Low carbon technologies for commercial vehicles is obviously a hot topic right now, as over 50 delegates took the opportunity to hear about the latest developments to make trucks, vans and buses more eco friendly, at the 1 day conference organised by the AEM Yorkshire Innovation Network.
Presentations from the conference can be found on the resources section of the AEM Yorkshire website at www.aemyorkshire.com
For further information please contact James.hunt@namtec.co.uk
The event organised by NAMTEC, with support from the Transport KTN and Materials KTN, attracted delegates from across the industry and academia. The whole supply chain was represented; from raw materials and component manufacturers, to system suppliers and vehicle manufactures, as well as supporting companies such as designers and vehicle testing.
The proceedings commenced with Prof. Andrew Ball, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise, welcoming delegates to the University of Huddersfield, which has a strong heritage in supporting the automotive industry through its activities in the Automotive Engineering Research Group.
There then followed an introduction to the AEM Yorkshire Innovation Network by Dr Alan McLelland of NAMTEC. Companies from the Yorkshire & Humber region were encouraged to engage with the network to receive free support and assistance on matters relating to developing new products and processes, and gaining access to funding.
An excellent overview of the drivers for change and the main technology areas was presented by Hannah Baker from Ricardo. This set the themes for the day which were broken down into three technology areas; vehicle technologies, powertrain technologies and fuel technologies. A key message that was reinforced throughout the day was that there is no single solution where commercial vehicles are concerned, rather that the duty cycle of the vehicle in question will determine the best combination of technologies to use in order to reduce fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions.
There is still a great deal of focus on making existing internal combustion (IC) engines more efficient. Tom Roberts, from Cummins Turbo Technologies, explained the complex relationship between fuel efficiency, emissions, power and driveability, and what challenges are faced in integrating turbo compound compressors with exhaust gas recirculation systems to extract the most power out of the waste heat produced by the engine.
Lightweighting of commercial vehicles has thus far received very little attention, however, Gerry Boyce of EPL Composite Solutions explained how taking weight out can increase payload ultimately resulting in fewer loads, which has a great benefit in terms of costs to the operator as well as environmental benefits. Two polymer composite solutions were highlighted, the first (Roadlite) was a composite intensive flatbed trailer design, which was shown to reduce weight by up to 25% as well as giving aerodynamic advantages. The second (Panelplus) is a lightweight polymer composite sandwich panel which can be used in the construction of box bodies, again reducing weight compared to plywood designs, but also giving additional benefits in terms of durability and recyclability.
Angus Lock from MIRA followed this with a presentation on the aerodynamic benefits of cab and trailer additions. Optimising the airflow over and around the vehicle can give quick and easy returns in fuel efficiency. MIRA’s capabilities in this area include computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, wind tunnel testing and instrumented full size vehicle testing. Cumulative benefits of various aerodynamic aids such as roof deflectors, cab collars, trailer side skirts and vortex generators, can give as much as 15% fuel saving for very little investment. One of the key messages was to ensure that any features fitted to the vehicle e.g. roof deflectors, are adjusted to match the height of the trailer. Further examples can be seen in the DfT Freight Best Practice guide.
During lunch delegates had a chance to network and discuss current development projects. With such a broad cross section of the industry represented, many found this as useful way to make new contacts.
The afternoon session started with a focussed look at the duty cycles of lighter commercial vehicles, as Lindsay Watson from ECO Concept described how their view of the light duty sector has led to the development of a range of powertrain options, from full electric to series and parallel hybrid systems.
Looking towards fuelling strategy for IC engines, Colin Gray from G-Volution explained how their Optimiser system can be used in a multifuelling application to give the best benefits from two or more fuels. Substituting a percentage of the diesel fuel with a lower carbon intensive fuel such as LPG, Biomethane or renewable derived hydrogen, can lower the overall carbon footprint of the vehicle. There are also great cost savings to be had as LPG for instance attracts a lower fuel duty.
Dr Rudy Smaling, from Eaton Hybrid Power Systems, completed the proceedings with an overview of the developments on hybrid systems for a range of duty cycles. This was exemplified with a case study on a utility truck where the plug-in hybrid system allows the vehicle’s high access platform to operate in an engine off situation, giving benefits in reduced emissions and noise pollution.
Finally delegates were given a chance to tour the Autolab facilities at the university, which include various engine dynamometer test beds. Current research is focussed upon alternative fuels and improved turbocharger designs. The department also has as an extensive range of dynamic brake test rigs.
