We don’t often look at marine transport here at TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk but we thought this latest development was worthy of mentioning to our environmentally conscious readers.
Ricardo has formed the Ship Efficiency & Energy Storage Assessment (SeEsA) consortium to investigate energy management of marine propulsion and auxiliary power systems to identify technological solutions for everything from cruise ships to container ships and tankers. The company believes that by implementing new generation energy management technologies, fuel consumption could be slashed by 15-25 per cent.
The consortium will work with partners subscribing to a core programme of work that can be adapted to meet their specific needs. The first phase focuses on assessing the best energy storage solution for a complete propulsion system; with a range of energy storage solutions to be looked at including battery technologies, ultracapacitors and flywheel based systems.
It is expected that the prime movers will include diesel and gas engines as well as gas and steam turbines.
From there, a second phase will focus on analysing and investigating the efficiency of sub systems including engine combustion and air handling methods with technologies to be considered including advanced air handling and combustion solutions. The aim is to identify how future ship operational practise can be optimised as the climate changes.
Known as the SeEsA consortium, it has been formally launched by Ricardo, but remains open to applications from prospective members.
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The UK Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) has launched a project to forecast and characterise the consumer market for plug-in electric vehicles.
As part of its £11million low carbon vehicle plan to support the roll-out of electric vehicles in the UK, the ETI will examine the cost drivers for new powertrain technologies and how these are likely to evolve over the next 40 years. There will also be a detailed segmentation of the market and an analysis of expected consumer behaviours when they are presented with this new transport option.
The research will be led by Ricardo and will also involve the Universities of Sussex and Aberdeen, along with TRL and Element Energy. They will aim to identify the key factors that will influence consumer behaviours while also producing detailed consumer models based on the findings.
According to Professor Neville Jackson, the Ricardo group chief innovation and technology officer, as well as the chairman of the UK Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles will have an important role to play in reducing overall carbon emissions but personal transportation is a complex system and a wide range of factors must be considered if an effective approach towards these new technologies is to be made.
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With a number of engineering issues surrounding the use of biofuels, global engineering firm Ricardo has launched a consortium with the aim of evaluating the impact of biofuels for both current and future light-duty engine technologies.
Ricardo hopes to use its insight and research skills in automotive technology to help the consortium address some of the pressing challenges of increased biofuel use. For example, in terms of biodiesel, the focus will be on the effect of the wide variability of fuel chemistry resulting from the broad range of potential feedstocks and the challenge of fuel storage that emerge from instability and reactivity to air.
The consortium will be open to oil companies, car manufacturers, tier one suppliers, additive manufacturers and government agencies. Its work will be structured into modules – the first of which focuses on the effect of biofuel content on diesel performance, emissions and economy. Three further modules are being considered: the effects of biofuel content on petrol performance, emissions and economy; the effects of biodiesel on vehicle stability; and the effects of biodiesel on fuel in oil dilution and how advanced post injection calibration techniques could limit this problem.
It is hoped that by adopting a modular approach there will be a flexible scope that maximises the benefits of the pre-competitive research and that it will enable members to share costs.
The consortium is part funded by the Department for Transport and will remain open to applications from members throughout the duration of work.
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A new project has set the ambitious goal of reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 30-40 per cent.
Known as the HyBoost project, this two-year research programme announced recently by the Technology Strategy Board, aims to demonstrate a cost-effective, ultra-efficient petrol engine in a C-segment passenger car. The research is being led by Ricardo, with partners including Controlled Power Technologies, Ford, Imperial College London, Valeo and the European Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium.
It hopes to produce a car that offers the performance of a 2.0litre model while keeping CO2 emissions below 100g/km. To achieve this, the partners will look into the synergistic application of an extremely downsized petrol engine as well as exhaust gas recovery, electrified boosting, micro-hybrid functionality with stop/start, regenerative braking, a novel energy storage technology and torque assist.
According to Neville Jackson, Ricardo group technology director, HyBoost could take the ‘average car’ into a new, greener era.
