns fuel more efficiently and produces less particulate emissions and reduces the vehicle’s environmental impact.
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BorgWarner Acquires ECCOS Radio Frequency Electrostatic Ignition Technology for Leaner Burning Engines
June 02, 2009
| Comparing standard and ECCOS combustion. Source: Etatech. Click to enlarge. |
BorgWarner Inc. has purchased the ECCOS (Electrically Controlled Combustion Optimization System) radio frequency electrostatic ignition technology targeted at lean-burn engines from Florida-based Etatech, Inc. Terms were not disclosed.
High-performance, lean-burn engines can significantly improve fuel economy and reduce emissions compared with conventional combustion technologies. Independent lab tests have shown peak energy efficiency improved up to 40%, NOx emissions decreased 80% and CO2 emissions fell 50%. However, current spark plug technology is unable to optimize the lean burning engines.
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Researchers Determine Key Intermediate Step in NOx Reduction on Alumina-Supported Silver Catalysts
May 22, 2009
| Reaction mechanisms for the deNOx reaction on an alumina-supported silver catalyst. Source: Thibault-Starzyk et al. Click to enlarge. |
Using a new experimental method, researchers in France and the UK have identified the key intermediate step in the reaction between carbon monoxide and nitric oxide on a silver-alumina catalyst for reduction of NOx in the exhaust from fuel-efficient lean-burn automotive engines.
Using femtosecond laser excitation followed by nanosecond time-resolved in situ Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy to initiate a catalytic reaction on alumina-supported silver catalysts, they found that a cyanide group flips from a silver nanoparticle to the alumina support (with a lifetime of 2 microseconds).
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EngineLab Developing New Approach to Engine Control (updated)
May 20, 2009
by Bill Cooke
| EngineLab GUI. Source: EngineLab. Click to enlarge. |
EngineLab, a new technology company focused on automotive electronics embedded system design, is planning to revolutionize the engine control business by applying advanced technologies developed for consumer electronics to a vehicle’s Electronic Control Unit (ECU).
The company is especially excited about how this development has the potential to unleash the creativity of innovators with princely visions but pauper budgets by allowing them to monitor and control an engine’s inputs and outputs in real time using a graphical user interface. The company is evaluating producing ECUs for aftermarket tuners (performance and green) as well as licensing their technology to Tier 1s and OEMs.
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Controlled Power Introduces 12V Belt-Driven Integrated Starter Generator for Cars with Diesels
| Left: The SpeedStart B-ISG. Right: Installation in Volvo demonstrator with INA damper. Source: CPT. Click to enlarge. |
Controlled Power Technologies has developed the first belt-driven Integrated Starter Generator (B-ISG) to use a conventional 12-volt vehicle electrical system with the high power output necessary to provide excellent stop-start functionality on the majority of European cars equipped with diesel as well as gasoline engines.
The CPT SpeedStart B-ISG system can deliver up to a 5% reduction in CO2 emissions over the New European Drive Cycle when integrated into a modern powertrain, with the potential for even greater savings in real world urban driving situations.
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Optimized Series Hybrid-Electric System Delivers Best Fuel Consumption Results Yet for Double Deck Vehicle
May 14, 2009
| The Gemini 2 HEV. Click to enlarge. |
In a recent independent test cycle at the Millbrook Proving Ground in the UK, a Wrightbus Gemini 2 HEV achieved the best results for fuel consumption and CO2 emissions ever recorded from a double deck vehicle: 10 mpg UK (8.3 mpg US, 28 L/100km).
The test was part of the Wrightbus Product Development team’s collaboration with Queens University Belfast and key component suppliers including Siemens, Valence Technology and Ford. The series hybrid-electric drive system also uses an optimized engine management program developed by Revolve Technologies. Revolve Technologies was formerly the UK-based Roush Technologies Limited. An investor group acquired Roush Technologies from its US parent late in 2007, and changed the name to Revolve in December 2008.
