Designing innovative transport systems, electric and automated on priority corridors

This study focuses on two great technologies improvements, they are vehicle automation and newest fast charging methods that could enable new and innovative transport systems. Automated and electric vehicles could will enable first/last mile efficient transport services, economically and environmentally sustainable that could be useful to improve transportation services in rural sprawled areas with a low density of transport demand. It is proposed an innovative system concerning electric and automated vehicles in specific paths called priority corridors, it is described a methodology of designing leaving the detailed analysis and impacts analysis to future studies. Automation, Internet of Things and smartphones are revolutionising mobility and with it the economy. With such mobility revolution all aspects of our life, economic, social and environmental will be impacted. Automated vehicles can be deployed as personal vehicles or as shared vehicles; while personal vehicles are not yet ready for deployment shared vehicles are. This work aims to propose an innovative transport system with off the shelf technologies and a methodology of design dealing with vehicle automation, current designing methods and environmental impacts. The methodology foresees six steps, they could be repeated with an iterative change of parameters in order to compare different results. These steps are: Parameters and input data, Itinerary analysis and corridors identification, Corridor choice and speed profile generation, Vehicle choice and fleet dimensioning, Electric traction needs and specifications, Results evaluation. Four categories of results are considered: vehicles and operators needed, energy consumption, transportation and socio-economic evaluation. After the results calculation, it is required an evaluation of them. Methodology is applied to Mentana, a little town in the outskirts of Rome. Mentana has only one corridor that links city centre to train station be distant eight kilometres. Economic results are positive, revenues cover operative costs and the whole system doesn’t require subsides

Evaluation of wireless charging systems from the point of view of energy transfer in electric mobility

openA basic wireless charging system consists of some essential components as shown in Figure 1.1 The AC current power supply coming from the grid is converted by an AC converter into a DC current power supply. At this point the rectified current is converted via an inverter into high frequency AC to drive the transmission coil through a compensation network. The high-frequency current in the transmission coil generates an alternating magnetic field, which induces an alternating voltage on the receiving coil. At the end, the AC power supply is rectified to charge the battery.A basic wireless charging system consists of some essential components as shown in Figure 1.1 The AC current power supply coming from the grid is converted by an AC converter into a DC current power supply. At this point the rectified current is converted via an inverter into high frequency AC to drive the transmission coil through a compensation network. The high-frequency current in the transmission coil generates an alternating magnetic field, which induces an alternating voltage on the receiving coil. At the end, the AC power supply is rectified to charge the battery

Grid flexibility by electrifying energy systems for sustainable aviation

This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University LondonDecarbonisation of aviation goals set by Flightpath 2050 Europe’s Vision for Aviation requires that the airports become emission-free by 2050. This thesis original contribution to knowledge is to explore the incorporation of aviation electrification technologies, including electric aircraft (EA), electrified ground support equipment (GSE), and airport parking electric vehicles (EVs), into power systems, evaluating their influence on grid infrastructure and operations, as well as their potential to support the grid operation. A comprehensive review of aviation electrification technologies revealed a research gap in the integration of these technologies into the power systems. The thesis contributes to electricity network infrastructure planning for electrification of aviation and airport-based distributed energy resources (DER) that provide ancillary services to the power grid. A multi-objective airport microgrid planning framework is developed, comparing EA charging strategies and revealing that battery swap performs better. Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) strategy with parking EVs improves the microgrid's performance. A techno-economic assessment of wireless charging systems for electric airport shuttle buses shows better economic performance than conventional buses and other charging options. A novel Aviation-to-Grid (A2G) flexibility concept provides frequency response services to the GB power system using EA battery charging systems, with typical A2G service capacity showing significant variation across eight UK airports. A deep reinforcement learning (DRL)-based A2G dispatch approach evaluates the impact of EA charger capacity on energy dispatch results, with higher capacities leading to higher revenue and lower operation costs. To summarise, this thesis addresses the research gaps in integrating aviation electrification technologies into power systems, offering valuable insights for airport operators aiming to decarbonise air transport activities through the adoption of these technologies. The study also provides an understanding of the impacts on grid operators in terms of infrastructure planning and operations. This comprehensive approach ensures a cohesive understanding of the challenges and opportunities presented by aviation electrification and its integration into power systems

Techno-economic Assessment of Wireless Charging Systems for Airport Electric Shuttle Buses

Data Access Statement: Data supporting this study are included within the article....DTE Network+ funded by EPSRC grant reference EP/S032053/1

Techno-economic assessment of wireless charging systems for airport electric shuttle buses

