Thermal design of automobile exhaust based thermoelectric generators: Objectives and challenges

The potential for thermoelectric power generation (via waste heat recovery onboard automobiles) to displace alternators and/or provide additional charging to a vehicle battery pack has increased with recent advances in thermoelectric material processing. In gasoline fueled vehicles (GFVs), about 40% of fuel energy is wasted in exhaust heat, while a smaller amount of energy (30%) is ejected through the engine coolant. Therefore, exhaust-based thermoelectric generators (ETEG) have been a focus for GFV applications since the late 1980s. The conversion efficiency of modern thermoelectric materials has increased more than three-fold in the last two decades; however, disputes as to the thermal design of ETEG systems has kept their overall efficiency at limited and insufficient values. There are many challenges in the thermal design of ETEG systems, such as increasing the efficiency of the heat exchangers (hot box and cold plate), maintaining a sufficient temperature difference across the thermoelectric modules during different operating conditions, and reducing thermal losses through the system as a whole. This paper focuses on a review of the main aspects of thermal design of ETEG systems through various investigations performed over the past twenty years. This paper is organized as follows: first, the construction of a typical ETEG is described. The heat balance and efficiency of ETEG are then discussed. Then, the third section of this paper emphasizes the main objectives and challenges for designing efficient ETEG systems. Finally, a review of ETEG research activities over the last twenty years is presented to focus on methods used by the research community to address such challenges.     

舰船电力系统中智能电网技术的应用浅析

  目的  由于海面传感器的耗能点分散、负荷波动幅度较大且节能降耗的需求迫切,为了优化能量供给模式,提出面向海面传感器的船载能量网络（SEN）。  方法  首先,基于车载能量网络、动态无线充电技术及电动船舶技术,分析SEN模型的可行性;然后,基于海面传感器的特点,建立SEN模型,提出能量传输最大化和能量损失最小化这2个问题,并定义问题模型和约束函数;最后,通过开源模型MaritimeSim选取基础实验数据集。  结果  实验结果表明,通过合理设置参数,SEN能够将海上可再生能量传输至海面传感器节点,从而补充电力网络并增强其电能传输能力。  结论  研究成果可为优化海面传感器的能量供给提供新的设计方法。     

国外潜艇声隐身前沿技术发展综述

  目的  针对单一腔型声学覆盖层低频隔声性能和耐压性能较差的特点,使用COMSOL有限元软件计算组合空腔结构声学覆盖层的声学性能和在静水压力下的变形量。  方法  将COMSOL软件仿真结果与前人的实验值进行对比,以验证采用COMSOL软件计算声学覆盖层隔声量和吸声系数的有效性,并研究组合空腔几何尺寸和小孔结构对声学覆盖层的隔声、吸声和耐压性能的影响。  结果  结果表明：声学覆盖层的空腔体积越大,低频段的隔声性能越好,中、高频段的吸声性能变差, 相邻空腔之间的距离增大会降低低频段的隔声量;空腔对耐压性能的影响在于其体积占比越大,耐压性能越差; 在组合空腔四周布置一定数量的圆柱小孔会提高声学覆盖层低频段的隔声和吸声性能,并使峰值频率向低频移动。  结论  因此,组合空腔中几何尺寸的选取需考虑低频隔声性能与耐压性能之间的平衡,在组合空腔四周布置圆柱小孔也能改善声学覆盖层的低频声学性能。     

Biofuel futures in road transport – A modeling analysis for Sweden

First and second generation biofuels are among few low-carbon alternatives for road transport that currently are commercially available or in an early commercialization phase. They are thus potential options for meeting climate targets in the medium term. For the case of Sweden, we investigate cost-efficient use of biofuels in road transport under system-wide CO₂ reduction targets to 2050, and the effects of implementation of targets for an almost fossil-free road transport sector to 2030. We apply the bottom-up, optimization MARKAL_Sweden model, which covers the entire Swedish energy system including the transport sector. For CO₂ reductions of 80% to 2050 in the Swedish energy system as a whole, the results of the main scenario show an annual growth rate for road transport biofuels of about 6% from 2010 to 2050, with biofuels accounting for 78% of road transport final energy use in 2050. The preferred biofuel choices are methanol and biomethane. When introducing additional fossil fuel phase-out policies in road transport (−80% to 2030), a doubling of the growth rate to 2030 is required and system CO₂ abatement costs increases by 6% for the main scenario. Results imply that second generation biofuels, along with energy-efficient vehicle technologies such as plug-in hybrids, can be an important part of optimized system solutions meeting stringent medium-term climate targets.     

