B2384 - POWERTRAINS FOR SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student knows the basics of sustainable powertrain technologies, from the use of natural resources down to energy conversion, including power and emissions control.

Course contents

1.1: Introduction to Sustainable Mobility

• Introduction to sustainable mobility.
• Impact of transport sector in terms of CO2 and pollutants emissions. Role of road, rail, maritime, air transport.
• Global goals and regulations. Pollutant emissions, homologation process for passenger vehicles.
• Introduction to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) concepts applied to the road transport
• Principles and methodologies.
• Environmental evaluation criteria.

1.2: Synthetic Fuels

• Synthetic fuels (including hydrogen).
• Main characteristics of gaseous/liquid fuels
• Biofuels and synthetic fuels: production
• main characteristics of the most promising renewable fuels.
• Comparison with traditional fuels.

1.3: Internal Combustion Engines with Synthetic Fuels

• Fundamentals of internal combustion engines (ICE).
• Types of ICE and basic operation. Combustion metrics. Fundamentals of spark ignition and compression ignition combustion process. Abnormal combustions.
• Fundamentals of internal combustion engines (ICE).
• Pollutant emissions from gasoline and compression ignition engines. Abatement systems.
• Innovative combustion systems (ICE).
• Innovative combustions: potential pollutant ad CO2 emissions reduction.
• ICE performance with synthetic liquid fuels.
• Design, optimal combustion system, performance, emissions, required modifications.
• H2ICE.
• Optimal combustion system, possible architectures.
• H2ICE.
• Design, performance, emissions, required modifications.

1.4: Battery Electric Powertrains

• Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) architecture.
• Main components and operation.
• Types of charging and charging networks.
• BEV technology.
• Types of batteries, performance, cost, power/energy density.
• Types of motors, performance, cost, power/energy density.
• Cooling systems.
• BEV management systems.
• BMS and charging/discharging strategies.
• Battery Electric Vehicle performance and efficiency chain

1.5: Fuel Cells powertrains

• Fuel cells.
• Operating principles and types.
• The fuel cell engine: stack and Balance of Plant
• Fuel cell systems for vehicles.
• Architectures and integration.
• Fuel cell powertrain performance.
• Fuel cell efficiency and dynamic performance
• Fuel cell Electric Vehicle efficiency chain.
• challenges of hydrogen vehicles.
• Optimal Fuel Cell and battery sizing.
• Cooling system sizing
• Applications-specific issues: aerospace

1.6: Hybrid Powertrains 

• Hybrid powertrains architecture
• P1, P2, P3, P4 hybrids. Mild, Full and Plug-in hybrid systems. Series and parallel systems.
• Adavantages over standard ICEs
• Hybrid ICEs performance and efficiency
• Chain of efficiencies in hybrid ICEs
• Optimal sizing of motor and battery
• Optimal energy management

1.7: Technology Comparison

• LCA comparison of different technologies.
• Comparative analysis of ICE, hydrogen, and electric vehicles.

Teaching methods

The topics of the course will be presented by means of Power Point slides (shared with the students on the data exchange area, accessible after the students enroll in the distribution list), data from the literature and data collected in the labs.

The students will visit the Sustainable Mobility Laboratory , where sustainable powertrain solutions are being developed, based on internal combustion engines and fuel cells.

Assessment methods

Oral examination (one hour approximately).

Three questions will be asked, concerning the following topics (randomly selected from the program):

- synthetic fuels, ICE potential with synthetic fuels

- H2 ICE

-Fuel cell powertrains

-BEV

- Hybrid electric vehicles

- LCA assessment and comparison between different powertrains

Each answer will grant up to 10 points, the final grade is the sum of the points earned in the three questions. One question can be substituted by the presentation of a personal project on a subject agreed with the professor. The program is available on the data exchange area at the end of the course.

The exam dates are communicated in advance through the AlmaEsami web platform of the University of Bologna. It is possible to enroll to the exam from 10 to 5 days before the exam date. At the time of the exam the student must show an identification document.

Teaching tools

The students will be given presentations referring to the topics listed in the program, as well as other material from the literature.

Office hours

See the website of Enrico Corti

See the website of Vittorio Ravaglioli