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Tag: Technology
ABB is dedicating the latest episode in its Robot Podcast series to provide an insight into the many complex issues that car manufacturers face as they look to evolve their existing production facilities to accommodate rapidly increasing global demand for electrified vehicles.
- The specialist engineering consultancy unveils plans for a second climatic test chamber to support electric vehicle development at its Northampton UK RDE facility
- Customer demand for the existing RDE Centre test facilities, opened in 2018, has driven further investment
- New chamber will support EV development with four-wheel drive dyno and battery emulator in a wide range of climatic conditions, plus safety measures to enable testing of hydrogen-powered vehicles
MAHLE Powertrain has unveiled plans to invest in a second test chamber at its Real Driving Emissions (RDE) Centre in Northampton UK. The chamber will be ideally suited to develop and validate electric vehicle performance under wide-ranging climatic conditions and will be equipped with a four-wheel drive dyno and a battery emulator, as well as safety measures to enable testing of vehicles powered by hydrogen. The latest investment comes as a result of unprecedented demand for the RDE Centre’s facilities, originally opened in 2018.
“This next phase of our on-going investment programme at the RDE Centre will provide vital extra facilities for our vehicle manufacturer and tier 1 customers,” says David Pates, Head of Engineering . “Since the original opening in July 2018, our hypobaric & climatic test chamber has been in virtually constant use. This was even the case during lock-down conditions last year, when we helped manufacturers to sign off whole vehicle test programmes despite Covid-19 travel restrictions. While avoiding costly delays at the time, it also points the way to a reliable, faster and more cost-effective way to undertake such programmes post-pandemic.”
MAHLE’s research estimates that in 2035, globally 73% of passenger cars will still make use of an internal combustion engine (ICE) as part of their propulsion system, while MAHLE Powertrain estimates this will still be over 50% by 2040, so demand for the existing test chamber is forecast to continue as ICE development refocuses on hybridised units. “Given that statistic, it therefore made perfect sense to have a second chamber with a battery emulator, suitable for EV development,” says David Pates. “This second chamber will have an operational temperature range of -20 oC to +40 oC with the ability to simulate solar loading. For hydrogen-fuelled vehicle development we are building-in safety measures such as blast walls and a domed chamber roof for stray H2 gas collection. We plan for the new chamber to be ready for customers by the end of Q1 2022.”
The £5.1m investment is being part-funded by a £1.5m grant from the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP), a public-private sector-led organisation tasked with promoting economic growth in the region. Judith Barker, Director of Programmes and Governance at SEMLEP, said “We are really pleased to be able to support MAHLE Powertrain’s continuing investment into EV development at Northampton. Enhancing technologies and decarbonising our transport choices is very much aligned to our Local Industrial Strategy priorities and the ambitions of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc. We look forward to this further success and see this new facility as an important part in supporting the economic recovery of the South East Midlands post COVID-19.”
MAHLE Powertrain’s latest announcement comes after news of a number of recent investments for its facilities around the globe, including a new powertrain dyno at their US facility in Michigan and a new e-axle test facility in Fellbach, Germany. Following on from its investment in battery cell test facilities last year, the UK site in Northampton has also unveiled plans for a significant battery pack testing facility which will open later in 2021.
“Our heritage is founded on ICE development, dating back to the first Cosworth road car engines, and since those times we have some notable landmark engines to our credit. However, back in 2008 we could see the way the future of the automotive industry was developing and have been keenly focussed on our dual propulsion strategy of ICE and electrification for over a decade now,” concludes Pates. “There has never been a more technically challenging time in auto powertrain development and our aim is, as always, to help our customers develop the most effective powertrain possible within their budget and timescale. In that respect at least, nothing’s changed.”
https://www.mahle-powertrain.com
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-1200x574.webp "MAHLE Powertrain sets its sights on e-mobility of the future 7")
- MAHLE’s development service provider established as strong partner for companies in the automotive industry and other sectors
- Further growth planned: construction of five new testing and development facilities with investments totaling EUR 12 million
- State-of-the art test and development centers in the UK, the USA, Germany, China, and Brazil develop solutions for global customers
MAHLE Powertrain (MPT) is expanding its portfolio with an intensified focus on e-mobility. Over recent years, the development service provider headquartered in Northampton, UK has established itself as a strong partner for companies in the automotive and commercial vehicle industries and other sectors—and it is aiming for further growth in 2021. A total of EUR 12 million is to be invested in the construction of five new testing and development facilities. The MAHLE subsidiary already operates state-of-the-art equipment at locations in the UK, the USA, Germany, China, and Brazil, where it develops innovative solutions for its global customers.
