The Gas Turbine Hybrid Vehicle Prototype of the University of Roma 1: Status Review

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Capata ◽  
A. Coccia ◽  
M. Lora ◽  
E. Sciubba
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Status Report ◽  
Practical Reasons ◽  
Preliminary Design ◽  
Successful Completion ◽  
Gas Turbine Unit ◽  
The University ◽  
Practical Feasibility ◽  
Hybridization Ratio

In 1999, the University of Roma 1 launched a project to study the theoretical and practical feasibility of a hybrid passenger car in which the thermal engine is a Gas Turbine unit. The feasibility was demonstrated on paper, and some experimental tests were conducted at the ENEACasaccia Laboratories on a small (45 kW) gas turbine set, to investigate the performance of the propulsive unit (turbine plus batteries and electrical motor) under the standard european ECE emission tests. After successful completion of these tests, a further analysis was carried out to identify an “optimal” hybridization ratio with respect both to driveability and to fuel consumption: the results indicate that an absolute “optimal” configuration does not exist, because not only the system performance, but also the absolute and relative sizes (i.e., nameplate power) of the turbine and of the battery pack depend substantially on the type of driving mission the car is called to perform. The present status report describes all the above activities in some detail, and constitutes an attempt to put into perspective the entire Project. Using commercially available data for the components, the preliminary design of a road prototype is described and briefly discussed. For practical reasons the first prototype is likely to be equipped with a sub-optimal propulsion system: the differences and their implications are discussed as well.

The LETHE™ Gas Turbine Hybrid Prototype Vehicle of the University of Roma 1: Drive Cycle Analysis of Model Vehicle Management Unit

2006 ◽  
Vol 129 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Capata ◽  
M. Lora
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Fuel Consumption ◽  
Hybrid Electric Vehicle ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Management Unit ◽  
Storage Device ◽  
Status Report ◽  
Control Logic ◽  
Additional Energy ◽  
The University

The paper describes the logic of the vehicle’s power management unit (VMU) for the prototype configuration of the LETHE™ (low emissions turbo hybrid electric) vehicle designed by the University of Roma 1. The theoretical and practical feasibility of the concept (a series hybrid in which the thermal engine is a small turbo-gas and the traction is fully electric) was demonstrated in a series of previous works by the same authors, and some experimental tests were conducted at the ENEA-Casaccia Laboratories on a small 45 kW gas turbine set, to investigate the performance of the propulsive unit (turbine plus batteries and electrical motor) under the European vehicular emission (ECE) tests. After successful completion of these tests, a further analysis was carried out to identify an optimal hybridization ratio with respect both to driveability and fuel consumption: the results led to the conclusion that such an absolute optimal configuration does not exist, because not only the system performance, but also the absolute and relative sizes (i.e., nameplate power) of turbines and battery pack depend largely on the type of the proposed driving mission of the car. In the final configuration discussed in this paper, the vehicle is equipped with an additional energy storage device, a compact ultra-fast flywheel, to partially compensate for the low recharge capability of the Pb-acid batteries and to exploit better brake recovery for futher reduction of the fuel consumption. The present status report describes the VMU control logic, the individual components of the propulsive system and the proposed chassis configuration for the prototype.

scholarly journals Experimental Methods for Measuring the Viscous Friction Coefficient in Hydraulic Spool Valves

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7174
Author(s):  
Massimo Rundo ◽  
Paolo Casoli ◽  
Antonio Lettini
Keyword(s):  
Friction Coefficient ◽  
Viscous Friction ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Experimental Methods ◽  
Displacement Transducer ◽  
A Posteriori ◽  
Displacement Control ◽  
Spool Valves ◽  
The University ◽  
Good Agreement