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Sentience Project Intelligent Automotive Air Conditioning Control System Delivers Fuel Savings in Excess of 9% in Urban Cycle
May 11, 2009
| The Sentience project vehicle. Click to enlarge. |
Testing of an intelligent air conditioning control system integrated with a hybrid powertrain as part of the UK’s Sentience project (earlier post)—showed that, under conditions representative of UK summer weather, the new system consistently delivers fuel savings in excess of 9% over the urban portion of the NEDC drive cycle.
Sentience is a research collaboration led by Ricardo, and also involves Jaguar-Land Rover, TRL (Transport Research Laboratory), Ordnance Survey and Orange Business Services, with part-funding provided by innovITS, the UK center of excellence for intelligent transport systems and sustainable mobility.
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GM Previews First Two-Mode, Front-Wheel-Drive Hybrid Transaxle
May 09, 2009
by Jack Rosebro
| General Motors 2MT70 FWD two-mode hybrid transaxle, as seen from engine side. Click to enlarge. |
At the recent SAE 2009 World Congress in Detroit, General Motors engineers presented the first front-wheel-drive (FWD) iteration of their two-mode hybrid transaxle, termed the 2MT70 (earlier post), scheduled for its first application in the Saturn 2009 VUE 2-Mode Hybrid light sport-utility vehicle later this year (earlier post).
The two-mode design, itself originally adapted from a hybrid transmission designed by Allison for transit buses, has up to now been exclusively incorporated into rear-wheel-drive (RWD) transmissions with the intent of reducing the fuel consumption of heavier and larger passenger trucks and SUVs while preserving towing capacities.
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Audi Adds Start-Stop System, On-Board Computer with Efficiency Program; Targeting 20% Drop in Fuel Consumption by 2012
May 07, 2009
| Audi start-stop system display. Click to enlarge. |
Beginning in the second quarter of 2009, Audi will add a start-stop system and an on-board computer with an efficiency program to what it calls its modular efficiency platform. These new technologies complement the energy recovery system, already standard on many Audi models, which feeds energy back into the vehicle’s electrical system during deceleration phases.
The modular efficiency platform focuses on the further development of powertrain and transmission technologies, and the recovery and storage of mechanical, thermal and electrical energy. Audi also employs a number of measures to minimize driving resistance and optimize aerodynamics. By 2012 Audi plans to lower the fuel consumption of its model range by 20% compared with the 2007 level.
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Transonic Combustion Completes New Round of Venture Funding
May 06, 2009
Start-up Transonic Combustion, Inc., has raised a C-round of equity funding. Existing investors Venrock, Khosla Ventures, Rustic Canyon Partners and Saints Capital all increased their support of Transonic in the round.
Transonic Combustion is developing an advanced lean combustion process and associated gasoline fuel injection system which it projects will enable practical 100 mpg cars. The patented combustion process remains stable well above a 200:1 air/fuel ratio and can support vehicle cruise power at a 100:1 air/fuel ratio.
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Controlled Power Technologies and AVL Collaborate on Advanced Direct Injection Gasoline Engine Demonstrator
May 05, 2009
| CPT electric VTES installed in AVL demonstrator. Click to enlarge. |
Controlled Power Technologies (CPT) and AVL List GmbH (AVL) have developed a gasoline engine that retains all the traditional cost, weight, NVH refinement and emission benefits as well as the fun-to-drive factor, while reducing CO2 levels to that of an equivalent diesel powertrain.
The AVL demonstrator vehicle incorporates an advanced 2-liter 4-cylinder engine with gasoline direct injection (GDI), double cam phasing and single-scroll, waste-gated turbocharger to deliver high power and torque outputs of 200 PS (197 hp, 147 kW) and 400 N·m (295 lb-ft) respectively.
