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The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate the feasibility of rapeseed oil and palm oil for diesel fuel substitution in a naturally aspirated D.I. diesel engine, and also to find means to reduce the carbon deposit buildup in vegetable oil combustion. In the experiments, the engine performance, exhaust gas emissions, and carbon deposits were measured for a number of fuels: rapeseed oil, palm oil, methylester of rapeseed oil, and these fuels blended with ethanol or diesel fuel with different fuel temperatures. It was found that both of the vegetable oil fuels generated an acceptable engine performance and exhaust gas emission levels for short term operation, but they caused carbon deposit buildups and sticking of piston rings after extended operation.

This paper illustrates the results of an experimental study on the impact of a low cetane number (CN) oxygenated fuel on the combustion process and emissions of a light-duty (LD) single-cylinder research engine. In an earlier study, it was concluded that cyclic oxygenates consistently outperformed their straight and branched counterparts at equal oxygen content and with respect to lowering soot emissions. A clear correlation was reported linking soot and CN, with lower CN fuels leading to more favorable soot levels. It was concluded that a lower CN fuel, when realized by adding low reactive cyclic oxygenates to commercial diesel fuel, manifests in longer ignition delays and thus more premixing. Ultimately, a higher degree of premixing, in turn, was thought to suppress soot formation rates.

Small bore diesel engines often adopt a two-valve cylinder head and a non-central injector layout to expand the port flow passage area. This non-central injector layout causes asymmetrical gas flow and fuel distribution, resulting in worse heat losseses and a less homogenous fuel-air mixture than an equivalent four-valve cylinder head layout with a central injector. To improve these problems Toyota applied a new concept which was characterized by tapered shape design on the upper portion of the piston and low compression ratio to achieve more homogeneous gas flow and fuel-air mixture. This paper describes the impact of new combustion concept and the mechanism of the improvement by 3D-CFD analysis and optical measurement.

Automation in manufacturing is not a new idea. Automation remained simple until computers became available. The design, deployment, and utilization of cheap, simple automation became a lost art. We have begun to rediscover this art-“low cost automation,” or LCA, at NMMC. There is no textbook definition of LCA. One must consider LCA versus high-cost automation (HCA) from the perspective of the budget approval process, anticipated life cycle, complexity of control mechanism, and whether it is a general- or specific-purpose item. There isn't a specific dollar figure as a cutoff. HCA is a capital spending item. LCA shouldn't be. Low cost also refers to the life cycle maintenance costs of the item. HCA items may fill a wide variety of applications over a long life cycle. An LCA device at the end of its utilization cycle would be recycled for use in next-generation LCA applications. The true LCA device has a very simple guidance or control system, or even none at all.

This work treats of a project aiming the construction of a virtual panel of instruments of a general aviation aircraft. In addition, it could be applied the other vehicles as automobiles, trucks and ships. This work follows the tendency of recent researches of NASA for interfaces between pilot and aircraft that will permit to the general aviation community access to modern multifunctional displays that will become the piloting easier and safer. This work consists in developing software for acquisition and visualization and in specification of an analogical/digital conversion card and low cost sensors that will be used to measure the variables related to the movement of the aircraft.

With the development of start stop technology to improve fuel economy and to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the information of State of Charge (SOC) of the battery is highly desirable. Recent days the battery sensors are used in mid-segment and luxury automobiles that monitors the current, voltage and temperature of the battery and calculates the charge model and sends the information via CAN or LIN. These dedicated sensors are intended to perform various functions other than basic start stop. Hence these sensors are proven to be expensive for emerging market, which is intended to perform only basic start stop as the market is looking for a low cost solution. Bosch- India has developed and implemented a novel idea of bringing a low cost and reliable battery charge detection algorithm that can be realized within the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) without a dedicated sensor.

This paper reviews the technologies available for Bharat Stage 3 and 4 Heavy Duty on-highway emissions standards. Benchmarking data from several existing engines is used to explore the trade-offs between engine/vehicle cost and fuel consumption. Other implications of the available technologies, such as durability / reliability requirements, are also addressed. The paper provides recommendations for low cost approaches to meeting Bharat Stage 3 and 4 standards with good fuel consumption and reliability/ durability characteristics. A brief look ahead to future Bharat Stage 5 requirements is also provided.