“Our portfolio includes electrification, the development of fuel cells, and solutions to support the use of hydrogen and alternative fuels in smart electrified combustion engines. We want to grow further in this area in particular,” Simon Reader, MAHLE Powertrain’s Director of Engineering, explained at a press conference. “We’re in an excellent position to help our customers develop their sustainable mobility solutions.”
MPT’s main activities lie in the design, simulation, and development of batteries, fuel cells, electric motors, and powertrains, transmissions, software, vehicle electronics, and control systems. That is why the MAHLE subsidiary also aims to increase its focus on the further training and retraining of its employees in these fields in particular.
New battery development center
With the construction of a test center for traction batteries in Northampton in 2021, the company will fulfil the next step of its electric powertrain strategy. The new facility will have a dedicated area for the construction of battery modules and three climatic chambers for testing complete battery packs. It will be available from this autumn for battery development and validation as well as for measuring and optimizing charging and discharging processes. MPT’s first development unit designed to test batteries under various climatic conditions went into operation in 2019.
New test rig for electric drives
In Stuttgart, Germany, MPT now operates a new test rig for electric drives. This equipment is being used to develop and test e-axles and e-drive units for a wide range of electric and hybrid vehicles.
New RDE test chamber
In addition, MAHLE Powertrain will open a second test chamber at its Real Driving Emissions (RDE) Centre in Northampton,UK this year. The chamber will be ideally suited for the development and validation of electric vehicles under a wide range of climatic conditions and will be equipped with a four-wheel-drive chassis dyno and a battery emulator. It will also have all the safety features needed for testing hydrogen-powered vehicles.
Further new test facilities in Germany and the United States will focus on the development of e-bike drives and the targeted ongoing optimization of clean internal combustion engines.
Power management company Eaton and Tenneco have announced a joint development agreement between Eaton’s Vehicle Group and Tenneco’s Clean Air business group to produce an integrated exhaust thermal management system that will enable commercial truck and light vehicle manufacturers to meet upcoming emissions regulations.
Across the globe, emission standards are tightening for vehicle manufacturers. In Europe, the next stage of emissions standards, known as Euro 7 (for light-duty vehicles) and Euro VII (for heavy-duty), are targeted for introduction in 2025. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have similar actions planned for 2024 and 2027, respectively. Collectively, these new regulations will reduce tailpipe NOx limits by 90 percent, thus accelerating the need for global engine manufacturers to employ additional emission reduction strategies.
Under terms of the agreement, Tenneco’s Cold Start Thermal Unit (CSTU) will be combined with Eaton’s TVS® blower technology. The integrated exhaust thermal management system will provide heat directly to the vehicle’s aftertreatment system, which is essential for reducing harmful exhaust emissions. Upon heating the SCR catalyst to approximately 200 – 250 degrees Celsius, the aftertreatment system can efficiently convert NOx into clean emissions (e.g., nitrogen and water particles) upon exiting the SCR catalyst. Eaton’s electrically driven TVS Roots blower allows the airflow to be efficiently and precisely controlled so the CSTU can maintain optimal aftertreatment temperatures.
“CSTU is an active thermal management technology that rapidly heats and maintains the emission control system temperature,” said Nick Morley, director, global advanced engineering, Tenneco’s Clean Air business group. “Since the majority of emissions are generated during the initial start of engine operation and during extended idle conditions, the addition of an integrated exhaust thermal management system in front of the catalyst enables rapid light-off and efficient NOx conversion through the full range of operating conditions.”
“It became clear about three years ago that future CARB and EPA NOx regulations would be drastically stricter than they are today, and the exhaust thermal management system is an effective technology to actively heat up an aftertreatment system for commercial vehicle diesel engines to dramatically reduce cold-start NOx emissions,” said Justin Hopkins, technology development manager, Eaton’s Vehicle Group.
“Tenneco is an established leader in the design and development of aftertreatment solutions,” said Dmitri Konson, vice president global engineering for Tenneco’s Clean Air business. “We are pleased to partner with Eaton to develop a fully optimized system for engine manufacturers, leveraging our aftertreatment technology and engineering capabilities.”
The integrated exhaust thermal management system is already drawing attention from several global manufacturers, who are currently selecting which powertrain technology will help them meet future emissions regulations. By adopting this solution complicated multi-injector, light-off catalyst systems, with close-coupled packaging can be eliminated thereby reducing complexity. The CSTU and TVS blower will be sold individually by Tenneco and Eaton, respectively, but will be engineered as a system enabling vehicle manufacturers to seamlessly integrate the components.
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