OBD-II sensor diagnostics for monitoring vehicle operation and consumption

Road vehicles operations are continuously monitored through physical parameters (temperature, air flow, rotation rate); such measurements are retrieved by electronic sensors and communicated, over the internal vehicle communications protocol, towards the Main Control Unit for further processing. In this paper we present our selection of parameters for monitoring key vehicle operations and briefly describe the sensors employed for the retrieval of these parameter values. The values are retrieved through the OBD-II diagnostics protocol and they are related with the vehicle operation and with the fuel consumption. As proof of concept, focused experimentation has taken place, through a 5 km trip with low and heavy traffic. Values retrieved from the OBD-II scanner are presented and discussed. In terms of evaluation, the raw values as well as the calculated measurements related to fuel consumption are compared with manufacturer standards and the user driving behaviour has been identified as the key factor influencing the fuel consumption for a given model

Impact of Lithium Battery Recycling and Second-Life Application on Minimizing Environmental Waste

In the prospect of greener transportation means and global emission limitations for the protection of the environment, the electric vehicles’ market share is constantly increasing. It is expected that 32% of new vehicles sold in 2030 will be pure electric or plug-in hybrids. As all electric vehicles utilize lithium batteries to power the powertrain, the need for rare earth materials, like lithium or nickel, exceeds the planet’s ability to provide the required capacities. Additionally, even though lithium-ion batteries provide high energy density, they have some disadvantages like a limited range and durability at high-temperature operation. This issue can be improved greatly with the implementation of a hybrid energy storage system consisting of batteries and ultracapacitors. In this paper, the power efficiency of this storage system will be analyzed. Finally, when the cells reach below a specific capacity threshold, they can be removed from the vehicle to be installed in renewable energy plants for storing surplus energy production. Therefore, environmental waste is minimized while simultaneously assisting grid power demands, before being recycled to recover a portion of the rare metals used