Overview
Reducing engine emissions, development of new power trains for future vehicles.
The project aims to develop new powertrain concepts able to give a substantial contribution to the achievement of a 50% CO2 reduction (based on 2005 figures) for passenger cars and light-duty vehicles for the new vehicle fleet in 2020. In particular, the research target on Spark Ignited Engine powered vehicles is to achieve 40% lower CO2 emissions with respect to the 2005 values and 20% lower CO2 emission than the 2005 level for Compression Ignition Engine powered vehicles. The objective includes the target of near-zero emission levels (better than EURO 6) maintained during the useful life of the engines.
Three different concepts will be investigated and implemented:
- Ultra downsizing gasoline engine integrating VVA, advanced turbo charging and Direct Injection;
- Two-stroke downsized diesel engine integrating HCCI and low temperature combustion modes;
- combined combustion system based on Compression Ignited engine dedicated to new fuel formulation.
Transversal supporting activities will be integrated for evaluating and assessing: advanced simulation methodologies for powertrain integration, advanced approaches for friction reduction (design solutions, coatings and surface treatments, lubricants), PEMS (Portable Emissions Measurement System) methodologies for real world emission analysis.
Funding
Results
Greener engines
An EU group proposed new design concepts for low-carbon-emission vehicles. Results generally exceeded EU6 standards, for both spark- and compression-ignited (CI) engines, while also yielding a new set of design tools.
As a response to climate change, the European Commission has proposed legislation limiting carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from new passenger cars. Achieving the target will require new engine concepts.
The EU-funded http://www.powerful-eu.org (POWERFUL) (Powertrain for future light-duty vehicles) project aimed to develop several low-emission powertrain concepts to be introduced before 2020. Targets included engines exceeding EU6 pollution standards. The spark-ignited (SI) designs were expected to produce 40 % less CO2 than 2005 levels, while the figure for CI engines was 20 % less.
Consortium members planned to achieve their targets via development of three engine types, the first being a low-cost, low-emissions SI model (SPV1). Secondly, one of two CI types would be able to run on tailored fuels and utilise low-temperature combustion (SPV2). The second CI type was intended as a two-stroke diesel model incorporating low thermal homogenous combustion (SPV3). Finally, the group planned additional new tools to support the design programme. The 18-member consortium ran between January 2010 and June 2014.
A long development and testing phase confirmed the effectiveness of the powertrain proposals. The project advanced four demonstration vehicles, three of which were delivered for New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) measurements. The SPV2 model fully achieved its targets, while SPV1 achieved a 30 % CO2 reduction instead of the planned 40 %.
The new concepts developed during the POWERFUL project generally achieved the set aims and otherwise showed promise. Such results have been transferred to the proposed REWARD project for Horizon 2020, the EU's eighth research Framework Programme.