Flightpath 2050, the European Commission's vision for aviation, requires that the aviation industry achieves a 75 % reduction in CO2 emissions per passenger mile and airports become emission-free by 2050. Airport shuttle buses in the airfields are going to be electrified to reduce ground emissions. Simultaneously, the airfield movement space and time schedules are becoming more limited for adopting stationary charging facilities for electrified ground vehicles. Therefore, the dynamic wireless charging technology becomes a promising technology to help improve the stability of electrification of the airfield transport network. This paper proposes a techno-economic assessment of wireless charging, wired charging, and conventional technologies for electrifying airport shuttle buses. A bi-level planning optimisation approach combines the multi-objective Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-III) and mixed integer linear programming (MILP) algorithm to handle a large number of decision variables and constraints generated from the investigated problem. The airport shuttle bus transport is simulated through a multi-agent-based model (MABM) approach. Four case studies are analysed for illustrating the techno-economic feasibility of wireless charging technology for airport electric shuttle buses. The results show that the wireless charging technology enables the electric shuttle buses to carry smaller batteries while conducting the same as tasks conventional diesel/petrol vehicles and the bi-directional wireless charging technology could help mitigate the impact of electrification of shuttle buses on the distribution network.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC): EP/S032053/

A Review of Developments in Electrical Battery, Fuel Cell and Energy Recovery Systems for Railway Applications: a Report for the Scottish Association for Public Transport

This report outlines the current status of batteries, hydrogen fuel cells and short-term energy storage systems for railway and tramway applications. The report includes discussion of issues associated with regenerative braking and the recovery of energy that would otherwise be dissipated as heat during braking. As well as feeding energy back to the supply grid, as in the case of conventional electrified rail systems, energy recovery may also be achieved using batteries, supercapacitors, flywheels or hydraulic devices and developments in each of these areas are reviewed. The advantages of hybrid systems that involve combinations of different power sources and energy storage methods are emphasised and some associated design optimisation issues are discussed. For each of the developments mentioned, there is a brief account given of some transport applications in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. This is a rapidly developing field and operating experience with vehicles currently entering service in various countries will provide important additional insight within the next two or three years

Hybrid railway vehicle trajectory optimisation using a non‐convex function and evolutionary hybrid forecast algorithm

AbstractThis paper introduces a novel optimisation algorithm for hybrid railway vehicles, combining a non‐linear programming solver with the highly efficient “Mayfly Algorithm” to address a non‐convex optimisation problem. The primary objective is to generate efficient trajectories that enable effective power distribution, optimal energy consumption, and economical use of multiple onboard power sources. By reducing unnecessary load stress on power sources during peak time, the algorithm contributes to lower maintenance costs, reduced downtime, and extended operational life of these sources. The algorithm's design considers various operational parameters, such as power demand, regenerative braking, velocity and additional power requirements, enabling it to optimise the energy consumption profile throughout the journey. Its adaptability to the unique characteristics of hybrid railway vehicles allows for efficient energy management by leveraging its hybrid powertrain capabilities.</jats:p

Optimized speed control for electric vehicles on dynamic wireless charging lanes: An eco-driving approach

As the adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) intensifies, two primary challenges emerge: limited range due to battery constraints and extended charging times. The traditional charging stations, particularly those near highways, exacerbate these issues with necessary detours, inconsistent service levels, and unpredictable waiting durations. The emerging technology of dynamic wireless charging lanes (DWCLs) may alleviate range anxiety and eliminate long charging stops; however, the driving speed on DWCL significantly affects charging efficiency and effective charging time. Meanwhile, the existing research has addressed load balancing optimization on Dynamic Wireless Charging (DWC) systems to a limited extent. To address this critical issue, this study introduces an innovative eco-driving speed control strategy, providing a novel solution to the multi-objective optimization problem of speed control on DWCL. We utilize mathematical programming methods and incorporate the longitudinal dynamics of vehicles to provide an accurate physical model of EVs. Three objective functions are formulated to tackle the challenges at hand: reducing travel time, increasing charging efficiency, and achieving load balancing on DWCL, which corresponds to four control strategies. The results of numerical tests indicate that a comprehensive control strategy, which considers all objectives, achieves a minor sacrifice in travel time reduction while significantly improving energy efficiency and load balancing. Furthermore, by defining the energy demand and speed range through an upper operation limit, a relatively superior speed control strategy can be selected. This work contributes to the discourse on DWCL integration into modern transportation systems, enhancing the EV driving experience on major roads

Revving up for the future: an inductive power transfer system geared for vehicular applications