In hydraulic components, nonlinearities are responsible for critical behaviors that make it difficult to realize a reliable mathematical model for numerical simulation. With particular reference to hydraulic spool valves, the viscous friction coefficient between the sliding and the fixed body is an unknown parameter that is normally set a posteriori in order to obtain a good agreement with the experimental data. In this paper, two different methodologies to characterize experimentally the viscous friction coefficient in a hydraulic component with spool are presented. The two approaches are significantly different and are both based on experimental tests; they were developed in two distinct laboratories in different periods of time and applied to the same flow compensator of a pump displacement control. One of the procedures was carried out at the Fluid Power Research Laboratory of the Politecnico di Torino, while the other approach was developed at the University of Parma. Both the proposed methods reached similar outcomes; moreover, neither method requires the installation of a spool displacement transducer that can significantly affect the results.

scholarly journals Gas Turbine Powered Campus Update

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (05) ◽  
pp. 46-48
Author(s):  
Lee S. Langston
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Combined Heat And Power ◽  
Educational Benefits ◽  
Heating And Cooling ◽  
The University

An updated report is given on the University of Connecticut’s gas turbine combined heat and power plant, now in operation for 13 years after its start in 2006. It has supplied the Storrs Campus with all of its electricity, heating and cooling needs, using three gas turbines that are the heart of the CHP plant. In addition to saving more than $180 million over its projected 40 year life, the CHP plant provides educational benefits for the University.

An Improved Nickel Based MIMS Thermocouple for High Temperature Gas Turbine Applications

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Scervini ◽  
Catherine Rae
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
High Temperatures ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Material Science ◽  
University Of Cambridge ◽  
Type K ◽  
Metallurgical Analysis ◽  
The University ◽  
High Temperature Gas

A new Nickel based thermocouple for high temperature applications in gas turbines has been devised at the Department of Material Science and Metallurgy of the University of Cambridge. This paper describes the new features of the thermocouple, the drift tests on the first prototype and compares the behaviour of the new sensor with conventional mineral insulated metal sheathed Type K thermocouples: the new thermocouple has a significant improvement in terms of drift and temperature capabilities. Metallurgical analysis has been undertaken on selected sections of the thermocouples exposed at high temperatures which rationalises the reduced drift of the new sensor. A second prototype will be tested in follow-on research, from which further improvements in drift and temperature capabilities are expected.

scholarly journals A status report on experimental tests of QED in medium-Z systems

2006 ◽  
Vol 75 (11) ◽  
pp. 1744-1748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark N. Kinnane ◽  
J.A. Kimpton ◽  
C.T. Chantler
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Status Report

Comparison of Piston Concept Design Solutions for Composite Cycle Engines Part II: Design Considerations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitrios Chatzianagnostou ◽  
Stephan Staudacher
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Design Space ◽  
Piston Compressor ◽  
Design System ◽  
Surface Load ◽  
Preliminary Design ◽  
Concept Design ◽  
Piston Engine ◽  
Engine Design ◽  
Cylinder Piston

Abstract Hecto pressure composite cycle engines with piston engines and piston compressors are potential alternatives to advanced gas turbine engines. The nondimensional groups limiting their design have been introduced and generally discussed in Part I [1]. Further discussion shows, that the ratio of effective power to piston surface characterizes the piston thermal surface load capability. The piston design and the piston cooling technology level limit its range of values. Reynolds number and the required ratio of advective to diffusive material transport limit the stroke-to-bore ratio. Torsional frequency sets a limit to crankshaft length and hence cylinder number. A rule based preliminary design system for composite cycle engines is presented. Its piston engine design part is validated against data of existing piston engines. It is used to explore the design space of piston components. The piston engine design space is limited by mechanical feasibility and the crankshaft overlap resulting in a minimum stroke-to-bore ratio. An empirical limitation on stroke-to-bore ratio is based on existing piston engine designs. It limits the design space further. Piston compressor design does not limit the piston engine design but is strongly linked to it. The preliminary design system is applied to a composite cycle engines of 22MW take-off shaft power, flying a 1000km mission. It features three 12-cylinder piston engines and three 20-cylinder piston compressors. Its specific fuel consumption and mission fuel burn are compared to an intercooled gas turbine with pressure gain combustion of similar technology readiness.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document