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POWERTRAIN


as they can improve transient response without any parasitic losses to the engine while also providing energy recovery to increase overall system efficiency. With 48 volt mild hybridisation now well established, the ideal electrical infrastructure is in place to develop a highly synergistic, highly integrated electrified combustion powertrain. Research at the University has shown that the implementation of a motor- generator electric turbocharging system, even on an otherwise largely standard engine, can contribute to reducing the response time of the engine by up to 90% while improving its thermal efficiency and generating up to 1kWh of energy. These technologies may also find applications in fuel and air supply systems for fuel cells.


Q


WHAT ARE THE TRENDS WITH BATTERY AND HYBRID?


Existing lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are likely to dominate the market throughout the current vehicle cycle and the next, but will require significant improvements to cell chemistry, battery management and manufacturing processes to increase the usable power density and the charging rate. There are also question marks over the supply chain for some battery materials, so the development of techniques for battery pack refurbishment and then end-of-life materials recovery are equally vital. There is still a lot of progress possible in battery management, particularly around increased data from individual cells, improved thermal management and more sophisticated control strategies. We also expect battery packs with mixed cell chemistries, allowing characteristics that are optimised for opposing requirements such as power and energy. The trend to higher voltages is inevitable, but bigger technical challenges are battery chemistry and battery management. There is much work to be done on optimising cathode materials and structures within Li-ion chemistries, both to reduce costs and improve energy density, although there is a


26 www.engineerlive.com


IAAPS chassis dyno arrangement


balance here. For example, increasing the nickel and cobalt content offers improved energy density, but raises costs and leaves vehicle manufacturers (or their suppliers) exposed to raw material price and availability. For further developments in energy density, new chemistries such as lithium sulphur, metal-air and multivalent chemistries could be required. There is also significant progress


required at a battery component level, for example in reducing the proportion of binders used in the electrode manufacturing process and the development of separators that are thinner, dissipate heat quicker and are more resilient to chemical breakdown. Careful design here could also reduce manufacturing process steps and remove harmful solvents.


Q


DOES OUR INDUSTRY HAVE THE RELEVANT SKILLS? The short answer is no. As you can see from the discussion above, development of these technologies requires skills that have not traditionally been part of an engineer’s training. It also needs the ability to understand colleagues with very different specialist skills that have not previously been part of our industry (so often don’t have a full grasp of the quality/reliability imperative) and to collaborate in cross-disciplinary teams, probably distributed around the world. It also requires an entirely new


set of test and development tools, from simulation through to physical test rigs.


The facilities at IAAPS are designed around these new requirements, including high transient propulsion system and chassis dynamometers, laboratories for combustion research and pressure charger research, and a substantial investment in systems for the development and testing of electrification technologies. IAAPS will be one of the first independent research facilities to include research cells designed specifically for high-voltage battery packs and energy storage at a systems level.


Q


HOW CAN UNIVERSITIES IMPROVE? The answer in my view is to reach a standard in teaching and research where the academic team offer real value to industry. You can then build research facilities such as IAAPS that bring large companies together with small companies, together with academics, which introduce students to real projects and teach new skill sets that create the young professionals that industry needs. ●


The Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems will open in 2021. Keep an eye on www.bath.ac.uk/research- institutes/iaaps/ for updates


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