Automotive Propulsion

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Methods for improving performance and reducing emissions from internal combustion engines.
• Spark-ignition and compression-ignition engine operation and performance.
• Configuration of hybrid powertrain for automotive applications.
• Fuel properties and fuel performance in combustion engines.
• Electro-mechanical and electro-chemical components used in hybrid electric power trains.
• Factors driving development of automotive propulsion technology.
• Combustion chemistry, flame theory, and pollutant formation and mitigation.

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Perform computational simulations in order to predict and to optimise the performance of automotive power-train for a given drive-cycle.
• Undertake experimental evaluation of internal combustion engines and power-train components.

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• C1/M1 As part of the individual assignment and laboratory assignment, the student must demonstrate comprehensive understanding of design and operation principles of advanced internal combustion engines, electric and hybrid electric vehicle concepts, their environmental impact and emission control for net-zero automotive propulsion. C2/M2 As part of the individual engine laboratory assignment students must collect and use experimental data from engine test runs and evaluate data to calculate engine operating maps in terms of power output, torque values and specific fuel consumption rate and discuss the limitations of experimental techniques employed for data collection. C3/M3 As part of the individual assignments, the student must demonstrate understanding of internal combustion engine theory, hybrid and electrical powertrain theory and their design techniques, and limitations applied to analyse design concepts on powertrain performance and operation. C4/M4 As part of the engine lab assignment, design decisions and approaches to find solutions to the design of cleaner and efficient internal combustion engines and hybrid powertrain architectures must be justified using relevant technical literature. C5/M5 As part of the individual assignment and laboratory assignment students must discuss design solutions for modern internal combustion engines, hybrid and electric powertrain architectures for higher performance and low emissions to satisfy emissions regulations and low carbon future. C6/M6 As part of the induvial assignment and laboratory assignment students must estimate internal combustion engine performance metrics, design propulsion systems for improved performance using engineering analysis and evaluate performance of hybrid and electric drivetrains in specific applications. C7/M7 As part of the individual assignment and engine laboratory assignment students must evaluate the life-cycle of internal combustion engine based vehicles and hybrid and full-electric vehicles and identify methods for reducing emissions from internal combustion engine based vehicles. C12/M12 As part of the laboratory assignment students must undertake experimental evaluation of internal combustion engines including engine data collection methods to study performance metrics of a modern internal combustion engine. C13/M13 As part of the laboratory assignment students must select and apply equipment and processes to be used for their internal combustion engine test runs and data collection. C15/M15 As part of the individual assignment students must apply knowledge of internal combustion engine products, hybrid and electric propulsion system products applicable to low carbon transportation sector including understanding current automotive drive cycles and emissions standards. C16/M16 As part of the individual assignment and laboratory assignment the student must demonstrate knowledge and understanding of automotive propulsion theme including its technical context and future directions.

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Devise appropriate plots for analysis, communication, and justification of design decisions.
• Use computer simulation to develop and evaluate alternative designs.
• Analyse experimental data and summarise findings.
• Communicate in a clear, structured and efficient manner.

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Select electro-mechanical components to meet design objectives.
• Explain the role that engine design features and operating parameters have on engine performance.
• Compute flame temperatures, chemical equilibria
• Evaluate the performance of alternative hybrid drivetrain configurations in specific applications.
• Design propulsion systems for improved performance using engineering analysis.
• Estimate engine performance metrics using air-standard analysis, computer simulation, or experimental data.

Context

• Design requirements for automotive propulsion, on and off highway; Technical, energy, environmental, policy constraints. Trade-offs between electric-grid-powered vehicles and

combustion-engines.

• Overview of automotive powertrain technologies (combustion engine configurations and after-treatment, battery-electric systems, KERS, hybrids).

Combustion and fuels:

• Flame temperature and governing equations of combustion (revision; absolute enthalpy; species and temperature equations).
• Chemical kinetics and chemistry of combustion (Global and elementary reactions; reaction mechanisms; hydrocarbon chemistry).
• Dissociation and equilibrium (Equilibrium constants; combustion product composition).
• Autoignition (also, the well-stirred reactor).
• Laminar premixed flames (premixed flame theory; laminar burning velocity; spark ignition and flammability limits).
• Laminar non-premixed flames and droplet combustion (Conserved scalars and the mixture fraction; droplet evaporation and combustion).
• Pollution from combustion (Zel’dovich and extended NOx formation chemistry, CO and HC chemistry, particle formation and oxidation mechanisms).
• Flames and turbulence: (characteristic time and space scales; regimes of turbulent combustion; approaches to modelling turbulent combustion).
• Fossil fuels and alternatives: (fuel ratings, knocking and flame speeds; LNG, LPG, gasoline, diesel, methanol, ethanol, bio-diesel, Fischer-Tropsch).

Design and performance of Spark-Ignition (SI) and Compression-Ignition (CI) engines:

• SI performance and limits to performance:
• Mean effective pressure; efficiency; performance maps.
• Limits to efficiency and pressure: autoignition, rate of combustion, heat losses.
• SI enhancing performance and emissions:
• Improving performance: scavenging efficiency, flow exchange processes and tuning, direct injection.
• Emission control; catalysts and cycle control.
• CI performance and limits to performance:
• Mean effective pressure; efficiency; performance maps.
• Limits to efficiency and pressure: autoignition, rate of combustion, heat losses.
• CI enhancing performance and emissions:
• Fuel injection systems and spray structure
• Multiple injection in CI engines.
• Principles and performance of particle trapping and oxidation systems; Selective Catalytic Reduction.
• Turbocharging: Turbocharger technology and intercooling; turbocharger matching.

Low-carbon propulsion:

• Anticipated developments in combustion engines: downsizing; low-temperature combustion / HCCI; alternative fuels; continuous/longer gearing; hybridization.
• Series and parallel hybrids, and power management.
• Electric motor drive technology (review of technology suited to automotive propulsion –induction, permanent magnet brushless, VRPM, SRM, DC) and performance metrics
• Automotive battery and fuel cell systems – balance of plant requirements, performance metrics.

Power-train testing and simulation:

• Experimental investigation of engine design: performance, combustion behaviour, and emissions (engine dynamometer, fuel maps, mini-map testing; chassis-dyno; legislative drive-cycles).
• Emission measurements (HC, CO, NOx and particulate emissions).
• Optical diagnostics: Data required for in cylinder flow structure, Optical diagnostics (PIV, PTV, LIF, LII, etc.)
• Thermodynamics models, CFD models, averaging techniques, in-cylinder flow and combustion models, modelling flame propagation in SI engines, spray structure and modelling techniques
• Calculation of heat transfer (Eichelberg approach, dimensional analysis, Annand and Woschni models.
• Chemical rate kinetics.
• Hybrid propulsion case-study: Southampton University Peace of Mind Series Hybrid Electric Vehicle.

Revision

Teaching methods include

• Lectures including examples, with lecture hand-outs provided.
• Set example questions and group problem solving sessions with staff support.
• Laboratory briefings

Learning activities include

• Directed reading
• Individual work on examples
• Laboratory measurements, analysis, and reports.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.