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Ford Conducts Design of Experiment Investigating Thermoelectric Energy Regeneration
May 04, 2009
by Jack Rosebro
| Conceptual schematic of direct thermoelectric generator mounted in a vehicle’s exhaust stream. Indirect configurations are also possible. Adapted from Hussain et al. Click to enlarge. |
At SAE 2009 World Congress in Detroit last month, Ford Motor Company presented a research paper that detailed the results of an initial investigation, termed a Design of Experiment, into thermoelectric exhaust heat energy recovery in conjunction with a hybrid powertrain.
The investigation, conducted by Ford engineers Quazi Hussain, Clay Maranville, and David Brigham, used computer modeling to predict the performance of TE devices of various physical configurations, using average highway-speed exhaust gas flows and temperatures of a 2.5L engine with an Atkinson-cycle engine, as used in Ford’s Escape hybrid SUV.
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BMW Study on Rankine Cycle for Waste Heat Recovery Shows Potential Additional 10% Power Output at Highway Speeds
May 03, 2009
| Energy utilization vs. complexity of different heat recovery systems. In this study, BMW focused on Rankine A (exhaust gas only) and Rankine B (exhaust gas and coolant). Adapted from Ringler et al. (2009) Click to enlarge. |
BMW is exploring two pathways for waste heat recovery in vehicles: one thermoelectric, the other thermodynamic. In 2005, BMW Group Research and Engineering announced it was developing a steam-powered auxiliary drive—the Turbosteamer—to use the waste heat present in the exhaust gases and cooling system from a conventional gasoline engine as its source of power. The long-term development goal articulated at the time was to have a system capable of volume production within ten years.(Earlier post.)
At the recent SAE 2009 World Congress, BMW presented an analysis of two basic configurations of the Rankine cycle applied to a thermodynamic heat recovery system for a four-cylinder combustion engine. Based on bench test measurements, BMW has concluded that waste heat recovery can provide an additional power output of about 10% at typical highway cruising speeds.
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Magneti Marelli and Flybrid Systems Collaborate on “Flywheel Capacitor” for KERS
April 30, 2009
Italian motorsport electronics specialist Magneti Marelli and UK high-speed flywheel specialist Flybrid Systems are collaborating to develop a new energy storage solution for Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS). The new product is targeted to be a high-power electrical storage system for hybrid racing cars capable of deep depths of discharge with no performance degradation and a long service life.
The new product—named the Flywheel Capacitor—consists of a high-speed carbon fiber flywheel incorporating Flybrid technology connected to a high-speed electric motor generator using technology from Magneti Marelli, all managed by Magneti Marelli’s control electronics.
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Use of a Low-Cost Electric Supercharger Could Significantly Reduce Smoke from Turbocharged Diesel Engines
April 27, 2009
| CPT electric supercharger test rig. Click to enlarge. |
Smoke emissions produced by turbocharged diesel engines under heavy load conditions—such as when accelerating from low engine speeds and other similar transient manoeuvres—can be all but eliminated under certain operating conditions by the addition of a relatively simple and low cost electric supercharger, suggests Controlled Power Technologies (CPT).
Controlled Power Technologies (CPT) is a UK startup working with switched reluctance motor technology to deliver cost-effective CO2-reducing solutions for vehicles. It is commercializing three initial products: Variable Torque Enhancement System, VTES, an electric supercharging system; SpeedStart12, an integrated belt-driven starter generator system; and TIGERS, an exhaust turbine-driven generator system. (Earlier post.)
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Ford E85 Direct Injection Boosting Study: A Less Expensive Alternative to Diesel
April 26, 2009
Using a separate E85 direct injection boosting system combined with gasoline port fuel injection (PFI) makes the engine more efficient in its use of gasoline, and can be viewed as a more cost-effective alternative to a modern diesel, according to a Ford study presented by Robert Stein, currently of AVL, formerly of Ford, at the SAE 2009 World Congress.
