Maciej Bajerlein

The Reduction of Fuel Consumption on the Example of Ecological Hybrid Buses

For city buses, the costs of operation and maintenance are critical in the overall purchase and operation cost analysis. That is why the scientists from the Institute of Combustion Engines and Transport have taken up the subject of economic balance on the example of urban public transport operators. For an objective assessment of the fuel consumption it is necessary to determine all the variables. Hence, driving tests are developed that characterize the actual operating conditions and stringent procedures of their realization are set out. The paper presents the results of the fuel consumption tests carried out on public transport buses (SORT Standardized On-Road Tests Cycles).

Modification of a Hybrid City Bus Powertrain in the Aspect of Lower Fuel Consumption and Exhaust Emissions

In this paper the authors present the methodology and results of exhaust emissions and energy consumption tests of an 18-meter city bus fitted with a serial hybrid drive. During the tests, parameters of the engine operation, capacitor charging level and exhaust emissions were recorded. The tests were performed under actual conditions of the bus operation in city traffic on a regular bus route. The testing cycles were conducted twice on the same vehicle. The first cycle was performed on the bus with the original configuration and the second one - on the optimized engine and drivetrain. The paper presents the results of the conducted investigations and a comparison that tells us whether the optimization changes have a positive influence on the vehicle reducing its energy consumption and exhaust emissions.

A comparison of the exhaust emission from city buses fuelled with diesel oil and CNG

Due to a growing demand for fossil fuels such as crude oil or natural gas it became necessary to seek new alternative energy sources. A variety of scientific and research work has been targeted at finding and the exploitation of sources of shale gas. According to the estimates, only in Poland there can be as much as 5.3 trillion cubic meters of natural gas trapped in unconventional sources. Such a potential can be utilized by many branches of economy including transport. It has become reasonable to use natural gas as an alternative fuel for utility vehicles. This paper presents the results of exhaust emission tests conducted on city buses fueled with diesel oil and CNG. The tests were conducted under actual traffic conditions on a regular bus route in Poznan. For the measurement of the exhaust emissions a portable exhaust emission analyzer Semtech DS was used. The obtained data were used for the determination of the average values of the emission of individual exhaust components. These values have shown that using different types of fuel in public transportation leads to a reduction of air pollution, and thus a better quality of life in the city.

Estimation of In-Use Powertrain Parameters of Fully Electric Vehicle Using Advanced ARM Microcontrollers

Electric vehicles are currently subject of many projects in the areas of research, design and production, but there is also an urgent need for new measurement tools and methods being developed to quantify their parameters and performance, and to assist researchers in their search of improved performance and optimal design decisions. The paper presents the design and implementation of such a measurement system which is devised to address these new demands. Subsequently the work is focused on example data logged from a fully electric vehicle, followed by evaluation of results and analysis.

Dissolving Oxygen in Diesel Fuel as a Way to Make Road Transport More Environmentally Friendly

This paper on dissolving oxygen in diesel fuel is from the proceedings of 14th international Conference on Urban Transport and the Environment in the 21st Century, which was held in Malta in 2008. The authors reports on a recent development that uses an improved mechanism of spray to fuel diesel engines; the new spray consists of dissolving air, exhaust gases or oxygen in diesel fuel. This process has a volumetric character and at the appropriate kinetics it is strong enough to be accompanied by the effervescence (bubbling) of the liquid. This paper presents the results of tests demonstrating the impact of oxygen dissolved in diesel fuel on the combustion process in diesel engines. The tests were done in the piston head of an engine equipped with a toroidal combustion chamber and direct injection. The tests measured the main indicators of motor operation, the range of pressure values obtained in the combustion chamber and before the injector, emissions of HC, CO2, CO, NOx, and opacity. The test results show that this new mechanism of fuel spraying can reduce emissions, particularly toxic compounds and carbon dioxide. In addition, fuel disintegration is more efficient with this type of fuel spraying.

The Influence of Laser Treatment and the Application of Reduced Pressure Force Piston Rings on the Engine Exhaust Emissions under the Conditions of Engine Lubrication with Different Engine Oils

The paper discusses the investigations on combustion engines that aim at the evaluation of the influence of engine design modifications on the exhaust emissions under application of lubricants of different physicochemical parameters. In the engines the authors applied laser treated cylinder liners, piston rings of reduced pressure force on the cylinder liner and optimized the assembling clearances in the slide bearings. The research was carried out in accordance with the ESC and ELR compliant procedures using different engine lubricants. The measurement series were performed for diesel engines of the capacity of 1.3 dm3 of the power outputs of 51 kW and 66 kW. The tested objects were fitted with aftertreatment systems (oxycat and DPF filter).

