Power Transmission Systems

Getting the Power to the Pavement

Vehicle Layout
Front engine / front wheel drive

Rear engine / rear wheel drive

Vehicle Layout

Mid engine / four wheel drive

Front engine / rear wheel drive

Requirements of a Power transmission system :

Converting one form of energy to other. Achieving the transition from stationary to a mobile state. Vehicle remain stationary even when engine running. Converting torque and rotational speed. Providing forward and reverse motion. Compensating for wheel speed variations in curves. Ensuring that the power unit remains within a range on the operating curve commensurate with minimum fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.

Power Transmission System components

Front wheel drive : Power train Flywheel Clutch Gear box Transaxle Drive shaft Wheel Rear wheel drive : Power train Flywheel Clutch Gear box Universal joint / slip joint Propeller shaft Final drive Differential Rear axle Wheel Four wheel drive : Power train Flywheel Clutch Gear box Transfer case Universal joint & Slip joint Propeller shaft to front & rear Final drive Differential Front & Rear drive shaft Wheel

What is a Powertrain?
A unit that converts thermal energy to mechanical work
Particularly, the architecture comprising all the subsystems required to convert this energy to work

Sometimes extends to drivetrain, which connects powertrain to end-user of power

Which one to choose (19th century)

Which one to choose (19th century)

When this question was asked in 19th century we selected engines. reason : - fuel availability - low cost . - No pollution awareness.

Which one to choose (20th century)

Which one to choose (20th century)

When this same question was asked again in 20th century , Answer this time is electric motor . reason : - non- availability of fuel . - heavy fuel prices. - pollution awareness.

This time we dumped engines

Reciprocating

Rotary

Gas Turbine

Characteristics of Internal Combustion Heat Engines

High energy density of fuel leads to high power to weight ratio, especially when combusting with atmospheric oxygen External combustion has losses due to multiple inefficiencies (primarily heat loss from condensing of working fluid), internal combustion has less inefficiencies Heat engines use working fluids which is the simplest of all energy conversion methods

Why reciprocate when you want to rotate ?

steam-animation[1].swf

Reciprocating Internal Combustion Heat Engines

Characteristics Slider-crank mechanism has high mechanical efficiency (piston skirt rubbing is source of 50-60% of all firing friction) Piston-cylinder mechanism has high single-stage compression ratio capability leads to high thermal efficiency capability Fair to poor air pump, limiting power potential without additional mechanisms

 Powertrain is compromise
Four-stroke engines are volumetric flow rate devices the only route to more power is increased engine speed, more valve area or increased charge density More speed, charge density or valve area are expensive or difficult to develop therefore minimizing losses is the most efficient path within existing engine architectures Highest average power during a vehicle acceleration is fastest peak power values dont win races

Why petrol engine produces less torque compared to diesel engines ?

fpte-engine[1].swf

Well-to-Wheels Pathways
Resource
Crude oil Coal Natural Gas Biomass Wind Nuclear

Fuels
Conventional Gasoline/Diesel/Naphtha Synthetic Diesel CNG (inc. biogas) LPG MTBE/ETBE Hydrogen
(compressed / liquid)

Powertrains
Spark Ignition: Gasoline, LPG, CNG, Ethanol, H2 Compression Ignition: Diesel, DME, Bio-diesel Fuel Cell Hybrids: SI, CI, FC Hybrid Fuel Cell + Reformer

Methanol DME Ethanol Bio-diesel (inc. FAEE)

What is a Well-to-Wheel Analysis?

Well-to-Tank

Tank-to-Wheel

Why Do We Need Well-Tank-Wheel Analysis? Evaluate emerging propulsion technologies

Advanced Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV)

Evaluate new fuels Aid public policy development and business strategy

Well-to-Wheel Integration Process

Well-to-Tank

Tank-to-Wheel

Well-to-Wheels

Select a suitable Fuel/Propulsion Pathways

Better

G as o lin

10000

12000

14000

2000

4000

6000

8000

BTU/mile (fuel production and vehicle) Petroleum Natural Gas

Well-to-Wheel Energy Consumption Well-to-Wheel

Di e c es on v e D i l c en es o n ti o G as e l h ve n al n ol in yb r ti o Na e n id p h f ue el al l c ect th a Fi r e sc f u ll h ic he el y r T c e brid ro ll h C p s yb NG c h ri d L H co d ie M n s 2 et f u v en el ha n o el c ti o n e lf ue l l h al C yb H2 l c Eri d 85 f u e ll h e (8 5 % l c ybr Et e h a et l l h id yb n o ha r l f no El ue l) id ec tr o l c c on v l y ell si hy . s hy b ri dr d og en

e fu l lh el c rid yb

Renewable/ Electricity

Better

g CO2/mile (fuel production and vehicle) 800

Well-to-Wheel Greenhouse Gases Well-to-Wheel

200

400

600

G as ol in D ec ie o se nv e l D co nti ie o s G as el nve na l n ol hy in br tio N ap e n id ht fue e al le ha l ce ctr Fi ic sc fue ll l c hy he el br rT l h id y C rop N sc bri G LH c h d d M 2 onv ie et ha fue en se no l c tio l e lf n ue ll h al C y lc H 2 el brid fu Eel l hy 85 ce br co i ll hy d nv br en id tio Et ha nal ce n ll o hy l f b r ue id l El CH ect hy 2 F roly br C si s id

Petroleum Tank-to-Wheel Well-to-Tank Natural Gas Renewable/ Electricity

Well-to-Wheel Study Conclusions

Fuel cell vehicles powered by clean gasoline offer greatly reduced greenhouse gas emissions vs. todays powertrains/fuels Diesel hybrid is very competitive and a clear leader among non-fuel cell powertrains/fuels CNG does not offer significant benefit versus conventional fuels for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles Methanol fuel cell vehicles do not offer significant advantage vs. gasoline fuel cell vehicles Renewable fuels and nuclear power offer the lowest greenhouse gas emissions