Automobiles of the future will be forced to travel further on a tank of fuel while discharging lower levels of pollutants. Currently, the United States uses in excess of 18 million barrels of petroleum per day. Sixty-six percent is used in the transportation of people and goods. Highway vehicles currently account for just under two-thirds of the nation's gasoline consumption, and about one-third of the total United States energy usage [1] while contributing a significant amount to the annual U.S. air pollutant burden. In 1997, 57.5% of the carbon monoxide, 29.8% of the nitrogen oxides, 27.2% of the volatile organic compounds, and 23.8% of the carbon dioxide came from highway vehicles [2] The U.S. government has supported R&D pertinent to highway vehicles since the early 1960's, to mitigate these problems.

In the increasingly complex and expensive arena of motor sport, data acquisition has become an essential tool of today's race engineer. With the limited budget and testing time available to most Formula SAE teams, a more effective data acquisition system, compared to off the shelf models, is needed. Therefore, a wireless data acquisition system was created to help improve the performance of the University of Calgary Formula SAE racecar. Our objective was to design and build a system that enabled the team to test and measure the vehicle performance in real-time. This live system will allow any race team to analyze the data prior to the car entering the pits allowing for appropriate modifications to be made at this time. This greatly reduces the number of pit stops and track time required to arrive at the optimum setup. The system has also been used as a driver aid.

A challenge of the maintenance engineering is to detect future failures and the wear in machine components without interrupting its operation. Doing it in a cheap and simple way is even more challenging. With this purpose, the present study collected the debris expelled in the exhaust pipe of an engine through an innovative device built in the Tribology Study Group of UFRN. It was tested a 5 HP stationary diesel engine working under constant load over 150 hours (non-continuous). The morphology and chemicals compounds of the debris collected by the device were analyzed using Scanning Electrons Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), respectively. After the 150 hours of testing, the engine was disassembled and visually inspected. Photos were taken to identify the wear mechanisms present on the piston skirt, piston head, cylinder head and valves. After that, was made a correlation between the collected debris and the wear mechanisms observed in the piston.

During development of electronic products, several measurements are performed to ensure the electromagnetic disturbances are in such levels permitted by costumer requirements. Normally these tests are performed in certified laboratories. This usually causes high impact on timing plan and development costs. In order to reduce the time and cost involved on pre-compliance EMC tests, a Transverse Electromagnetic (TEM) cell was used as a tool for fast analysis of proposed design solutions during development of a brushless motor controller. The TEM was used as an Antenna to measure the electromagnetic disturbances (magnetic field) generated by the EUT (Equipment Under Test). A mathematical correlation between the voltage measured using the Antenna (TEM) and results found in a Certified Laboratory are compared and presented.

The reduction in the cost of drawing tools is of major importance in the production of small and medium series of shaped steel components. Usinor has therefore engaged studies of potential alternative materials for the manufacture of these tools. The solutions envisaged involve the elimination of metal machining operations, which currently represent more than 50 % of fabrication costs. However, because of the constraints associated with stamping, particularly as regards the mechanical strength and wear resistance of the tool surfaces, the studies have revealed of the need to conserve a metallic material at the tool surface. A new tool fabrication technique is therefore proposed, consisting of first electroforming a metallic skin and then casting the remainder using a hydraulic concrete.

Interactive driving simulation is attractive for a variety of applications, including screening, training and licensing, due to considerations of safety, control and repeatability. However, widespread dissemination of these applications will require modest cost simulator systems. Low cost simulation is possible given the application of PC level technology, which is capable of providing reasonable fidelity in visual, auditory and control feel cuing. This paper describes a PC based simulation with high fidelity vehicle dynamics, which provides an easily programmable visual data base and performance measurement system, and good fidelity auditory and steering torque feel cuing. This simulation has been used in a variety of applications including screening truck drivers for the effects of fatigue, research on real time monitoring for driver drowsiness and measurement of the interference effect of in-vehicle IVHS tasks on driving performance.

