| The US Department of Energy (DoE)
is to award $21.5 million to advanced R&D projects to improve vehicles’
efficiency. It has picked 21 projects in three areas: ethanol fuels, diesel
concepts and lubrication.
DoE secretary Samuel Bodman said: “We expect the projects to make
engines cleaner, reduce our reliance on oil imports and cut greenhouse
gas emissions.”
Delphi will work with Wayne State University on an E85 optimised engine
that improves fuel efficiency by 30 per cent.
Ford will explore knock-suppression and compression ratios in downsized
concepts. Siemens, AVL and Rousch Engineering will build a turbocharged,
direct-injection E85 engine.
John Deere, Monsanto and TIAX of Massachusetts will look at the systems.
Ricardo will work with GM to develop a cooled exhaust gas recirculation
system and with Bosch and University of Michigan on an “integrated
hardware-software system”.
Visteon will work with the DoE’s Argonne National Laboratory, Mahle
Powertrain, and Michigan State University on efforts to minimise thermal,
volumetric and dynamic losses.
Ford, Cummins and DaimlerChrysler will work on diesel projects. Michigan
State University and Ford will develop low-temperature combustion designs
for diesel engines using biofuel blends.
Cummins Engines will work on a light-duty diesel engine with DaimlerChrysler
and BP. Ford, FEV, Wayne State University and turbo firm ConceptsNREC
will collaborate on ways of using turbos to improve the efficiency of
low-temperature diesel combustion.
An environmentally-friendly lubricant additive that could improve fuel
efficiency is the subject of research by Caterpillar, Argonne, NanoMech
and the University of Arkansas.
© Automotive Engineer, 2007 |
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