Proposed by John Heywood and colleagues at MIT in 2005, the basic premise of E85 boosting is that ethanol (or other lower alcohols) suppresses knock due to the large evaporative cooling effect it has on the air-fuel mixture when injected directly into the cylinder, supplemented by ethanol’s inherent high octane number. Using the E85 boosting concept requires two fuel tanks and vehicle owner acceptance of dual fueling.
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DENSO Develops Exhaust Gas Temperature Sensor With Improved Temperature Detection Accuracy
April 21, 2009
| DENSO extended the length of the probe and developed a vibration-resistant structure to support it. Click to enlarge. |
DENSO Corporation has improved the temperature detection accuracy of its newly developed diesel exhaust temperature sensor. The new sensor, which is located in front of the diesel particulate filter (DPF) and used to control temperature for DPF regeneration, helps reduce harmful diesel emissions and improves fuel efficiency by enabling more precise control of aftertreatment systems.
To improve the sensor’s temperature accuracy, DENSO increased the probe length to almost twice that of the conventional product and extended the sensing tip into the exhaust pipe. The company achieved this by developing a vibration-resistant structure with an anti-resonance pipe to support the probe, or sheath pin, at its optimal position.
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Hitachi Restructures, Spinning Off Automotive Systems Business; to Launch Group-Wide Strategies for Li-ion Battery and Renewables Businesses
March 16, 2009
As part of a major restructuring in announced in Tokyo on Monday, Hitachi Ltd. will spin off its Automotive Systems Business into a wholly-owned subsidiary on 1 July. The new automotive business will have a special focus on hybrid and electric drive system components, as well as technologies for enhancing the efficiency of internal combustion engines.
In addition, on 1 April, the company will introduce organizations to plan and propose R&D and business strategies for the whole Hitachi Group regarding lithium-ion battery and renewable energy-related businesses. Hitachi says that it will “take steps to quickly launch businesses in these areas.”
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Fallbrook Introduces Variable Accessory Drive Applications for NuVinci CVP
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| Basic design of the NuVinci CVP. Click to enlarge. |
Fallbrook Technologies Inc., the developer of the NuVinci continuously variable planetary (CVP) transmission (earlier post), introduced a new suite of automotive- and truck-related applications for the NuVinci CVP, referred to as continuously variable accessory drives (CVADs), at the Clean Heavy Duty Conference and Expo in Long Beach, Calif.
A CVAD is a device that helps the engine-driven accessories on a car or truck (alternator, air conditioner, water pump, etc.) run more efficiently. These accessories have, in the past, been connected directly to the engine by a serpentine belt, so their speeds are tied to engine speeds. A CVAD sits between the engine and these accessories, allowing accessory speed to vary according to performance needs rather than engine speed.
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Continental Introduces Its First Turbocharger
March 06, 2009
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| Section drawing: Fully-automated assembly delivers quality and cost advantages, according to Continental. Click to enlarge. |
Continental, the international automotive supplier, is expanding its product portfolio with its Powertrain Division’s first turbocharger system for internal combustion engines. The new turbocharger, designed to allow fully-automated assembly, will be installed in a European vehicle platform’s gasoline engines in 2011.
Continental says it has used an innovative production method for its turbocharger. All the main components have been designed for fully-automated assembly along a single axis, whereas conventional turbochargers have to be put together in several stages, partly by hand. Fully-automated assembly delivers quality benefits through lower defect rates; it also produces cost benefits and both are important in view of the fact that these turbochargers are to be installed in high-volume model series.
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Fiat Introduces Multiair Electro-Hydraulic Valve-Timing System
March 04, 2009
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| Multiair system components. Click to enlarge. |
Fiat Group and Fiat Powertrain Technology introduced their new air management technology Multiair at the Geneva Motor Show. Multiair is an electro-hydraulic valve-timing system that provides dynamic and direct control of air and combustion, cylinder by cylinder and stroke by stroke.
