231 research outputs found
Improving the autonomy of a Mid-Drive motor electric bicycle based on system efficiency maps and its performance
Around the world, the e-bike has evolved from a recreational and sports object to an increasingly used means of transportation. Due to this, improving aspects such as range and energy efficiency has become very relevant. This article presents experimental models for the componentsâ efficiency of a mid-drive motor e-bike (charger; battery; and controller, motor, and reduction gears subsystem), and integrates them with previously elaborated models for the chain transmission system, thus generating an overall efficiency map of the e-bike. The range of the electric bicycle is analyzed by integrating the efficiency map of the system and its performance mathematical model, aiming to determine the per unit of distance battery energy consumption. The above-mentioned calculations are applied to develop a management strategy that can determine the optimal assistance level and chain transmission ratio, maximizing range and leaving speed unaffected. The driving strategy was compared against other driving techniques using computational analysis, this allowed for the observation of the proposed strategy improving the systemâs range by reducing the battery energy consumption
FCSIT Research Bulletin 2016
The FCSIT Research Bulletin is an annual publication of the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, UNIMAS. The purpose of FCSIT Research Bulletin is to disseminate information that represent the current state of the research activities, publications, research findings, training, conferences and seminar conducted by the academicians in the faculty
Decarbonisation of transport: options and challenges
This EASAC report reviews options for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from European transport. It argues for stronger policies to bridge the gap between the GHG emission reductions that will be delivered by current policies and the levels needed to limit global warming to less than 2°C or even 1.5°C (Paris Agreement). The report focusses on road transport because, in the EU, this contributes 72% of transport GHG emissions. EASAC recommends a combination of transitional measures for the next 10-15 years and sustainable measures for the long term, based on a three level policy framework: avoid and contain demand for transport services; shift passengers and freight to transport modes with lower emissions (trains, buses and ships); and improve performance through vehicle design, more efficient powertrains and replacing fossil fuels with sustainable energy carriers including low-carbon electricity, hydrogen and synthetic fuels. Opportunities for the EU to strengthen its industrial competitiveness and create high quality jobs are also discussed
Biorefarmeries: Milking ethanol from algae for the mobility of tomorrow
The idea of this project is to fully exploit microalgae to the best of its potential, possibly proposing a sort of fourth generation fuel based on a continuous milking of macro- and microorganisms (as cows in a milk farm), which produce fuel by photosynthetic reactions. This project proposes a new transportation concept supported by a new socio-economic approach, in which biofuel production is based on biorefarmeries delivering fourth generation fuels which also have decarbonization capabilities, potential negative CO2 emissions plus positive impacts on mobility, the automotive Industry, health and environment and the econom
Development of flexible, durable and ionic materials based on poly(acrylamide) hydrogels for soft conducting and sensing applications
Soft ionic hydrogels have garnered significant interest for their applications in soft electronics and tissue engineering. However, further demands are still on the rise for developing these materials to possess flexibility, durability, low cost, non-toxic and reliable conductivity. In this work, a poly(acrylamide) (PAAm) hydrogel containing salt was utilised for its significant features such as high flexibility and excellent conductivity. Therefore, several hydrogels were prepared from the polymerisation reaction of the mononer acrylamide (AAm) to produce different polymers networks of PAAm hydrogels by the use of different crosslinking materials and methods aiming to optimise their mechanical and electrical characteristics, with the aim of applying these hydrogels in different applications such as soft sensing and conducting devices.
Ionic-covalent entanglement hydrogels were prepared by mixing cross-linked gellan gum (GG) and CaCl2 ionically with PAAm and methylenbis(acrylamide) (MBAAm) covalently. The mechanical behaviour was modified by altering the ionic and the covalent polymers ratio. The electrical properties were investigated with varying hydrogel ratios which displayed optimised mechanical properties for use in conducting and sensing applications. It was observed that gels prepared with 0.1 M CaCl2 and 1.11 % (w/v) GG with PAAm consisting of 4.44 % (w/v) and AAm with 3 % (w/v) MBAAm exhibited optimum mechanical characteristics reporting 216±12 kPa (compressive stress to failure) for the compression test analysis and 264±5kPa (shear modulus) for the oscillatory rheology demonstration. The electrical conductivity and the water content for the optimised ICE gel displayed a noticeable increase from 3.3±0.5 mS.cm-1 to 127±15 mS.cm-1 and from 78 % to 85 %, respectively, after it was immersed in 2.7 M NaCl solution
Definition and verification of a set of reusable reference architectures for hybrid vehicle development
Current
concerns
regarding
climate
change
and
energy
security
have
resulted
in
an
increasing
demand
for
low
carbon
vehicles,
including:
more
efficient
internal
combustion
engine
vehicles,
alternative
fuel
vehicles,
electric
vehicles
and
hybrid
vehicles.