In the era of low cost product, enormous pressure to keep product development cost and time as low as possible. Durability verification and validation always consume big amount of product development cost and time. This paper gives low cost and quick, durability virtual verification which can be tested by running vehicle on track to check correlation. In this low cost durability verification, maximum stress levels on Frame and Cabin are generated analytically at all hot spot location based on finite element inertia relief analysis. Basic input load data is acquired by running proto type vehicle on track. Mathematical loading spectrum (Range Vs Cycle-Cumulative frequency distribution) for track is evaluated from acquired data. Stress spectrums are generated analytically for all hot spot locations based on mathematical load spectrum. Analytically component S-N curve for frame, cabin components with different slops [1,2] is generated based on material ultimate tensile stress values.

This paper presents the FEV low cost EV platform intended to provide a modular and scalable platform for 2 and 3 wheelers that is robust and meets the desired performance characteristics. To enable this, we use a dedicated vehicle control unit (VCU) that is running FEV’s matured model library called PERSIST. The platform makes use of the inherent advantage of being a small scale vehicle that can be used with lower sized components or reduced set of components without compromising on safety. The electric vehicle platform will have modularly developed components and associated software and hardware with standardized interfaces. The electric power train includes support for standardized lithium ion batteries and a low cost vehicle control unit. This is required to not only safe guard the system overall but also be able to optimize the driving range, enhance drivability and to provide the driver with a more stable and secure interface for operating the vehicle.

The Brazilian automotive market is growing, vehicle sales ranked in the 4th. global position only behind China, United States and Japan; more than 40% of Brazilian production are entry level vehicles. The use of air conditioning systems in those basic vehicles are increasing due to being also considered as a safety device, besides its original thermal comfort function. Since 2008 a partnership between Inmetro, CONPET and Petrobras established the adoption of an “energy seal” ranking of vehicles in respect to their fuel consumption; the newly introduced tax regime: Inovar-Auto establishes less taxation to more efficient vehicles. This and other environmental concerns are demanding the reduction of CO2 emissions. Due to cost restrictions, the A/C systems installed in those vehicles, in most of the cases, are too simple and inefficient.

The adoption of the newly developed self-standing grid construction allows a more flexible layout of the electrodes and location of the grids, while reducing the number of grid leads. These improvements make it possible to minimize the lead pitch and to increase the flexibility of the lead out position. For example, the leads of the new clip-on type displays will allow them to be condensed on one side of the display, while in the case of the ordinary Vacuum Fluorescent Displays (VFDs) the leads are located on both the top and the bottom. By connecting flat cables to the minimized leads, a clip-on VFD was successfully developed, which is excellent in terms of mounting flexibility, circuit maintenance, system cost and function. The manufacturing process and features of the clip-on VFD will be described later.

A two pedal drive device has been developped, using a standard dry clutch, an electric motor as an actuator and a microprocessor control. With the help of a compensator spring, a low power, low inertia motor with a fast response can be used. The control characteristic is basically a centrifugal law, with several modifications. Several sensors input information into the microprocessor and compensate for manufacturing tolerances and lining wear. The Electronic Clutch Control has been fitted to different cars and has given optimal results. It can be used in conjunction with manual transmissions, CVTs or other types of transmissions.

The cost of fuel control systems for small gas turbine engines is quite high and could be significantly reduced by simplifying the fuel metering system and bringing it under electronic control. Such an attempt has been made regarding the popular Bendix DP-F2 fuel control unit (FCU). Presently, the DP-F2 FCU is using a metering valve with a complex profile head, being moved in a calibrated orifice using double bellows operated by the compressor pressure. The differential pressure across the metering valve is controlled by a bypass valve fitted with a diaphragm which moves a shaped plunger inside a multi-orifice barrel. It is proposed to use a pressure balanced metering valve with a plunger moved in a slitted barrel by a stepper motor, which is changing the valve flow area according to the engine compressor pressure signal.

In the past, In-Circuit Emulations of single chip microcontrollers were accomplished by expensive emulators with elaborate development computers as drivers. This is no longer true with intelligent hardware design and the introduction of the Personal Computer (PC). This paper discusses two emulation tools for the MCS-96 family of 16-bit microcontrollers using a PC as it's host computer and minimal hardware design for almost a nonintrusive emulation tool for under $500.