Sei sulla pagina 1di 3

European Automotive Research Partners Association aisbl 36-38, Rue Joseph II, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium www.earpa.

eu EARPA POSITION PAPER ADVANCED INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES AND FUELS IMPORTANCE FOR EUROPEAN ROAD TRANSPORT RESEARCH AND HORIZON 2020 16 July 2012 _______________________________________ THE EARPA TASK FORCE ADVANCED INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES AND FUELS Founded in 2002, the association EARPA brings together the most prominent independent R&D providers in the automotive sector throughout Europe. At present, EARPA counts 39 members ranging from large and small commercial organisations to national institutes and universities. Based on todays boundary conditions and challenges of the road transport system , this position paper highlights the importance of continued RTD on future internal combustion engine (ICE) concepts, the interaction of advanced combustion engines and alternative fuels as well as function development for advanced engine concepts. BOUNDARY CONDITIONS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE POWERED VEHICLES IN THE FUTURE In order to realize sustainable mobility in Europe, urban passenger road transport will have to be 80% more efficient by 2030, and long distance transport will have to be 40% more efficient. A significant part of these targets will be achieved through improving vehicle aerodynamics, vehicle weight reduction and by influencing driving patterns. At the same time, a considerable contribution will have to come from improving energy efficiency of the powertrain. This will be to some extent the result of further hybridization. However, in 2030 more than 65%1 of all road transport vehicles will still be powered by ICE running on liquid fuels, therefore engines have to become thermodynamically more efficient. In the same timeframe, renewable fuels should cover 25% of the energy demand for the road transport. It is expected that until then, the mainstream fuels will resemble current (diesel and gasoline) fuels and will consist of blends of fossil fuel with increasing amounts of biomass-derived components. That means that future engines will have to be able to cope with the resulting variation in fuel quality. At the same time, due to increasing traffic volumes and increasing population density, ICE-powered vehicles will have to comply with very strict regulations for noise and pollutants. Finally, any future powertrain technology will have to be sustainable in terms of its demands for scarce materials. RELEVANCE AND IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUED RTD ON INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES There is no single way for solving the demands of future powertrains for sustainable mobility, addressing the environmental impacts, requirements of global markets and European competitiveness in global scale. The combinations of continuously developed and completely new solutions shall be sought for. Despite its long-time tradition, the potential of the ICE still remains significant due to its flexibility for both renewable and low-fossil-carbon fuels, high power density combined with long operation range and overall well-to-wheel efficiency in real-life operation. The high power density achieved by the ICE downsizing reaches twofold effects. The smaller and lighter engine saves energy because it reduces vehicle weight and therefore also the corresponding driving resistances. Furthermore, in real-life, the engine operates at higher bmep (specific torque) levels and friction losses become relatively less important. With conventional vehicles, the limits of downsizing are not yet investigated and this calls for further investments into R&D. Furthermore, hybrid vehicles as well as electric vehicles with range extension set specific demands on the ICE and as a consequence ask for dedicated downsized engine configurations. Wellto-wheels efficiency and fossil CO2 emissions of ICE based powertrains are still very good in comparison to electric vehicles if the same operating range and the same vehicle price are considered. Fuel flexibility is of utmost importance in times of changing infrastructure for renewable and synthetic fuels, including, e.g., shale NG, GTL and BTL fuels or hydrogen blends. Adaptive ICEs shall bridge the time of developing infrastructure without requiring the customers to buy fuel-dedicated powertrains with limited

ERTRAC Strategic Research Agenda, 2010 (www.ertrac.org)

