scholarly journals Impact of a Hybrid Assisted Wheelchair Propulsion System on Motion Kinematics during Climbing Up a Slope

Author(s):  
Bartosz Wieczorek ◽  
Łukasz Warguła ◽  
Dominik Rybarczyk

Overcoming terrain obstacles presents a major problem for people with disabilities or with limited mobility who are dependent on wheelchairs. An engineering solution designed to facilitate the use of wheelchairs are assisted propulsion systems. The objective of the research described in this article is to analyse the impact of the hybrid manual-electric wheelchair propulsion system on the kinematics of the anthropotechnical system when climbing hills. The tests were carried out on a wheelchair ramp with an incline degree of 4°, using a prototype wheelchair with a hybrid manual-electric propulsion system in accordance with the patent application P.427855. The test subjects were three people whose task was to propel the wheelchair in two assistance modes supporting manual propulsion. The first mode is hill climbing assistance, while the second one is assistance with propulsion torque in the propulsive phase. During the tests, a number of kinematic parameters of the wheelchair were monitored. An in-depth analysis was performed for the amplitude of speed during a hill climb and the number of propulsive cycles performed on a hill. The tests performed showed that when propelling the wheelchair only using the hand rims, the subject needed an average of 13 pushes on the uphill slope, and their speed amplitude was 1.8 km/h with an average speed of 1.73 km/h. The climbing assistance mode reduced the speed amplitude to 0.76 km/h, while the torque assisted mode in the propulsive phase reduced the number of cycles required to climb the hill from 13 to 6. The tests were carried out at various values of assistance and assistance amplification coefficient, and the most optimally selected parameters of this coefficient were presented in the results. The tests proved that electric propulsion assistance has a beneficial and significant impact on the kinematics of manual wheelchair propulsion when compared to a classic manual propulsion system when overcoming hills. In addition, assistance and assistance amplification coefficient were proved to be correlated to operating conditions and the user's individual characteristics.

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 1025 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bartosz Wieczorek ◽  
Łukasz Warguła ◽  
Dominik Rybarczyk

Overcoming terrain obstacles presents a major problem for people with disabilities or with limited mobility who are dependent on wheelchairs. An engineering solution designed to facilitate the use of wheelchairs are assisted-propulsion systems. The objective of the research described in this article is to analyze the impact of the hybrid manual–electric wheelchair propulsion system on the kinematics of the anthropotechnical system when climbing hills. The tests were carried out on a wheelchair ramp with an incline of 4°, using a prototype wheelchair with a hybrid manual–electric propulsion system in accordance with the patent application P.427855. The test subjects were three people whose task was to propel the wheelchair in two assistance modes supporting manual propulsion. The first mode is hill-climbing assistance, while the second one is assistance with propulsion torque in the propulsive phase. During the tests, several kinematic parameters of the wheelchair were monitored. An in-depth analysis was performed for the amplitude of speed during a hill climb and the number of propulsive cycles performed on a hill. The tests performed showed that when propelling the wheelchair only using the hand rims, the subject needed an average of 13 ± 1 pushes on the uphill slope, and their speed amplitude was 1.8 km/h with an average speed of 1.73 km/h. The climbing assistance mode reduced the speed amplitude to 0.76 km/h. The torque-assisted mode in the propulsive phase reduced the number of cycles required to climb the hill from 13 to 6, while in the climbing assistance mode the number of cycles required to climb the hill was reduced from 12 to 10 cycles. The tests were carried out at various values of assistance and assistance amplification coefficient, and the most optimally selected parameters of this coefficient are presented in the results. The tests proved that electric propulsion assistance has a beneficial and significant impact on the kinematics of manual wheelchair propulsion when compared to a classic manual propulsion system when overcoming hills. In addition, assistance and assistance amplification coefficient were proved to be correlated with operating conditions and the user’s individual characteristics.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 186
Author(s):  
Francesco Mauro ◽  
Elia Ghigliossi ◽  
Vittorio Bucci ◽  
Alberto Marinó

Nowadays, sustainable navigation is becoming a trending topic not only for merchant ships but also for pleasure vessels such as motoryachts. Therefore, the adoption of a hybrid-electric propulsion system and the installation of on-board storage devices could increase the greenness of a megayacht. This paper analyses the performance of three commercial propulsive solutions, using a dynamic operative profile and considering the influences of the smart berthing infrastructures. Results compare the yearly fuel consumptions of the analysed configurations for a reference megayacht.