Fiat expects that Multiair, with direct control of the air through the intake engine valves without using the throttle, can help reduce fuel consumption by up to 10% for turbocharged or naturally aspirated gasoline engines. Pollutant emissions are likewise reduced through combustion control. Applied to a turbocharged, downsized engine, MultiAir can contribute to up to a 25% reduction in fuel consumption over conventional naturally aspirated engines with the same performance, according to Fiat.
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Volvo Adding Seven New DRIVe Models; Start/Stop, Regenerative Charging on Three
February 24, 2009
Volvo Cars is presenting seven new DRIVe models across its full range at the upcoming Geneva auto show, three of which are equipped with a start/stop system and regenerative charging. Volvo introduced its first three DRIVEe branded models—indicating uprated environmental properties—at the 2008 Paris motor show. (Earlier post.)
All the new DRIVe models are equipped with a conventional diesel engine and manual gearbox optimized for extra-low fuel consumption. These cars are also tailored specifically for low rolling resistance and reduced air drag.
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MIT Students Develop Hydraulic Energy-Generating Shock Absorbers
February 13, 2009
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| GenShock prototype. Click to enlarge. |
A team of MIT undergraduate students has invented a shock absorber that harnesses energy from small bumps in the road, generating electricity while it smoothes the ride more effectively than conventional shocks. MIT Senior Shakeel Avadhany and his teammates say they can produce up to a 10% improvement in overall vehicle fuel efficiency by using the regenerative shock absorbers.
Their prototype shock absorbers use a hydraulic system that forces fluid through a turbine attached to a generator. The system is controlled by an active electronic system that optimizes the damping, providing a smoother ride than conventional shocks while generating electricity to recharge the batteries or operate electrical equipment.
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New System for Managing Multiple Types of Power Units Could Reduce Cost of Hybrids and Plug-ins
January 18, 2009
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| Multi-Flex unit in a golf cart battery pack. Click to enlarge. |
An Indiana startup, Indy Power Systems, has developed a hardware platform that uses embedded software to manage the flow of energy between multiple types of power units—including different types of rechargeable batteries and fuel cells.
Indy Power System’s Multi-Flex Energy Management System blends two or more sources of power so that the cost and performance characteristics of each can be optimized. The system could potentially reduce the cost of a battery-electric vehicle energy storage system by around 50% per vehicle, according to internal company tests that combined power from lithium-ion batteries and lead-acid batteries.
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GM’s Burns Calls for New US Public/Private Partnership for Rapid Commercialization of Electrically Driven and Connected Vehicle Technologies; the New Automotive DNA
January 14, 2009
During his speech at the Chairman’s Luncheon of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) 88th Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, Larry Burns, GM vice president for Research & Development and Strategic Planning, called for the creation of a new public/private partnership to rapidly commercialize US automotive technologies in two strategic and converging areas: electrically driven vehicles and connected vehicles.
Burns said the partnership should include the US government, auto manufacturers and suppliers, the energy and infrastructure industries, and other key stakeholders. He said its focus should be on enabling technologies for electrically driven vehicles such as advanced batteries, electric motors, power electronics, fuel cells, hydrogen infrastructure and storage systems; and connected vehicle technologies such as sensors, actuators, wireless communications and GPS systems.
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Kia Begins Full-Scale Production of First Kia Models with Stop/Start Systems
Kia Motors Corporation has begun full scale production of the six new Kia cee’d ISG (Idle Stop & Go, Kia’s label for a stop/start system) models, which offer up to 15% fuel savings in city driving, at its facility in Zilina (Slovakia), with deliveries to customers across Europe scheduled to begin during the next two months. Kia introduced the ISG system at the Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris in September, 2008. (Earlier post.)
Made in Europe, the C-segment cee’d ISG cars are the first Kia production models with the microhybrid system.
