Structural design of an outer tie rod for a passenger car

This study proposes a structural design method for an outer tie rod installed in a passenger car. The weight of the outer tie rod is optimized by using the aluminum alloy Al6082M, which is developed as a steel-substitute material, and applying structural optimization techniques. The high strength aluminum with improved mechanical properties was developed to reduce the weight of the outer tie rod. The newly developed aluminum alloy Al6082M is applied as the material of the outer tie rod. The static strength due to inertia force, durability and buckling performances are considered in the structural design of the outer tie rod. At the proto design stage of a new outer tie rod, it is cost-effective to utilize FE (finite element) analysis to predict each of these performances. In addition, the current trend in the structural design of automobile parts is to use optimization techniques to reduce the weights of the parts. First, for an arbitrary base design, the static strength, the life cycle and the buckling load are calculated to check whether the design satisfies its criteria. Then, the critical performance is selected so as to include its loading condition only in the optimization process. In this study, the metamodel based optimization process using kriging is adopted to obtain the minimum weight satisfying the critical design requirement. Then, the feasibility of the determined optimum shape is investigated against the other performances. Finally, the optimum design of outer tie rod is modified by considering forging efficiency. The performances of the final design are investigated through simulation and experiment.     

Neural-empirical tyre model based on recursive lazy learning under combined longitudinal and lateral slip conditions

The behaviour of the tyre plays an important role in the vehicle handling. An accurate tyre model that estimates these forces and moments it is highly essential for the studies of vehicle behaviour. For the last ten years neural networks have attracted a great deal of attention in vehicle dynamics and control. Neural networks have been effectively applied to model complex systems due to their good learning capability. In this paper a recursive lazy learning method based on neural networks is considered to model the tyre characteristics under combined braking and cornering. The proposed method is validated by comparison with experimental obtained responses. Results show the estimated model correlates very well with the data obtained experimentally. Moreover, the neural model proposed allows to include the asymetric tyre behaviour in the tyre model without difficulty.     

Development of a hardware in the loop simulation system for electric power steering in vehicles

In this paper, a hardware-in-the-loop simulation (HILS) system was developed before the development of an electric power steering (EPS) system in a vehicle. This study was focused on the establishment of the HILS system. Driving conditions are simulated with the HILS system. The actual steering input parameters are confirmed on the monitor while driving the HILS system. The steering forces observed in the simulation with the developed HILS system are similar to those in real vehicle tests. The developed HILS system can be applied in the development of various types of EPS systems.     

Experimental evaluation of SOF effects on EGR cooler fouling under various flow conditions

An experiment was conducted to characterize the effects of SOF on EGR cooler fouling. A removable singletube test rig combined with a soot generator was developed to represent an EGR cooler and diesel exhaust gas. The use of a soot generator, which controlled the size and concentration of soot particles, enabled independent variables to be completely controlled. Either n-dodecane or diesel lube oil as substitute SOFs were vaporized and injected into the test rig to evaluate their effects on the growth of PM deposits and the degradation performance of the EGR cooler. Coolant temperature, which seemed to be associated with SOF content, was chosen as an independent variable, and PM deposit mass per unit area and the effectiveness drop versus time increased as the coolant temperature decreased. The PM deposit mass per unit area and effectiveness drop had maximum values at a coolant temperature of 40°C for every n-dodecane injection rate. For substitute SOFs tested in this experiment, the deposit mass increased when either n-dodecane or diesel lube oil was injected, but the effect of lube oil was more significant. Diesel lube oil seemed to have a stronger effect on the reduction of thermal conductivity by filling pores in the deposits. When diesel lube oil was injected, the deposit mass per unit area increased 127% compared to dry soot without injection. The effectiveness drop after 10 hours increased only 12.5%.     

Road identification in monocular color images using random forest and color correlogram

This paper presents a system to identify road and non-road regions from monocular color images of paved and unpaved roads. Despite being a single object, the road in these images is subject to large changes in appearance due to environmental effects and track materials. This condition has challenged the practical application of road identification. The proposed system combines random forest with color correlogram to overcome such conditions and offers a classifier for road and non-road regions in traffic images. As a color feature, the color correlogram depicts the spatial correlation of color changes in an image. Using random forest, road identification is formulated as a learning paradigm. The combined effects of color correlograms and random forest create a robust system capable of identifying roads even in variable situations in real time. This combination is more effective than other combinations, such as a color histogram plus random forest, a color correlogram plus neural network, or a color histogram plus neural network.     

Development of a new analytical model for a railway vehicle equipped with independently rotating wheels

The urban tram introduced recently has a low-floor structure for the convenience of passengers getting on and off. To adjust the low-floor level and improve performance on curves, most low-floor trams have IRWs (independently rotating wheels) with no central axle between the two wheels. Eliminating the central axle, however, creates several inherent problems, such as insufficient guiding force and excessive wear. To analyze these problems, a new analytical model is described in this paper to describe the dynamic characteristics of IRWs more precisely. This analytical model is developed to consider the effects of longitudinal creep in particular, which have been ignored in conventional analytical models of IRWs. In addition, a running stability analysis based on the newly developed analytical model is conducted to compare the critical speeds of IRW-axle vehicles and rigid-axle vehicles. The dynamic characteristics of an initial disturbance are compared to verify that the analytical model is effective in expressing the dynamic characteristics of IRWs.     