2013 ◽  
Vol 597 ◽  
pp. 77-86
Author(s):  
Paweł Kortas

In order to determine the fuel consumption during operation of locomotive it is necessary to work out the characteristics of fuel consumption vs. power produced by propulsion system. These characteristics can be obtained during tests in a diagnostic stand equipped with water rheostat, which allows to simulate any load on the main generator. Another method depends on utilization data from monitoring system of the propulsion system, obtained during regular operation of the locomotive. The main disadvantage of this method is lack of long-term constant loads, which is caused by frequently changing operating conditions. This has a major impact on the measuring error, which can be minimized by suitable utilization of a large number of measurements. Practical remarks of those methods usage have been presented in this paper.


Author(s):  
Michael Schneider ◽  
Jens Dickhoff ◽  
Karsten Kusterer ◽  
Wilfried Visser

Abstract In the recent decades, civil aviation was growing 4.7% per annum. In order to reduce emissions promoting the global warming process, alternative propulsion systems are needed. Full-electric propulsion systems in aviation might have the potential for emission-free flights using renewable energy. However, several research efforts indicate electric propulsion only seems feasible for small aircraft. Especially due to the low energy density of batteries compared to fossil fuels. For this reason, hybrid propulsion systems came into focus, combining the benefits of all-electric and conventional propulsion system concepts. It is also considered as bridging technology, system test and basis for component development — and therewith paves the way towards CO2 free aviation. In the ‘HyFly’ project (supported by the German Luftfahrtforschungsprogramm LuFo V-3), the potential of a hybrid electric concept for a short/mid-range 19 PAX aircraft is assessed — not only on system but also on single component basis. In a recent study, the propulsion architecture and the operating mode of the gas turbine and the electric components have been defined [1]. In this paper, the advantages of the hybrid propulsion architecture and a qualitative assessment of component life are presented. Methods for life time prediction for the aircraft engine, the electric motor, the reluctance generator and the battery are discussed. The impact of turbine inlet temperature on life consumption is analyzed. The life cycle of the aircraft engine and the electric components including gradual component deterioration and consequent performance degradation is simulated by using an in-house gas turbine simulation tool (GTPsim). Therefore, various effects on electric propulsion system can be predicted for the entire drivetrain system in less than one hour.


Author(s):  
Borys Lukasik ◽  
Witold Wisniowski

The main goal of this paper is to investigate feasibility of using all-electric propulsion system for a mid-light business jet aircraft in the near future (20–30 years from now). The secondary goal is to assess the impact of using such system on operating costs and emission reduction. This paper presents calculations of business jet aircraft mission energy demands and compares them with batteries capabilities. Three different types of lithium batteries are investigated in terms of their energy densities projected for three different time frames. Mass of batteries that is required to provide demanded amount of energy to perform the mission is compared with the maximum mass of fuel that the baseline aircraft is able to take. On this basis, the feasibility of all-electric propulsion system is assessed. Additionally, in order to show the limitations of such system, maximum range is calculated for the mass of batteries that would potentially enable to perform the flight. Furthermore, CO2 and NOx emission of the baseline aircraft engines are compared with the amount of gaseous pollutants which are emitted by the power plant, when energy needed to recharge batteries is being produced. Finally, the potential fuel cost reduction is calculated based on the cost of electricity that would be used to recharge batteries.


Author(s):  
I. Shcherbyna

The study of the processes associated with the use of working fluids in the elements of hydraulic drives was preceded by studies of the unsteady periodic movement of the working fluid in the pipelines of hydraulic systems. Such processes take place in hydraulic drives and their elements, and are associated with the compressibility of the working fluid. The stability of the operation of hydraulic valves, which are supplied to hydraulic systems in order to maintain, within the required limits, pressures or flow rates, is also largely predetermined by non-stationary hydro mechanical processes occurring in the pipelines of these systems, channels and chambers of hydraulic devices. The peculiarities of the working processes of passive vibration dampers of passenger cars include the interaction of the working fluid with moving parts and its flow through the channels and through the calibrated holes with local artificial resistance. For in-depth analysis of changes in operating parameters, it is necessary to use a mathematical model that should reflect the processes that occur during the operation of the hydraulic device. In the presented article the generalized mathematical model of the hydraulic damper of fluctuations of the passenger car of the НЦ-1100 type is developed. This model takes into account the special operating conditions of the hydraulic shock absorber, which allows you to study the impact of operating parameters on the performance of the device.