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Eaton Licenses Clean Diesel Technologies’ ARIS Systems for HC Injection for Eaton Aftertreatment System
January 08, 2009
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| The Eaton Aftertreatment System combines a fuel reformer catalyst with doser, SCR and LNT technology. Click to enlarge. |
Eaton Corporation has entered into a global non-exclusive licensing agreement for Clean Diesel Technologies’s Advanced Reagent Injector System (ARIS) technology for injection of hydrocarbon (HC) fuel in emissions reduction applications, including the Eaton Aftertreatment System (EAS). (Earlier post.) ARIS technology can also be applied to regeneration of diesel particulate filters and lean NOx traps in various global applications.
The Eaton aftertreatment system combines a fuel reformer catalyst with doser, Selective Catalytic Reduction system (SCR) and Lean NOx Trap (LNT) technology to create an exhaust aftertreatment system capable of meeting 2010 EPA diesel emissions requirements without the need for a urea storage and injection system.
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UK Evaluating Intelligent Speed Adaptation Systems for Road Safety and GHG Emissions Reduction
January 03, 2009
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| Summary results of impact of ISA systems on CO2 emissions. Click to enlarge. |
The UK government’s Commission for Integrated Transport (CfIT) and the Motorists’ Forum (MF) recently issued a joint report evaluating the impact of implementing an Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) system across the entire road network on reducing deaths and injuries on the UK roads and on reducing fuel consumption and emissions of CO2 and criteria pollutants. They partners commissioned the Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds to produce the report.
ISA systems use enhanced navigation systems which incorporate speed limit as a road attribute to compare the local speed limit to the vehicle speed. The ISA system automatically detects the road on which a vehicle is travelling—and hence the speed limit—without any user intervention. ISA systems take three basic forms:
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Ford ’s New Active Park Assist Leverages Electric Power Assisted Steering; Nearly 90% of Ford Lineup to Have EPAS by 2012
December 31, 2008
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| Ford’s Active Park Assist. Click to enlarge. |
Ford is introducing a new Active Park Assist technology on its 2010 Lincoln MKS flagship sedan and new Lincoln MKT seven-passenger luxury crossover. Available in mid-2009 as an option, Active Park Assist uses an ultrasonic-based sensing system and Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) to position the vehicle for parallel parking, calculate the optimal steering angle and quickly steer the vehicle into a parking spot.
Active Park Assist is enabled by Ford’s advanced EPAS technology. In addition to helping with parallel parking, EPAS improves fuel economy up to 5%, while reducing CO2 emissions and enhancing steering performance compared with traditional hydraulic powered-assisted steering systems.
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Fiat Adding Bosch Stop-Start System to Fiat 500; Bosch Projects 50% of Euro New Vehicles to Have Stop-Start by 2012
December 04, 2008
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| A specially adapted starter and the engine control unit are the central components of the Bosch stop-start system. Click to enlarge. |
Beginning in March 2009, Fiat will feature a Bosch start/stop system on the Fiat 500. (Earlier post.) Bosch supplies the specially adapted starter, the engine management system, and the battery sensor. Bosch has been manufacturing this start/stop technology since 2007, and has already delivered more than 500,000 starters to BMW and Mini. (Earlier post.)
In the Fiat 500, the system will initially be available in combination with the Dualogic automated manual transmission and a 1.2-liter engine. Fiat plans to install the system in other variants and models as early as 2009.
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Delphi Direct Acting Piezo Injector Debuts on the Mercedes C250 CDI
December 01, 2008
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| Delphi Direct Acting Diesel Common Rail System includes (clockwise from top left): DFI3 Piezo Injectors with Common Rail, Series 9 Modular Fuel Filter, DCM4 Light Duty Controller, and DFP3 High Pressure Pump. Click to enlarge. |
Delphi Corporation’s new Direct Acting Piezo injector (earlier post) is making its debut in the new Direct Acting Diesel Common Rail System on the new Mercedes C250 CDI. In the new system, the injector needle is directly activated by a piezo ceramic actuator, removing the hydraulic circuit and its associated lag and energy consumption.