“HyBoost aims to demonstrate the very significant benefits that can be achieved using an intelligent combination of innovative technologies to deliver low carbon transport solutions,” he said.
“The stated targets of this research would enable a consumer-attractive ‘average car’ to be offered with CO2 emissions well below the mandated future target set for the European fleet average without compromising vehicle performance.”
The technologies will be restricted to innovations that can be practically produced in the near term and must be constructed with readily available and affordable materials with high scalability required to meet the needs of the automotive industry at large.
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A familiar name here on TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk is that of Ricardo. Ricardo, among other things is known product innovations within the automotive sector including the development of unique and advanced hybrid and electric car systems.
Yet this is not where the firm’s success within the industry ends, for Ricardo has also just been honoured with a ‘Noise Oscar’ for its development of its ‘WAVE’ software used to refine the performance of a car’s engine.
The highly innovative WAVE software product allows vehicle engineers to optimise exhaust and intake system geometry in such a manner as to maximise engine efficiency – including performance, emissions, fuel consumption and CO2 – while minimising radiated noise and improving auditory quality. The increasing use of WAVE by the automotive industry and related sectors including marine, power generation, construction and rail, has enabled significant improvements in engine performance to be made, both in terms of emissions and noise production.
Commended in the technology category, Ricardo attended the award ceremony held yesterday by the UK Noise Abatement Society. The awards, formally known as the John Connell Awards after the society’s founder recognise those to have been outstanding in their efforts to reduce the impact of noise nuisance and who have sought to pioneer practical and innovative solutions to noise pollution.
Commenting on the award, Ricardo UK Ltd engineering director Jason March said: “Ricardo shares the vision of the Noise Abatement Society in striving to reduce noise pollution and hence improve public health, productivity and quality of life. Over many years of on-going research and development our software engineers have striven to create CAE tools to enable both the improvement of sound quality and the minimisation of unwanted radiated noise from new products. We are particularly proud that our WAVE product has been recognised with a commendation by the Noise Abatement Society.”
The noise produced by road traffic is a serious threat to human health. Not only is it unpleasant, road noise is link to an increase risk of heart attacks.
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Eco-Innovation Technology Company Ricardo has been awarded a contract to develop a new vehicle under the Fuel Efficient Ground Vehicle Demonstrator programme for the US Army.
Known as the FED programme, it was launched in late 2008 with the goal of improving military vehicle technology while reducing fuel consumption on the battlefield and cutting the nation’s dependence on oil.
By applying its expertise, Ricardo will aim to develop and manufacture a demonstration vehicle that maximises fuel economy while maintaining the capability and performance of light tactical wheeled vehicles.
According to Paul Luskin, Ricardo’s chief programme engineer for the programme, the project is a testament to Ricardo’s experience in supporting military vehicles.
“The FED project leverages Ricardo’s experience and success in supporting the development of a broad range of military vehicles over several years,” he said. “In particular, TARDEC has recognised Ricardo’s role on the Future Tactical Truck System, in which we successfully implemented advanced technology into an innovative vehicle architecture.
“Our objectives include not only training embedded government engineers in order to enhance TARDEC’s vehicle engineering capability, but also educating government staff on the issues relating to fuel economy, including implementation of technology and trade-offs in performance requirements.”
The contract is for the second phase of the programme and follows on from the initial phase in which Ricardo applied its total vehicle fuel economy systems to evaluate current and emerging technologies that could improve the fuel efficiency of the entire vehicle. The efforts drew on Ricardo’s expertise across a variety of fields including hybrid propulsion, transmissions, driveline systems, controls and electronics.
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Ricardo, one of the leaders in the development of electric and hybrid vehicles, has welcomed President Obama’s announcement of $2.4billion in grants to accelerate the manufacturing and deployment of the next generation of US batteries and electric vehicles.
The company’s CEO Dave Shemmans described the Recovery Act funding as a “welcome stimulus” and said it should provide some much needed and far-sighted direction that other countries may wish to emulate.