1/3

European Automotive Research Partners Association aisbl 36-38, Rue Joseph II, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium www.earpa.eu operation range. Consequently, adaptive engine control for fuel flexibility has to be developed using advanced control strategies, sensors and actuators. They require intensive Hardware-in-the-Loop and Software-in-the-Loop R&D, including the integration of control to higher (infrastructure) systems. Lowcarbon fuels with uncompromised operation range make the ICE very competitive at global markets. The low production cost, the proven durability and operation reliability of ICE powertrains are very reasonable and offer further design improvement potential. In conclusion, ICE powertrains development continues to offer the steady progress towards sustainable mobility with limited risk and based on long proven technology while searching for innovative concepts and breakthroughs in emerging technologies. That is why the provident R&D support should balance all possible ways to the future mobility devices. RESEARCH NEEDS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR EUROPEAN RTD PROGRAMMES Considering the boundary conditions as described above, the EARPA Task Force Advanced Internal Combustion Engines and Fuels sees need for research in the following areas: 1. CONTINUATION OF RESEARCH ON BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGIES FOR MORE EFFICIENT ICES Research on the improvement of existing internal combustion engines as well as on new solutions is key to improve the efficiency of automotive powertrains. In particular, the following research topics are proposed: Extreme downsizing and downspeeding, using the ICE in the most favourable efficiency areas Engine architecture with very high efficiency, such as variable compression ratio or more in general, variable engine displacement systems Strong reduction of friction losses Two stroke engines, because of their low friction losses and lower weight Advanced air charging technologies 2. OPTIMISED USE OF THE ENERGY OF THE POWERTRAIN Coupling the internal combustion engine with other sources of propulsion, as in hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), is widely considered as a decisive step toward a more efficient road transport system. Especially on HEV, the use of the ICE energy can be maximised through the development of: Energy recovery systems, such as Rankine cycle, thermoelectric devices, turbo compound etc Advanced thermo-management for hybrid vehicles Electrified supercharging, i.e. combination of turbo compound and electric compressor 3. INCREASING THE SHARE OF RENEWABLE FUELS USED BY ROAD TRANSPORT A strong contribution towards decarbonisation of road transport will be achieved by increasing the share of low carbon alternative gaseous/renewable fuels. For this, R&D effort is necessary in order to industrialize: Fuel-flexible systems, i.e. injection systems, engine control etc. Advanced injection systems, such as direct or multi point systems, for LG/LNG, biogas, dual fuel etc. Fuel flexible after-treatment, including OBD adaptation 4. COEXISTENCE OF MORE EFFICIENT POWERTRAIN AND HIGH STANDARD FOR AIR QUALITY The research for more energy efficient technologies needs to guarantee that these technologies are equally clean - if not cleaner - in terms of conventional pollutant emissions. Therefore continuous research efforts will be required, aiming at: Extended Low NOx combustion, such as Gasoline and Diesel HCCI, Diesel diffusive combustion etc Spark ignition technology adapted to highly diluted and low equivalence ratio combustion Dual-Fuel systems, including proper fuel injection systems, control strategies, aftertreatment Advanced aftertreatment systems, e.g., high-pressure devices, high efficiency SCR devices, combined systems etc. Fully flexible valve train Fully flexible injection systems Multivariable model-based control system, including the use of external information and able to control the real driving emissions and fuel consumption

2/3

European Automotive Research Partners Association aisbl 36-38, Rue Joseph II, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium www.earpa.eu The research areas and topics result from the examination of more than 50 different technologies, ranked by the members of the AICE&F Task Force as function of the "Research Effort" (difficulty to improve state of art, time horizon, lack of competences in Europe etc.) and "Importance" (contribution to powertrain efficiency until 2030, to the maintain/improving of air quality etc.). COOPERATIVE RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION The EARPA Task Force AICE&F sees the requirement to carefully identify research topics on a European level in close co-operation with all relevant stakeholders. Taking advantage of their expertise, EARPA members can offer support to this identification process on a neutral basis. Moreover, EARPA invites all stakeholders to discuss the above research issues with the Task Force AICE&F.

The EARPA Advanced Internal Combustion Engines and Fuels


CONTACT: AICE&F TF Chairman Gaetano De Paola, IFP nergies nouvelles tel. +33 147525357 gaetano.de-paola@ifpen.fr More information on EARPA at: www.earpa.eu AICE&F TF Secretary Alois Danninger, Virtual Vehicle tel. +43 316 873 4043 alois.danninger@v2c2.at

3/3

Potrebbero piacerti anche