Effects of stack array orientation on fuel cell efficiency for auxiliary power unit applications

The commercial fuel cell products currently appearing on the market are self-contained fuel cell engines. These engines can be used for many applications that are presently dominated by internal combustion engines or batteries. Vehicle mounted fuel cell auxiliary power units have been attracting attention lately. Additionally, there is a market based incentive to use multiple small fuel cell arrays in place of a single large fuel cell for some applications. Typically, fuel cells are designed to operate as stand-alone units. This paper investigates the ability of small commercial stacks to operate in common array arrangements. Although an individual Nexa is able to produce 1500 W, Dual Nexas do not maintain that capability while in array configurations. With an overall load share ratio of 1.02:1 the series array reliably produced 2900 W of power, while with an overall load share ratio of 1.09:1 the parallel array reliably produced only 2800 W of power. This study shows that array orientation affects both system stack net efficiency and individual stack net efficiency. The information gained from this study may be helpful for fuel cell design and integration.     

Hydroplaning simulations for tires using FEM,FVM and an asymptotic method

Hydroplaning tires have been frequently simulated using commercial explicit FEM (Finite Element Method) codes. However, these simulations are slow, and the result of the lift force is so oscillatory that the hydroplaning speed cannot be accurately determined. Thus, in the author’s previous study, a new methodology using FDM (Finite Difference Method) code and an FE tire model iteratively was proposed. However, this full iteration method still required a long computation time, especially for patterned tires. Thus, in this study, the full iteration methodology was modified such that no iteration or only one additional iteration was needed at each speed. Then, by applying the full iteration method, no iteration method and one iteration method, the hydroplaning speeds of a straight-grooved tire were determined, and it was noted that the hydroplaning speed obtained from the one iteration method was almost the same as that obtained from the full iteration method. Moreover, the hydroplaning speeds of two patterned tires were determined using the one iteration method, and they were compared with the hydroplaning speeds obtained experimentally.     

Processing and fiber content effects on the machinability of compression moulded random direction short GFRP composites

The random direction short Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastics (GFRP) have been prepared by two compression moulding processes, namely the Preform and Sheet Moulding Compound (SMC) processes. Cutting force analysis and surface characterization are conducted on the random direction short GFRPs with varying fiber contents (25∼40%). Edge trimming experiments are preformed using carbide inserts with varing the depth of cut and cutting speed. Machining characteristics of the Preform and SMC processed random direction short GFRPs are evaluated in terms of cutting forces, surface quality, and tool wear. It is found that composite primary processing and fiber contents are major contributing factors influencing the cutting force magnitudes and surface textures. The SMC composites show better surface finish over the Preform composites due to less delamination and fiber pullouts. Moreover, matrix damage and fiber protrusions at the machined edge are reduced by increasing fiber content in the random direction short GFRP composites.     

Optimal design of an engine mount using an enhanced genetic algorithm with simplex method

This study provides an analysis of the applications of optimization routines for designing fluid mounts. After summarizing the concept of fluid mounts and their dynamic characteristics, we review the importance of the notch and resonance peak that occur in dynamic stiffness of fluid mounts. Fluid mounts are tuned for specific application so that their notch frequency coincides with the disturbance frequency, by selecting the proper parameters for the mount. Additionally, the mount parameters are selected such that the notch remains as deep (close to zero) as possible and the resonance peak is kept as short as possible. The notch depth and resonance peak present opposing requirements for the selection of mount parameters in the sense that lowering one will result in increasing the other. Using a bond graph model, this study will evaluate the effect of various parameters on the mount notch depth and resonance peak height characteristics. The results show that different parameters can have a varying effect on the notch frequency and depth, as well as the resonance frequency and peak height. The results of the study are extended by examining the effectiveness of two different optimization methods—namely, the Enhanced Genetic Algorithm (EGA) and Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP)—for selecting the combination of parameters that can yield the deepest notch and shortest resonance peak. Using two different design cases, the study shows that SQP exhibits much more sensitivity to the initial conditions that are selected for the mount parameters than EGA. Both methods, however, are able to converge to an optimal solution within the constraints that are selected for the parameters. For both cases, EGA is able to converge to the set of parameters that provide a deep notch and a short resonance peak.     

Experimental study on the characteristics of nano-particle emissions from a heavy-duty diesel engine using a urea-SCR system

Particulate matter in diesel engine exhaust, particularly nano-particles, can cause serious human health problems including diseases such as lung cancer. Because diesel nano-particle issues are of global concern, regulations on particulate matter emissions specify that not only the weight of particulate matter emitted but also the concentration of nanoparticles must be controlled. This study aimed to determine the effects on nano-particle and PM emissions from a diesel engine when applying a urea-SCR system for NO_x reduction. We found that PM weight increases by approximately 90% when urea is injected in ND-13 mode over the emission without urea injection. Additionally, PM weight increases as the NH₃/NO_x mole ratio is increased at 250 °C. In SEM scans of the collected PM, spherical particles were observed during urea injection, with sizes of approximately 200 nm to 1 μm. This study was designed to determine the conditions under which nano-particles and PM are formed in a urea-SCR system and to relate these conditions to particle size and shape via a quantitative analysis in ND-13 mode.     