Author(s):  
Pengfei Zhi ◽  
Zhiyu Zhu ◽  
Wanlu Zhu ◽  
Haiyang Qiu

A design of risk prediction assessment is proposed to improve the safety and economy of ship-integrated electric propulsion system(SIEPS). Firstly, the article puts forward a multihidden Markov model (MHMM)–Viterbi algorithm to predict fault state probabilities of each component in the continuous time points in the future. Secondly, according to the influence of dynamic ocean condition, the fault states of the components of SIEPS are predicted by using the MHMM–Viterbi algorithm. Thirdly, the risk assessment system of network topology of SIEPS is designed, and power flow analysis under the abnormal condition is repeatedly calculated by using the MonteCarlo simulation. Finally, the article takes a SIEPS as an example and the risk prediction assessment results is given. Introduction With the establishment of increasingly stringent standards by the International Maritime Organization in terms of ship emissions and the increasing scarcity of petroleum resources, electric propulsion systems are gradually replacing internal combustion engines, which will become the future direction of ship power development. Electric propulsion ships do have many advantages such as high efficiency, high automation, environmental protection, energy saving, and emission reduction. However, ship-integrated electric propulsion system(SIEPS) is also the soft underbelly of electric propulsion ships. First of all, the complexity of the external environment factors such as high humidity and high salinity of ships (especially marine vessels) under long-term operating conditions, and the coupling of electromagnetic, thermal, and vibration signals of SIEPS will increase the failure rate of electrical equipment, thereby increasing the risk of SIEPS. Secondly, for electric propulsion ships, the SIEPS risk is likely to lead to chain failure of important systems such as power, control, navigation, resulting in the ship. Equipment and even personnel cause irreparable damage, causing fatal damage to electric propulsion ships. Therefore, in order to improve the safety, reliability, and economy of electric propulsion ships, it is necessary to carry out research on relevant technologies for SIEPS risk assessment (Wen et al. 2012; Guangfu et al. 2013).


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 3969
Author(s):  
Massimo Cardone ◽  
Bonaventura Gargiulo ◽  
Enrico Fornaro

This article presents a numerical model of an aeronautical hybrid electric propulsion system (HEPS) based on an energy method. This model is designed for HEPS with a total power of 100 kW in a parallel configuration intended for ultralight aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The model involves the interaction between the internal combustion engine (ICE), the electric motor (EM), the lithium battery and the aircraft propeller. This paper also describes an experimental setup that can reproduce some flight phases, or entire missions, for the reference aircraft class. The experimental data, obtained by reproducing two different take-offs, were used for model validation. The model can also simulate anomalous operating conditions. Therefore, the tests chosen for the model validation are characterized by the EM flux weakening (“de-fluxing”). This model is particularly suitable for preliminary stages of design when it is necessary to characterize the hybrid system architecture. Moreover, this model helps with the choice of the main components (e.g., ICE, EM, and transmission gear ratio). The results of the investigation conducted for different battery voltages and EM transmission ratios are shown for the same mission. Despite the highly simplified model, the average margin of error between the experimental and simulated results was generally under 5%.


2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 179-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilia Frenkel ◽  
Igor Bolvashenkov ◽  
Hans-Georg Herzog ◽  
Lev Khvatskin

Abststract The present paper deals with the vehicle’s traction electric drive, consisting of several various electric power sources. One of the main requirements for such systems are the safety and sustainable operations, achieved largely the implementation of an uninterrupted supply of the vehicle’s propulsion system with an electric power. One way of realization of the required level of operational sustainability is usage of Multi Power Source Traction Drive. This type of vehicle’s propulsion systems is widely applied on the ships, trains, planes, heavy trucks. The most important impact on the sustainability of functioning of the ship’s propulsion system have operational conditions, especially for the cargo ship, operating in Arctic region. This paper presents the application of the LZ-transform method to assessing the important parameter of the vehicle’s operational sustainability - availability of the multi-state (MSS) Multi Power Source Traction Drive, which includes Diesel-Generators and Gas-Turbine-Generators considering the impact of the real operating conditions. Straightforward Markov method applied to solve this problem will require building of a system’s model with numerous numbers of states and solve a corresponding system of multiple differential equations. LZ-transform method, drastically simplified the solution.


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