Vehicle Fuel Efficiency, Improving Fuel Economy and Engine Performance to reduce Environmental Impact

Hafiz Mumtaz Alam 08-MS-EM-07

Fuel efficiency of vehicles

1. Fuel consumption is the amount of fuel used per unit distance; for example, liters per 100 Kilometers(L/100 km). In this case, the lower the value, the more economic a vehicle is. 2. Fuel economy is the distance travelled per unit volume of fuel used; for example, kilometers per liter (km/L) or miles per gallon (MPG). In this case, the higher the value, the more economic a vehicle is .

 Fuel economy and fuel consumption are reciprocal quantities. To convert between L/100 km and miles per US Gallon, divide 235 by the number in question.

 In Europe, the following are the standard measuring cycles for "litre/100 km" value :

Urban Fuel Economy Extra urban Fuel Economy Overall fuel economy (complete cycle) CO2 emission (complete cycle)

 Urban" traffic with speeds up to 50 km/h from a cold start (first 800 seconds) Extra urban" travel at various speeds up to 120 km/h which follows the urban test (800 to 1200s)

 The following parameters are also generally measured to validate the compliance to European emission standards: 1.Carbon monoxide 2.Unburnt hydrocarbons 3.Nitrogen oxides 4.Particulate matter

Test Procedure
The cycle must be performed on a cold vehicle at 20C (68F). The cycles may be performed on a flat road, in the absence of wind. However, to improve repeatability, they are generally performed on a roller test bench. This type of bench is equipped with an electrical machine to emulate resistance due to aerodynamic drag and vehicle mass (inertia).

 For each vehicle configuration, a look-up table is applied, each speed corresponds to a certain value of resistance (reverse torque applied to the drive wheels). This arrangement enables the use of a single physical vehicle to test all vehicle body styles (Sedan, hatchback, MPV...) by simply changing the look-up table.

A fan is coupled to the roller bench to provide the vehicle air intakes with an airflow matching the current speed.

Roller test bench with a power of 300 kw

Engine Performance and Fuel Economy

Maintenance Minimizing mass and improving aerodynamics

Efficient speeds
Choice of gear (manual transmissions Acceleration and deceleration (braking) Fuel type

 The energy in fuel consumed in driving is lost in many ways, including engine inefficiency, aerodynamic drag, rolling friction, and kinetic energy lost to braking
Driver behavior can influence all of these. The city mileage of conventional cars is lower than highway mileage due to: 1) a high proportion of idling time, 2) a low proportion of time in the most-efficient speed zone, and 3) more frequent braking.

 We can increase engine performance by increasing fuel economy and decreasing fuel consumption
Since CO2 emissions are directly proportional to fuel consumption, So we can control these emissions by having better fuel consumption of a vehicle.

Vehicle efficiency and Environmental Impact

Fuel efficiency directly affects emissions causing pollution and potentially leading to climate change by affecting the amount of fuel used. It also depends on the fuel source used to drive the vehicle concerned.

Cars can, for example, run on a number of fuel types other than gasoline, such as natural gas, LPG or bio fuel or electricity which creates various quantities of atmospheric pollution.

 A related measure of fuel efficiency is the amount of carbon dioxide produced as a result of the combustion process, typically measured in grams of CO2 per kilometer (CO2 g/km).
A petrol (gasoline) engine will produce around 2.32 kg of carbon dioxide for each liter of petrol consumed (19.4 lb/gal). A typical diesel engine produces 2.66 kg/L (22.23 lb/gal) Since the CO2 emissions are relatively constant per liter, they are proportional to fuel consumption. The more fuel a car burns, the more CO2 it emits.

 There is also a growing movement of drivers who practice ways to increase their MPG and save fuel through driving techniques. They are often referred to as hypermilers. Hypermilers have broken records of fuel efficiency, averaging 109 miles per gallon. Advances in engine and vehicle technology continually reduce the toxicity of exhaust leaving the engine. Therefore, technologies to detoxify the exhaust are an essential part of emissions control.

Emissions Control Techniques

Air injection Exhaust gas recirculation Catalytic converters