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Abstract CO 2 emissions of light-duty vehicles are certified over standardised, laboratory-based conditions and reported to the consumers. Such tests reflect specific operating conditions that differ from what an individual driver experiences. Vehicle simulation can bridge the gap and help provide customised, vehicle and trip-specific values. This study investigates the potential of using a simulation-based approach for calculating CO 2 emissions over real-world operation, when limited information and test-data are available. The methodology introduced in the European vehicle certification regulation since 2017 is used as a basis. Seven vehicles were tested over multiple on-road trips and in some cases on a chassis dyno. First, the analysis focused on the accuracy of the simulations when only limited information for the vehicle and its components are used. Subsequently, the model was calibrated on test data. The first case presented an error between 1.0% and 4.4% depending on the test, while the standard deviation was 10.0%. When using WLTP for calibration, the average error dropped to −2.9% to −0.2%, and the standard deviation decreased to 2.0%. When calibrating over on-road tests, the average error was 0.7% for the on-road tests and 4.5% for the WLTP. Highlights • A simulation-based method for estimating lab and real world CO 2 of LDVs is investigated. • 3 different approaches were investigated based on generic, real world or lab input data. • The average error remained low (<5%) and was <2% when calibrating on tests-data. • Test-data based calibration significantly reduces the uncertainty from 10% to about 3%. • The approach could serve for extrapolating certification data to real world or vice versa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common approaches to assess the evolution of CO 2 emissions from road vehicles are usually based on (a) estimates of future fleet composition, where most approaches consider vehicles at a rather aggregated level, and (b) emission factors, which are either based on CO 2 certification data or statistically-provided functional relationships obtained from real world test data, or a combination of the two. This approach has certain limitations in capturing the effect of new technologies on CO 2 emission related policy initiatives. The present study proposes a new method for the detailed calculation of the European light duty vehicle fleet CO 2 emissions, which could help to overcome such limitations, achieve better results when making CO 2 emissions projections and better support future policies. Simulation at individual vehicle level is combined with fleet composition data, retrieved from the official European CO 2 emissions monitoring database, and publicly available data regarding individual vehicle characteristics in order to calculate vehicle CO 2 emissions and fuel consumption over different conditions and vehicle configurations. The methodology is applied to analyze and assess the impact of the introduction of the new certification procedure, the Worldwide Light duty vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP), on the European car fleet CO 2 emissions. Results show an average WLTP to NEDC CO 2 emissions ratio of approximately 1.2. The increases in CO 2 emissions are higher for cars exhibiting lower NEDC emission values (additional 29 and 25 gCO 2 /km for vehicles emitting 100 and 119 gCO 2 /km, respectively). At higher emission levels (about 250 CO 2 g/km) WLTP and NEDC present comparable results. Three possible scenarios for the translation of projected NEDC CO 2 emissions to WLTP-based ones are quantified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Lower cylinder pressures and heat release rates for producer gas compared to propane. [•] Power loss, due to the lower calorific value of producer gas, did not exceed 10% for the studied mixtures. [•] Slower flame propagation in the combustion chamber, for the producer gas than propane. [•] Moderate effect of producer gas on combustion stability. [•] All phenomena were more intense at the case of the producer gas by grape kernels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A small mobile agricultural residue gasification unit for decentralized CHP (combined heat and power) production is designed and constructed within the framework of the SMARt-CHP LIFE+ project. This unit applies the technology of biomass gasification coupled with an ICE (internal combustion engine) based generator-set for CHP production. The unit is sized for a maximum thermal output of 12 kW in addition to approximately 5 kW electrical output. Four different locations close to biomass feedstock origin in rural areas of Western Macedonia in Greece, two in Ptolemaida and two in Amyntaion, were selected for the demonstrative operation of the unit. Peach, olive and grape residues were utilized as biomass feedstocks while the unit operated continuously on a 24/7 basis. The present paper describes the unit performance in terms of operation stability, application of different agricultural residues as well as the energy output of the process. The results show the effect of different types of biomass feedstock, gasification parameters and engine intake mixture to long-term operation and energy output while the obtained data will aid in the direction of CHP systems scale-up and optimization towards possible commercialization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

As of July 2017, the emissions type-approval of light-duty vehicles in Europe is based on the Worldwide Harmonized Light-duty vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), introduced to replace the old and outdated New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) test procedure. Since some elements of the European Legislation are still based on the NEDC (2020 CO 2 emission targets, vehicle labelling, national vehicle taxation policies, etc.) in order to allow sufficient lead time to vehicle manufacturers and national authorities to adapt to the new procedure, a simulation-based approach was chosen to calculate CO 2 emissions and fuel consumption according to the NEDC regime in the period 2017–2020. To achieve this objective without significantly increasing the cost and duration of the certification procedure, existing regulation foresees that vehicles are tested over the WLTP for CO 2 emissions, the test results are used as input in a simulation model that then calculates the corresponding CO 2 according to the NEDC test protocol. A dedicated vehicle simulation model (CO 2 MPAS) was developed for the purpose and is currently used for the type-approval of new vehicles in Europe. The development specifications of CO 2 MPAS were challenging, as it had to be highly accurate, exhibit fast operation, and function with a limited number of input data. This paper presents the development principles and process followed, details of the physical models employed in CO 2 MPAS, and provides information regarding its accuracy, validity and in use operation. CO 2 MPAS achieves low errors in the prediction of the NEDC cycle that in the controlled sample used for its development are of the order of 1% with a standard deviation of 3%, while the respective in-use numbers are of the order of 1.5% and 5%. In parallel, random sampling and testing of a 10% of the type-approved vehicles also occurs in order to guarantee the quality of the CO 2 MPAS results and the validity of the process. It is concluded that CO 2 MPAS can be used to accurately estimate emissions of conventional vehicles within a ±4% accuracy range, even when limited input data are available. In addition, the in-use data analyzed suggest that the use of the tool enables the certification of about 2/3 of the new vehicle models without the need of additional experimental tests. This is an important achievement as it reduces the costs and time necessary to certify light-duty vehicle CO 2 emissions during the transitional period. Finally, it can be concluded that the use of CO 2 MPAS does not affect the declared CO 2 emissions of vehicles over NEDC conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]