A comparative study on the power characteristics and control strategies for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles

A comparative study was performed on two types of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs): the GM Volt and the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid. First, the powertrain models of the two vehicles were derived. Based on the dynamic models, a detailed component control algorithm was developed for each PHEV. Specifically, a control algorithm was proposed for motor generator 1 (MG1) and MG2 to achieve optimal engine operation. Additionally, an energy management strategy for selecting the operation mode was developed from the viewpoint of fuel economy, battery state of charge and vehicle velocity. Using the dynamic model of the control algorithm for each PHEV, simulations were performed, and the simulation results were verified by comparing them with those obtained using the Powertrain System Analysis Toolkit simulator for the plug-in Prius. Based on the simulation results, a comparative study was performed, and it was found that the role and capacity of MG1 and MG2 and the mode selection algorithm must be determined depending on the configuration of the PHEV.     

Reaction characteristics of the diesel oxidation catalyst of particulate matters from the diffusion flame of a oiler burner

The objective of this experimental study is to investigate the characteristics of the size distribution and the number concentration of PM (particulate matters) emitted from the diffusion flame of a boiler burner, which has the same type of combustion as a diesel engine. This study is performed to investigate the emission characteristics of nanoparticles generated from diffusion combustion in diesel fuel, and it considered fuel factors and the reaction characteristics of the nanoparticles on the DOC (Diesel oxidation catalyst). The factors examined in this experiment included the sulfur content in the fuel, the blend of the diesel fuel containing biodiesel and bio-ethanol, and the concentration of engine oil (0.1% and 1.0%) blended with diesel fuel. The particle size distribution of the nanoparticles exhausted from the boiler burner was measured by an SMPS (scanning mobility particle sizer). The number concentration of PM that were smaller than 70 nm in diameter greatly increased in the rear of the DOC when fuel containing 250 ppm of sulfur was used. The experiment also suggested that the particle number concentration in both the front and rear of the DOC was lower when ULSD (ultra low sulfur diesel) fuel blended with biodiesel and bio-ethanol, which are oxygenated fuels, was used than when only ULSD fuel was used. The higher the content of engine oil in the fuel, the higher the particle number concentration was in the front and rear of the catalyst. When the first dilution air temperature is increased from 30°C to 180°C, the nanoparticle number concentration dramatically dropped in the rear of the catalyst when fuel containing 250 ppm of sulfur was used, while the particle size distribution remained almost the same when the fuel with engine oil was used.     

Multimodal route choice in maritime transportation: the case of Korean auto-parts exporters

Global offshoring has increased the need for transport of half-finished goods and components, along with finished goods. The auto-parts industry in Korea has also entered the global market as Korean car manufacturers have started to build overseas factories. Maintaining cost competitiveness by minimising total logistics costs will thus be a critical strategy for the industry. This research compares the total annual costs of four feasible transport routes from Korea to the US using the inventory-theoretic model, which encompasses direct transport costs, in-transit carrying costs, and warehouse inventory costs. We apply this model to real transport data collected from a Korean auto-parts company. A static analysis shows that inventory costs can play a decisive role in altering the cost competitiveness of different routes. In addition, sensitivity and scenario analyses with changes in variables and the market situations reveal that the cost structure of each route plays an important role in determining their relative cost competitiveness in varying market conditions.     

Implementation of an executable business process management model for the ship hull production design process

The shipbuilding industry has adopted IT convergence as a new engine for growth encompassing conventional production know-how and economies of scale. Brand new solutions for enterprise IT, such as three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design (CAD) systems, enterprise resource planning systems, and product lifecycle management systems have been adopted and customized to shipyards and contribute to productivity enhancement. As part of IT convergence in the shipbuilding industry, we examine the adoption of business process management (BPM) for the ship hull production design process. Ship hull production design, a process-based task, requires the most man-hours among all ship design processes and is directly coupled with ship production; thus, improvements in this task can contribute hugely toward enhancing productivity. First, we explain the concept of the executable model, which is an essential condition for executing defined processes in a business process management system (BPMS). In addition, we analyze the hull production design task and use this as the basis of a process to build executable BPM models. Thus, we present detailed implementations and the expected effects for the BPM execution of the hull production design process. The executable BPM model of the hull production design process is implemented using Bonita Open-Solution 5.5, a representative open-source BPMS.     

Design of propeller geometry using streamline-adapted blade sections

We refine the geometry of a propeller by modifying the blade sections to align them with surface streamlines, obtained by the panel method. Redefinition of the blade sections aligned with the streamlines is provided together with surface modeling scheme by which model propellers were built. Numerical simulations and open-water tests on models suggest a possible increase of 1% in propeller efficiency.