The Impact of Modified Piston in Two Stroke Engine on Toxic Emissions and Fuel Consumption

The Institute of Combustion Engines and Transport conducted tests on exhaust emissions for two motorized scooters fitted with two-stroke engines differing from each other with the type of the applied pistons. The research was conducted on a chassis dynamometer according to a specially prepared test that aimed at reflecting the conditions of the actual use of the vehicle. The presented tests were performed in order to determine the influence of the lubricant on the exhaust emission components. The authors also tested the in the emission of NOx, CO, HC and CO2. In the first stage of the testing, measurements were made with respect to a standard mixture of gasoline and oil. Subsequent measuring cycles were conducted for leaner mixtures. The tests on the concentrations of individual components were realized with the use of a portable analyzer SEMTECH DS manufactured by Sensors Inc. The portable analyzer was also designed to measure the mass flow of the exhaust and the concentration of the exhaust components such as CO, HC, NOx, CO2 and O2. A consumption of fuel with a second by second resolution was measured gravimetrically. The fuel consumption in the test drive was measured with the use of a carbon balance method.

The Impact of Vehicle Heating Systems on the Energy Consumption Determined Based on the Vehicle Exhaust Emission Tests Under Actual Operating Conditions

Global policies aim at a reduction of the greenhouse gas emissions (particularly CO2) and tightening the emission limits for vehicles. As a result, automotive manufactures have been forced to optimize the propulsion systems as well as other units such as air conditioning or heating systems. Currently, a great deal of research has been carried out on reducing energy consumption in vehicles [1, 2, 3]. Institute of Combustion Engines and Transport of Poznan University of Technology, conducted a study on the impact of heating systems on the energy consumption in a variety of vehicles. Two parking heaters were compared in terms of their emission characteristics and the temperature inside the vehicle measured while the engine was off. Based on these results and the heating rate inside the vehicle were determined. At the same time the temperatures inside the vehicle were measured. The study was conducted under the same conditions. In order to determine the impact of these systems on the vehicle energy consumption the emission measurements were carried out with all systems activated. The obtained results were used to determine both the and gas mileage as well as the specific emission of CO, HC, NOx, CO2. The temperatures were used to determine the effect of the heating system design on the travel comfort. A portable gas analyzer (PEMS) SEMTECH DS (made by Sensors Inc.) was used to measure CO, HC, NOx, CO2, O2 and the exhaust gas mass flow rate. Temperatures were measured with 6 PERSONAL IOTECH DAQ 3000 thermocouple transmitters.

The Impact of Electric Hybrid Compressor to Make Transport Environmentally Friendly

This paper presents the investigations, whose aim was to determine the influence of the operation of electric and mechanical compressors on the energy consumption of city buses in public transport. The tests were performed on pneumatic systems used in city transit vehicles whose underlying component is a compressor generating pressure for the brake and suspension systems. Owing to the application of a portable analyzer - SEMTECH DS the emissions (with a secondly resolution) of CO, HC, NOx, CO2 in the exhaust gases were measured. The on-road emission tests were performed in the actual operating conditions in SORT driving tests. These tests reflect the actual vehicle operation in a real task through preset procedures of their realization and measurements determining the energy consumption and exhaust emissions or the influence of the vehicle accessories and all variables (vehicle speed, engine load, acceleration or distance covered) on the total energy balance. The on-road tests were performed on a runway of the Bednary airstrip in Poland.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Heating Systems Applied in City Buses

The paper presents energy saving opportunities in by analyzing two types of auxiliary heating systems. Objects of study were two heaters differing in power requirements and fuel consumption (used for water heating system). The heaters were installed in city buses of the same layout and identical convector heaters fitted for optimum temperature of the vehicle interior and the engine. Through the use of a portable device SEMTECH DS (PEMS) the exhaust emissions of CO, HC, NOx, CO2 were measured. The testing of the heaters for emissions and the testing of the temperature distribution inside the vehicle were performed in stationary conditions, determining the impact of the heating on the energy consumption of the heaters and temperature comfort inside the vehicle. The measurements were performed for each vehicle at the same ambient temperature, which was about 10°C [2, 3, 5]. So that the temperature increase inside the vehicle could be compared the tested vehicles were conditioned before the measurement. The obtained temperature distributions were determined along with a relative increase in the temperature in the vehicle interiors heated by the tested objects. The temperature measurement was performed with the use of six thermocouples utilizing a signal converter - IOTECH PERSONAL DAQ 3000.