“If the history of previous downturns holds any lessons for us, it is that as an industry we must not lose sight of the importance of research, development and product innovation,” he said. “But with the twin challenges of mitigating the effects of climate change and increasing energy security, it is all the more important that these efforts are given a clear focus.
“Measures aimed at spurring innovations that will increase the electrification of road transportation, such as those announced today, are to be welcomed as extremely good news for the auto industry as well as for society. This vision is shared by Ricardo and is reflected in our proactive investments in infrastructure and facilities in the area of electric and hybrid vehicle technologies and advanced battery systems development.”
The company has already established a Battery Systems Development Centre at its Detroit Technology Campus, which provides one of the world’s most comprehensive and integrated range of capabilities for turnkey development and application of high voltage battery pack systems in hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles.
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Previous advances in engine technology may have been based on separate developments by the fuel and lubricants industries, but Ricardo believes that there is a need for an integrated approach between automakers, Tier 1 equipment providers, lubricant additive manufacturers and oil companies.
That’s why the company has launched a new consortium to evaluate the lubricant innovations that are required to enable implementation of many promising low-friction, high efficiency engine technologies.
It believes that by bringing together interested parties from each industry sector, it can create a framework in which fundamental challenges can be investigated and researched.
The particular areas of interest would be: the implications of extreme engine downsizing and increased specific power; tolerance to increasing volumes of exhaust gas recirculation; advanced component designs and new material applications; a drive towards thinner, lower viscosity lubricants; and the chemical impacts of lubricants on biofuel dilution.
The consortium’s work will be structured into a series of modules. According to reports, it has already gained interest from many leading oil companies, lubricant additive manufacturers and car makers. A first meeting is planned in October 2009.
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With the need for vehicle manufacturers to deliver lower emissions, improved fuel economy and higher standards of durability and performance, Ricardo has enjoyed such massive demand for its engineering services that it has now opened a new €4million expansion of its test facilities.
The 800sq m expansion of its powertrain facilities in Schechingen has test bed capacities of up to 610kW and 3,500Nm torque. It is particularly suited to the demands of heavy duty diesel engine development as well as advanced after treatment technologies.
A dedicated dynamic tilting test bed which enables oil circuit development for the strong lateral G forces experienced in some high performance applications has also been included.
The expanded facility has two new fully transient powertrain test cells bringing the total at the facility up to 15. There is also space for a further two high specification powertrain test cells, one of which is expected to be commissioned in 2010. Its inauguration is part of an on-going strategy by Ricardo to expand its testing capacity in Germany in order to support the growth of its business in what is Europe’s largest automotive market. The company has also acquired a further 4,000sq m of land adjacent to the test centre to accommodate further expansion.
Peter Heuser, the company’s managing director, was thrilled with the site’s opening.
“Ricardo has enjoyed a period of dramatic expansion of its engineering service business in Germany over the past three years and it is important that we are able to offer our customers access to a comprehensive range of flexible and technically advanced test facilities to support their product development programmes,” he said.
“Our investment in this newly expanded test facility will provide, for example, a crucial enabling capability in assisting our heavy duty customers to achieve the requirements of Euro VI emissions, as well as our passenger car customers to meet the European goal of achieving a 130g/km CO2 fleet average.”
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Ricardo will team up with the Weifang Shengrui Power Machinery Technology Company to produce an advanced and globally competitive eight speed automatic transmission for manufacture in China.
Wiefang Shengrui is an independently held supplier of engine components to both the car manufacturers and engine builders in the Chinese market. It also supplies some of the leading manufacturers in Europe and has set its strategy of expansion into transmissions and hybrid powertrain components and systems.
The team, which will be based both at Ricardo Shanghai and at Ricardo’s UK Midlands Technical Centre, has acquired a development and production licence for an advanced eight speed automatic transmission concept that uses a combination of epicyclic and parallel axis gearing with three simple planetary gears that are used together with a single brake and four clutch units.
The system will have several advantages including a simple arrangement that requires no special gear design; a compact design with significant packaging benefits; flexibility for further adaptation for four-wheel drive; and the potential for excellent shift quality.
The production version of the transmission is planned for late 2011.
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