Browse Topic: Exhaust emissions
In the race to combat climate change, scientists are developing technologies to turn carbon dioxide (CO2) into valuable fuels and chemicals. These innovations help curb greenhouse gases while providing a low-carbon fuel to power our future. As the U.S. shifts to a low-carbon economy, we need environmentally friendly fuels to power vehicles that are hard to electrify, like planes, ships and trains. Scientists are developing the technology to convert CO2 to fuel. However, this conversion requires a lot of energy and water.
The ongoing efforts for reduction of the traffic-related greenhouse gas emissions and, at the same time, the mitigation of harmful pollutant emissions from vehicle exhaust emissions are important development tasks for the entire automotive industry worldwide according to demand to provide clean and efficient products. Further tightened fleet average FE standards and ultra-low limits for exhaust emissions require the continuous development of new propulsion system types. Due to the given reluctance of the end customer and corresponding low acceptance of fully electrified vehicles, especially in the commercial vehicle segment, new and innovative topologies are needed to meet regulatory requirements and maintain the high versatility of today’s dominating solutions. For further optimization of operating conditions with enhanced fuel efficiency, the technical strategy is also determined by uplifting the attractiveness of electric driving incl. the avoidance of areas with poor ICE efficiency and as well as the coverage of emission-critical operations by electric propulsion. In this context, the support provided by an electric drive on board the vehicle in a combined drive system is becoming increasingly important. This article discusses accordingly various platform strategies for hybridized Diesel powertrains in different sectors of commercial vehicle applications and delivers a comprehensive comparative analysis of different hybrid drive concepts. Specifically, several hybrid powertrain configurations that extend an electric drive platform (hybridized BEVs), such as series and parallel-series topologies, are compared with traditional parallel hybrid powertrain topologies based on internal combustion engines (ICE). The study focuses mainly on two different cornerstone applications: a large light commercial vehicle, ranging from 3,5 to 6,5 to. and a heavy-duty long-haul truck with 40…44 to. gross vehicle weight. It evaluates the advantages in terms of CO2 emissions and Diesel fuel savings and investigates the effects on emission controls aspects. In addition to technical comparisons, the paper addresses also regulatory demands and end customer merits, assessing the integrational effort and commonalities in components with pure ICE and battery electric topologies. Furthermore, it explores the additional impact of advanced operational strategies for Hybrid Diesel powertrains, incorporating insights from innovative observations from executed hybrid technology demonstrator vehicles.
Though the U.S. EPA has rolled back many emissions regulations surrounding the mobility industry, its HD rules remain intact, meaning manufacturers must hit the world's most stringent NOx requirement. It was clear at a panel of industry experts that the new rule was still causing confusion among operators and fleet owners. The EPA's new limits are set at 0.035 grams per horsepower-hour during normal operation, 0.050 grams at low load and 10.0 grams at idle. A panel immediately following revealed how companies have hit the tough target, which goes into effect in January of 2027.
Air Traffic Management (ATM) must be familiar with the exact Aircraft Take-off Weights (ATOWs) of airplanes to make the most use of runways, maintain safety margins high, and keep utilization and resources in balance. This paper aims to present a dependable ATOW forecasting methodology that can assist the air transport industry in enhancing operational decision-making. This research used datasets acquired from the EUROCONTROL Performance Review Commission (PRC) 2024 Aircraft Take-Off Weight Estimation dataset featuring 527,000 flights over Europe containing aircraft details, air trips and flight conditions. Technique comprises structured data input, inspection of missing data, timestamp aggregation to identify demand cycles over time, and domain-specific feature engineering using distance_per_minute, block_minutes, taxiout_ratio, and a strong wake turbulence metric The two supervised learning models used were Linear Regression (LR) for understanding and XGBoost for performance prediction In comparison to LR's 4,409 kg MAE (mean absolute error), 7,061 kg RMSE (root mean square error), and 0.9825 R2 value, XGBoost significantly excelled with validation results showing an R2 value of 0.9992 and an RMSE of 1,514 kg In the absence of labelled test targets, cross-validation nevertheless showed a constant degree of generalizability The residual diagnostics showed that the model was reliable for practical execution with low-variance deviations that were unbiased An accurate ATOW estimate improves the demand-capacity balance and On-Time Performance (OTP) in ATM, which in turn affects the runway schedule, wake turbulence diversion, slot allocation, and fuel planning The results highlight the need to include ATOW predictions in both tactical and strategic planning to reduce delays, increase airspace usage, and promote sustainable aviation operation and possesses significant improvements will consist of weather and runway conditions, stochastic ambiguity computation, and drift monitoring to keep up with ever-changing operating variables while maintaining accurate forecasts.