The piezo ceramic actuator directly operates the needle valve of the injector for initial lifts, such as those obtained in pilot injections, and a motion amplifier is used to help complete the lift for large injections. This enables the injector to spray fuel into the combustion chamber faster, with much improved spray momentum and accuracy, at higher pressures (up to 2,000 bar).
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Michelin to Commercialize Electric Active Wheel Technology
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| Michelin’s Active Wheel integrates brake disk, electric motor and suspension motor. Click to enlarge. |
Michelin’s Active Wheel, an in-wheel system comprising a brake, 30 kW (40 hp) electric traction motor and electric suspension motor system, will be used in the Heuliez-produced WILL electric vehicle (battery or fuel cell), due to be available to fleet owners in 2010. The WILL grew out of a concept developed by Heuliez and Michelin and features networked services innovated by Orange.
Michelin has shown earlier versions of the Active Wheel in concepts before, such as the Michelin/PSI Concept HY-LIGHT Fuel Cell Vehicle shown at the 2004 Challenge Bibendum in Shanghai. (Earlier post.) The two-wheel motor WILL is its first application in a series production-intent vehicle. The partners showed the WILL at the Paris Motor show in October. Venturi Automobiles also showed an application of the Active Wheel in the premier of its four-wheel motor Volage.
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Electric Truck Exclusively Options Regenerative Magnetic Shock Absorber Technology from Tufts
November 23, 2008
Electric Truck, LLC (ET) has exclusively optioned commercial rights to a technology from Tufts University that can recharge the batteries of any hybrid electric and electric-powered vehicle while it is driven. The regenerative electromagnetic shock absorber technology was developed by Tufts engineering professor emeritus Ronald Goldner and colleague Peter Zerigian within the School of Engineering and received additional support in subsequent years from Argonne National Laboratory.
At the SAE Government/Industry Meeting in Washington in 2001, Goldner, Zerigian and J.R. Hull from Argonne presented a paper estimating that the percentage of recoverable power/energy for a 2,500 lb vehicle that employs four optimized design regenerative magnetic shock absorbers and whose average speed is 20 meters/s (45 mph) on a typical US highway is likely to be between 20% and 70%.
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Daimler and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Begin Research Collaboration on Electric Drive Systems
November 21, 2008
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Daimler AG and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are beginning a research collaboration on electric drive systems: the “e-drive Project House” (Projekthaus e-drive). The effort will span the fields of power electronics and electric machines (PEEM), control systems, and electrical energy storage systems. Pooling expertise from science and industry across these fields is intended to expedite the market maturity of pure electric drive and hybrid vehicles, Daimler said.
The e-drive Project House is positioned as a strategic long-term undertaking, and is setting out to attract further scientific institutes and cooperation partners in order to extend the research consortium.
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Toyota Auris to Offer New 1.33L Dual VVT-i with Stop&Start
November 19, 2008
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| Toyota Optimal Drive 1.33-liter Dual VVT-i gasoline engine with Stop&Start. Click to enlarge. |
Toyota is applying its new 1.33-liter, Dual VVT-i gasoline engine with Stop&Start in the Auris. The engine is also to be applied in the iQ. (Earlier post.) The new 1.33L engine in the Auris delivers a 19% improvement in fuel consumption and a 17% decrease in CO2 emissions compared to the previous 1.4L VVT-i unit.
The new Auris 1.33 Dual VVT-i Stop&Start is being branded as an “Optimal Drive” vehicle. (Earlier post.) Toyota Optimal Drive covers a range of different technologies that can be applied to achieve real-world results in decreasing fuel consumption and emissions without compromising driving pleasure. This approach, Toyota says, is in contrast to “some car manufacturers which have elected to launch special eco-themed models with design, engineering and equipment tweaks to achieve lower emissions and better fuel consumption, often at the cost of comfort and driving pleasure.”