Energized by the prospect of decluttering the charging infrastructure by severing the bulky power cords used to charge an Electric Vehicle (EV), an innovative technique to wirelessly charge an EV battery known as Inductive Power Transfer (IPT) has garnered widespread acceptance. This thesis introduces the design of an integrated stationary IPT system with an optimized power control algorithm and efficiency maximization to transfer power from a transmitter pad positioned on the ground and the receiver pad embedded under the chassis of an EV. Magnetic analysis for the charging coil architecture is facilitated via simulations in Ansys Maxwell. The power electronics design focuses on implementation of an H-bridge converter incorporating Series-Series (SS) compensation topology to utilize a novel control algorithm to prioritize battery charging operation. The system is validated through a simulation model in PSIM and a hardware-in-the-loop simulation in Typhoon HIL before hardware implementation and testing of the developed prototype

The use of direct current distribution systems in delivering scalable charging infrastructure for battery electric vehicles

The use of low voltage direct current (LVDC) distribution is becoming recognised as a technology enabler that can be used to efficiently network native DC generators with DC loads, offer improved power sharing capabilities, reduce power system material resource requirements and enhance the performance of variable speed machinery. Practical deployment opportunities for LVDC range from small-scale microgrids in the context of energy for development to sophisticated, modern building-level power distribution systems for commercial office spaces, manufacturing applications and industrial processes. However, the incumbent AC distribution system benefits from existing technical product and safety standards, which makes the early adoption of LVDC systems challenging from a risk and cost perspective. Concurrently, the demand for native DC loads such as Battery Electric Transportation Systems is growing. This is especially significant in the area of private electric vehicles (EVs), taxis and buses, but the prospect of electric trucks, ferries and shortrange aircraft are also tangible opportunities. The success of this electric transport revolution depends on several factors, one of which is the availability of battery charging infrastructure that can cost effectively integrate with the existing electrical network, deliver adequate energy transfer rates and adapt to the rapid technical development of this industry. This thesis explores the application of two, novel LVDC distribution systems for the development of scalable EV charging networks; where charging infrastructure has the ability to scale with increasing EV adoption and has a lower risk of becoming a stranded asset in the future. The modelling is supported by real, rapid DC charger utilisation data from the national charging network in Scotland, comprising over 192 chargers and 400,000 charging events. During the work of this thesis, it was found that a combined heat and power (CHP) system can economically support short duration charging scenarios by providing additional power capacity in a congested electrical grid. In this case the highest system efficiency and Net Present Value (NPV) is achieved with a fuel cell directly connected to the DC charging network, compared to other gas reciprocating CHP options. Furthermore, the proposition of a reconfigurable LVDC charging network, interfaced to the public AC distribution network, reduces the capital outlay, offers a higher NPV and improved scalability compared to other charging solutions. For charging system designers and operators, it was found that rapid DC chargers can be classified by specific locations, each possessing a distinct Gaussian arrival pattern and Gamma distribution for charging energy delivered.The use of low voltage direct current (LVDC) distribution is becoming recognised as a technology enabler that can be used to efficiently network native DC generators with DC loads, offer improved power sharing capabilities, reduce power system material resource requirements and enhance the performance of variable speed machinery. Practical deployment opportunities for LVDC range from small-scale microgrids in the context of energy for development to sophisticated, modern building-level power distribution systems for commercial office spaces, manufacturing applications and industrial processes. However, the incumbent AC distribution system benefits from existing technical product and safety standards, which makes the early adoption of LVDC systems challenging from a risk and cost perspective. Concurrently, the demand for native DC loads such as Battery Electric Transportation Systems is growing. This is especially significant in the area of private electric vehicles (EVs), taxis and buses, but the prospect of electric trucks, ferries and shortrange aircraft are also tangible opportunities. The success of this electric transport revolution depends on several factors, one of which is the availability of battery charging infrastructure that can cost effectively integrate with the existing electrical network, deliver adequate energy transfer rates and adapt to the rapid technical development of this industry. This thesis explores the application of two, novel LVDC distribution systems for the development of scalable EV charging networks; where charging infrastructure has the ability to scale with increasing EV adoption and has a lower risk of becoming a stranded asset in the future. The modelling is supported by real, rapid DC charger utilisation data from the national charging network in Scotland, comprising over 192 chargers and 400,000 charging events. During the work of this thesis, it was found that a combined heat and power (CHP) system can economically support short duration charging scenarios by providing additional power capacity in a congested electrical grid. In this case the highest system efficiency and Net Present Value (NPV) is achieved with a fuel cell directly connected to the DC charging network, compared to other gas reciprocating CHP options. Furthermore, the proposition of a reconfigurable LVDC charging network, interfaced to the public AC distribution network, reduces the capital outlay, offers a higher NPV and improved scalability compared to other charging solutions. For charging system designers and operators, it was found that rapid DC chargers can be classified by specific locations, each possessing a distinct Gaussian arrival pattern and Gamma distribution for charging energy delivered