The load-dependent vehicle routing problem and its pick-up and delivery extension

The present paper examines a Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) of major practical importance which is referred to as the Load-Dependent VRP (LDVRP). LDVRP is applicable for transportation activities where the weight of the transported cargo accounts for a significant part of the vehicle gross weight. Contrary to the basic VRP which calls for the minimization of the distance travelled, the LDVRP objective is aimed at minimizing the total product of the distance travelled and the gross weight carried along this distance. Thus, it is capable of producing sensible routing plans which take into account the variation of the cargo weight along the vehicle trips. The LDVRP objective is closely related to the total energy requirements of the vehicle fleet, making it a credible alternative when the environmental aspects of transportation activities are examined and optimized. A novel LDVRP extension which considers simultaneous pick-up and delivery service is introduced, formulated and solved for the first time. To deal with large-scale instances of the examined problems, we propose a local-search algorithm. Towards an efficient implementation, the local-search algorithm employs a computational scheme which calculates the complex weighted-distance objective changes in constant time. Solution results are presented for both problems on a variety of well-known test cases demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed solution approach. The structure of the obtained LDVRP and VRP solutions is compared in pursuit of interesting conclusions on the relative suitability of the two routing models, when the decision maker must deal with the weighted distance objective. In addition, results of a branch-and-cut procedure for small-scale instances of the LDVRP with simultaneous pick-ups and deliveries are reported. Finally, extensive computational experiments have been performed to explore the managerial implications of three key problem characteristics, namely the deviation of customer demands, the cargo to tare weight ratio, as well as the size of the available vehicle fleet.     

Transport energy consumption in mountainous roads. A comparative case study for internal combustion engines and electric vehicles in Andorra

This paper analyses transport energy consumption of conventional and electric vehicles in mountainous roads. A standard round trip in Andorra has been modelled in order to characterise vehicle dynamics in hilly regions. Two conventional diesel vehicles and their electric-equivalent models have been simulated and their performances have been compared. Six scenarios have been simulated to study the effects of factors such as orography, traffic congestion and driving style. The European fuel consumption and emissions test and Artemis urban driving cycles, representative of European driving cycles, have also been included in the comparative analysis. The results show that road grade has a major impact on fuel economy, although it affects consumption in different levels depending on the technology analysed. Electric vehicles are less affected by this factor as opposed to conventional vehicles, increasing the potential energy savings in a hypothetical electrification of the car fleet. However, electric vehicle range in mountainous terrains is lower compared to that estimated by manufacturers, a fact that could adversely affect a massive adoption of electric cars in the short term.     

Distributed MPC for cooperative highway driving and energy-economy validation via microscopic simulations

Traffic congestion and energy issues have set a high bar for current ground transportation systems. With advances in vehicular communication technologies, collaborations of connected vehicles have becoming a fundamental block to build automated highway transportation systems of high efficiency. This paper presents a distributed optimal control scheme that takes into account macroscopic traffic management and microscopic vehicle dynamics to achieve efficiently cooperative highway driving. Critical traffic information beyond the scope of human perception is obtained from connected vehicles downstream to establish necessary traffic management mitigating congestion. With backpropagating traffic management advice, a connected vehicle having an adjustment intention exchanges control-oriented information with immediately connected neighbors to establish potential cooperation consensus, and to generate cooperative control actions. To achieve this goal, a distributed model predictive control (DMPC) scheme is developed accounting for driving safety and efficiency. By coupling the states of collaborators in the optimization index, connected vehicles achieve fundamental highway maneuvers cooperatively and optimally. The performance of the distributed control scheme and the energy-saving potential of conducting such cooperation are tested in a mixed highway traffic environment by the means of microscopic simulations.     

Greenhouse gas emissions from ships in ports – Case studies in four continents

Emissions of GHG from the transport sector and how to reduce them are major challenges for policy makers. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the level of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships while in port based on annual data from Port of Gothenburg, Port of Long Beach, Port of Osaka and Sydney Ports. Port call statistics including IMO number, ship name, berth number and time spent at berth for each ship call, were provided by each participating port. The IMO numbers were used to match each port call to ship specifications from the IHS database Sea-web. All data were analysed with a model developed by the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute for the purpose of quantifying GHG emissions (as CO₂-equivalent) from ships in the port area. Emissions from five operational modes are summed in order to account for ship operations in the different traffic areas. The model estimates total GHG emissions of 150,000, 240,000, 97,000, and 95,000 tonnes CO₂ equivalents per year for Gothenburg, Long Beach, Osaka, and Sydney, respectively. Four important emission-reduction measures are discussed: reduced speed in fairway channels, on-shore power supply, reduced turnaround time at berth and alternative fuels. It is argued that the potential to reduce emissions in a port area depends on how often a ship revisits a port: there it in general is easier to implement measures for high-frequent liners. Ships that call 10 times or less contribute significantly to emissions in all ports.     

铁路隧道下穿既有公路地层变形特性研究

文章结合张唐铁路工程燕山隧道下穿公路出口段,采用三维有限差分程序,研究分析了其施工过程中的地层变形特性、力学响应、能量积聚及塑性区分布特征.研究结果表明:公路最大沉降量小于规范要求,围岩竖向最大变形为20 mm,水平变形为16 mm;掌子面前方挤出变形明显,最大值为38 mm;边墙能量密度集中现象较显著,位于距洞壁5 m深部围岩处;掌子面前方6 m左右围岩处出现能量积聚,为掌子面稳定关键部位:塑性区主要集中在掌子面前方、拱肩、边墙及墙脚.为此,建议对掌子面进行预加固,保证墙脚和拱肩部位配筋,提高结构整体稳定性.