Unlike
traditional
internal
combustion
engine
vehicles
and
electric
vehicles,
hybrid
vehicles
contain
a
minimum
of
two
energy
storage
systems.
These
are
required
to
deliver
power
through
a
complex
powertrain
which
must
combine
these
power
flows
electrically
or
mechanically
(or
both),
before
torque
can
be
delivered
to
the
wheel.
Three
distinct
types
of
hybrid
vehicles
exist,
series
hybrids,
parallel
hybrids
and
compound
hybrids.
Each
type
of
hybrid
presents
a
unique
engineering
challenge.
Also,
within
each
hybrid
type
there
exists
a
wide
range
of
configurations
of
components,
in
size
and
type.
The
emergence
of
this
new
family
of
hybrid
vehicles
has
necessitated
a
new
component
to
vehicle
development,
the
Vehicle
Supervisory
Controller
(VSC).
The
VSC
must
determine
and
deliver
driver
torque
demand,
dividing
the
delivery
of
that
demand
from
the
multiple
energy
storage
systems
as
a
function
of
efficiencies
and
capacities.
This
control
component
is
not
commonly
a
standalone
entity
in
traditional
internal
combustion
vehicles
and
therefore
presents
an
opportunity
to
apply
a
systems
engineering
approach
to
hybrid
vehicle
systems
and
VSC
control
system
development.
A
key
non-Ââfunctional
requirement
in
systems
engineering
is
reusability.
A
common
method
for
maximising
system
reusability
is
a
Reference
Architecture
(RA).
This
is
an
abstraction
of
the
minimum
set
of
shared
system
features
(structure,
functions,
interactions
and
behaviour)
that
can
be
applied
to
a
number
of
similar
but
distinct
system
deployments.
It
is
argued
that
the
employment
of
RAs
in
hybrid
vehicle
development
would
reduce
VSC
development
time
and
cost.
This
Thesis
expands
this
research
to
determine
if
one
RA
is
extendable
to
all
hybrid
vehicle
types
and
combines
the
scientific
method
with
the
scenario
testing
method
to
verify
the
reusability
of
RAs
by
demonstration.
A
set
of
hypotheses
are
posed:
Can
one
RA
represent
all
hybrid
types?
If
not,
can
a
minimum
number
of
RAs
be
defined
which
represents
all
hybrid
types?
These
hypotheses
are
tested
by
a
set
of
scenarios.
The
RA
is
used
as
a
template
for
a
vehicle
deployment
(a
scenario),
which
is
then
tested
numerically,
thereby
verifying
that
the
RA
is
valid
for
this
type
of
vehicle.
This
Thesis
determines
that
two
RAs
are
required
to
represent
the
three
hybrid
vehicle
types.
One
RA
is
needed
for
series
hybrids,
and
the
second
RA
covers
parallel
and
compound
hybrids.
This
is
done
at
a
level
of
abstraction
which
is
high
enough
to
avoid
system
specific
features
but
low
enough
to
incorporate
detailed
control
functionality.
One
series
hybrid
is
deployed
using
the
series
RA
into
simulation,
hardware
and
onto
a
vehicle
for
testing.
This
verifies
that
the
series
RA
is
valid
for
this
type
of
vehicle.
The
parallel
RA
is
used
to
develop
two
sub-Ââtypes
of
parallel
hybrids
and
one
compound
hybrid.
This
research
has
been
conducted
with
industrial
partners
who
value,
and
are
employing,
the
findings
of
this
research
in
their
hybrid
vehicle
development
programs
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