Features of Assessing Fuel Efficiency and Environmental Performance of Vehicles in Thermal Preparation Processes

The article deals with the peculiarities of developing a method for evaluating the fuel efficiency and environmental performance of vehicle engines under conditions of pre- and post-start thermal preparations. The method was designed for gasoline engines converted to run on both liquid petroleum and gaseous fuels (LPG). A thermal treatment system based on a phase transition heat accumulator was used for pre- and post-start heat treatment in operation. An algorithm for determining and evaluating individual thermal preparation criteria for vehicle engines in operational conditions was developed based on the analysis conducted. The method for assessing fuel consumption and harmful emissions in the exhaust gases of vehicles with engines modified to run on LPG and fitted with a phase transition heat accumulator during pre- and post-start thermal preparations was improved. The method development is based on numerous experimental and computational–analytical studies. To assess the high efficiency of using a thermal preparation system with a phase transition heat accumulator in a vehicle under variable operational conditions, fuel consumption coefficients were employed. As a result of implementing the developed research method for evaluating fuel efficiency and environmental performance of the vehicle, a significant reduction in the overall thermal preparation (warm-up) time of the engine during operation and a decrease in the total fuel consumption for heating were confirmed.