Study of n-C<Subscript>12</Subscript>H<Subscript>26</Subscript> reforming over DFC catalyst in a simulated diesel exhaust

In lean-DeNOX catalysis reactions, hydrogen is a good reducing agent in PGM catalysts as well as an effective promoter in selective catalytic reduction reactions over base metal oxide catalysts. However, such a lean-DeNOX system, which uses hydrogen, requires an on-board fuel reforming system applicable to internal combustion engines. In this study, catalytic partial oxidation (CPOx) performance was tested in a laboratory for various reactants and hydrocarbon conditions. Volume concentrations of 5–10% oxygen and 0-5% water vapor were used to simulate diesel exhaust, and n-C₁₂H₂₆ was used as the feedstock for the reforming reaction. In the CPOx of n-C₁₂H₂₆, the highest hydrogen selectivity was 64% and was achieved at 100,000 h-1 GHSV. Additionally, the C/O ratio was less than unity in the absence of water vapor. However, as the water concentration was increased to 2.5 and 5.0 vol. % in the n-C₁₂H₂₆ CPOx reactions, the maximum hydrogen selectivity was increased from 64% in the absence of water to 70% and 75%, respectively. This effect is a consequence of the water-gas shift reaction over the catalyst bed. Regarding oxygen concentration effects, hydrogen selectivity slightly increased with increasing oxygen concentration from 10% to 15%. It was also found that the CPOx reaction of n-C₁₂H₂₆ can be ignited at temperatures below 300 C. Accordingly, it can be concluded that CPOx is a useful and feasible device for promoting diesel DeNOx catalysis in terms of hydrogen productivity and reaction initiation.     

Effect of the fuel injection strategy on first-cycle firing and combustion characteristics during cold start in a TSDI gasoline engine

The first firing cycle is very important during cold-start for all types of spark ignition engines. In addition, the combustion characteristics of the first firing cycle affect combustion and emissions in the following cycles. However, the first-cycle fuel-air mixing, combustion and emissions generation within the cylinder of a two-stage direct-injection (TSDI) engine during cold start is not completely understood. Based on the total stoichiometric air-fuel ratio and local richer mixture startup strategy, the first-cycle firing and combustion characteristic at cold start were investigated in a two-stage direct injection (TSDI) gasoline engine. In addition, the effects of the first injection timing, second injection timing, 1st and 2nd fuel injection proportion and total excess air ratio on the in-cylinder pressure, heat release rate and accumulated heat release were analyzed on the basis of a cycle-by-cycle analysis. It is shown that a larger 2nd fuel injection amount and later 2nd injection timing are more beneficial to the firing of the first cycle in the case of a total excess air ratio of 1.0. The optimum 1st and 2nd injection timing fuel injection proportions are 120°CA ATDC during the intake stroke, 60°CA BTDC during the compression stroke and 1:1. In addition, the firing boundary is a 2nd injection timing later than 90°CA BTDC during the compression stroke in the case of the 1st injection timing from 60°CA to 180°CA ATDC during an intake stroke and involves a 1st and 2nd fuel injection proportion of 1:1 and an excess air ratio of 1.0. The study provides a detailed understanding of cold-start combustion characteristics and a guide for optimizing the reliable first-cycle firing at cold start.     

New metal fitting geometry and optimization of the swaging parameters for an automobile power steering hose

To solve the power steering (PS) hose oil leakage problem in automobile applications, a new geometry design of the metal fitting is required, and the swaging conditions applied to the PS hose should be optimized. In this study, a new metal fitting geometry for the PS hose was proposed. A CAE simulation for both the proposed and the conventional metal fittings was conducted, and both the stress and the strain in the PS hose were compared. An experimental verification was also performed with these two different metal fittings. Additionally, the swaging conditions were optimized by the durability cycle time, which was measured in an impulse test of the swaged PS hose. For a more economical production, practical working conditions were also recommended and experimentally verified.     

Establishment of an installation process of a valve seat to a cylinder head using the cae technique

Valve seats press-fitted in the cylinder head function to hold exhaust gas inside the ignition chamber and to transfer heat to the coolant moving in the water jacket of the head. The press-fitting of the valve seats to the head at ambient temperature has been widely spread out due to its many advantages over pressing with frozen valve seats or with a heated head. The benefits include lower equipment costs, lower running costs, and fewer installation faults during the press-fitting. Nevertheless, a systematic approach for pressing at ambient temperature (ATP; ambient temperature press-fitting) has not been studied and analyzed to date. A technique to check the reliability of the press-fitting by measuring hoop strain inside the valve seat and the FEM procedure to simulate ATP is developed in this study. The FEM procedure of ATP developed here exhibits a concurrence with experimental results. Utilizing the DOE (Design of Experiments) technique, we determined the effects of various geometric parameters and the optimal shapes of the valve seat and cylinder head. The optimal shapes have been successfully applied in an actual engine and varified in a running-engine test.