Sealing systems in space applications must perform reliably under demanding conditions in engineering: cryogenic temperatures, vibration, leakage control, ultra-high vacuum, ionizing radiation, abrasive particulates, and repeated thermal cycling. Each factor strains conventional sealing technologies. In combination, they can rapidly cause failure in systems where margins are unforgiving and maintenance is impossible. As spacecraft architectures evolve toward longer operational lifetimes and broader mission profiles, sealing requirements continue to tighten. Launch vehicles, satellites, and exploration platforms now operate across wider temperature ranges and in contact with more aggressive propellants and media. As a result, both metal seals and engineered polymer alternatives are evaluated-and selected-against increasingly specific, measurable performance criteria.
Aerospace and defense systems demand materials capable of maintaining performance under extreme environmental and operational stressors, including wide thermal cycling ranges, exposure to hydrocarbon fuels, vacuum conditions, and repeated mechanical strain. Silicone-based materials have become essential in these environments because they can retain elasticity, stability, and functionality where many traditional materials fail. Silicones are widely used as coatings, adhesives, sealants, and elastomers in aircraft and spacecraft applications. Their chemical structure enables resistance to both high and low temperatures, while also providing durability against solvents and fuels such as jet fuel. In contrast, many conventional elastomers degrade under prolonged thermal exposure or become brittle at cryogenic temperatures.
In response to the 42nd (2025) Annual VFS Student Design Competition, the Graduate Student Design Team from the University of Maryland introduces Wyvern, a novel hydrogen-powered electric compound rotor-craft engineered for maximum loiter and operational safety. Named after a mythical dragon that defies convention by not breathing fire, Wyvern only breathes water vapor by forgoing hydrocarbon combustion in favor of the quiet and clean power of hydrogen. This design reflects not only an aeronautical solution to an engineering challenge but a greater aspiration to reshaping how practical and clean vertical flight can be achieved.
Engine oil consumption contributes to hydrocarbon and particulate emissions, catalyst degradation, and reduced thermal efficiency. Reducing it is essential for meeting emission standards and improving engine reliability. This study introduces a 3-D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) framework that captures micron-scale gaps in the piston-ring-cylinder system while accounting for ring dynamics. The model leverages Simerics-MP+ features—including a novel mesh motion strategy and Mismatched Grid Interface (MGI) coupling—to resolve fine crevice regions alongside coarser bulk domains. It incorporates piston translation, ring motion, and crankshaft rotation, and uses the Volume of Fluid (VOF) method to capture multiphase interactions in thin oil films. Compared to experiments, this approach offers detailed flow visualization in optically inaccessible regions at lower cost and complexity. Unlike traditional 1-D models, it captures nonlinear behaviors without relying heavily on parameter tuning. Applied to a single-cylinder engine, the model evaluates oil transport in two piston designs under fixed RPM and undeformed bore conditions. Results highlight piston geometry’s role in oil consumption, and qualitative validation against experiments confirms the model’s predictive capabilities. This CFD framework provides valuable insights to guide low-emission, high-efficiency engine design.
This paper presents the collaborative efforts of the USCAR GPF OBD Working Group to evaluate and recommend On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) monitoring requirements for Gasoline Particulate Filters (GPFs). The group, comprising representatives from major OEMs, aims to establish a unified understanding of GPF monitoring capabilities and propose regulatory recommendations to CARB. The paper outlines the physics of soot generation and oxidation, regulatory interpretations, and diagnostic strategies, culminating in a proposed framework for GPF OBD compliance. The material in this paper was previously presented at the 2024 SAE OBD Symposium [1].
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