The Energy Blog

Georgia Tech: CCS from Vehicles with Carbon Recyle = Zero Emission Car

Georgia Tech abridged press release:

The Georgia Tech team’s goal is to create a sustainable transportation system that uses a liquid fuel and traps the carbon emission in the vehicle for later processing at a fueling station. The carbon would then be shuttled back to a processing plant where it could be transformed into liquid fuel. Currently, Georgia Tech researchers are developing a fuel processing device to separate the carbon and store it in the vehicle in liquid form.

Georgia Tech’s near-future strategy involves capturing carbon emissions from conventional (fossil) liquid hydrocarbon-fueled vehicles with an onboard fuel processor designed to separate the hydrogen in the fuel from the carbon. Hydrogen is then used to power the vehicle, while the carbon is stored on board the vehicle in a liquid form until it is disposed at a refueling station. It is then transported to a centralized site to be sequestered in a permanent location currently under investigation by scientists, such as geological formations, under the oceans or in solid carbonate form.

In the long-term strategy, the carbon dioxide will be recycled forming a closed-loop system, involving synthesis of high energy density liquid fuel suitable for the transportation sector.

Georgia Tech settled on a hydrogen-fueled vehicle for its carbon capture plan because pure hydrogen produces no carbon emissions when it is used as a fuel to power the vehicle. The fuel processor produces the hydrogen on-board the vehicle from the hydrocarbon fuel without introducing air into the process, resulting in an enriched carbon byproduct that can be captured with minimal energetic penalty. Traditional combustion systems, including current gasoline-powered automobiles, have a combustion process that combines fuel and air — leaving the carbon dioxide emissions highly diluted and very difficult to capture.

Cheap Cars Mean Higher Gas Prices

The introduction of cheap cars in China and India may accelerate the increase of price of gasoline in the rest of the world.  That is the essence of a CNNMoney article that points to projection that India will be have annual sales of 3 million light vehicles and China roughly 17 million units by 2015.  The 2 billion-plus combined populations of India and China could one day dwarf the 300 million potential car buyers in the U.S.

Even though these small, cheap cars get high milage they are for the most part being sold as the first car that an individual owns, therefore over a few years, the sheer volume of these cars adds tremendously to the world's requirements for gasoline.

India's Tata Nano and the Chinese Chery QQ are the cars that are sparking this revolution. TheTata Nano, a two-cylinder, four-person sedan that gets 50 miles per gallon and is priced at $2,500 while China's Chery QQ, is a  five door, 4 passenger vehicle, with a 3 cylinder, 0.8 liter engine and starts at about $3.700.

BorgWarner Dual-Clutch Transmission Design for Small Cars

From BorgWarner press release:

BorgWarner (NYSE: BWA) is revolutionizing the transmission market. A new new dual-clutch transmission for developing markets and small cars is in the final development stages at BorgWarner.

Working in conjunction with several Asian automakers, BorgWarner will be providing patent-pending dual-clutch transmission architecture that delivers fuel efficiency in an affordable package ideal for the growing small car demand in developing markets.

"Drivers in developing markets like China and India are looking for the ease of using an automatic transmission in an affordable vehicle," said Dr. Bernd Matthes, President and General Manager, BorgWarner Transmission Systems. "Up until now, the complexity and cost of automatic transmissions made it impractical to package this option in smaller cars. With BorgWarner's new design, we can deliver the responsive, fuel-efficient, fun-to drive characteristics of a dual-clutch transmission in a smaller, more affordable package. The unique architecture of our compact dual-clutch transmission is expected to expand the use of automatic transmissions in emerging markets. Test results with this transmission indicate a 13% fuel efficiency improvement, better top-end speed and a significant improvement in acceleration over automatic transmissions currently in production."

Ford Focus Econetic Launched at Frankfort Motor Show

Ford of Europe is offering its customers ultra-low CO2 alternatives for selected car lines with the launch of a new range of Ford ECOnetic models at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show.

These cars will use a combination of the latest common-rail diesel powertrains together with other carefully-selected features engineered to reduce CO2 emissions to the absolute minimum.

The first to be launched by the end of 2007 will be the new Ford Focus ECOnetic, which promises to deliver best-in-class CO2 emissions for conventional powertrain technology at just 115g/km.

"Although all models in our current European portfolio are highly competitive in terms of CO2, we do know that more and more car buyers seek the lowest possible emissions as a key reason for purchase, and that they have an increasing range of such vehicles to choose from in the market," said John Fleming, Ford of Europe President and CEO.

Maxwell to Develop Capacitors for Mercedes

Ultracapacitors' Rapid Charge/Discharge Capabilities Boost Acceleration and Increase Braking Energy Recuperation Efficiency, Reducing Fuel Consumption and Emissions

Maxwell Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXWL) announced today that it has been awarded a contract by Mercedes Car Group to design and produce ultracapacitors for an advanced engineering hybrid-electric drive train program incorporating a braking energy recuperation system that enables it to increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.

David Schramm, Maxwell's president and chief executive officer, said that the contract provides for funding from Mercedes to develop a new BOOSTCAP(R) ultracapacitor cell specifically designed to meet the energy storage and power delivery requirements of one of Mercedes' torque assist and recuperative braking systems. . . . more

Toray Develops Carbon Fiber Plastics for Auto Platforms

Toray Industries Inc. has developed a technology with Nissan Motor Co. and others that will enable automakers to slash vehicle weight by using a lighter material to build car platforms, The Nikkei learned Thursday.

The technology speeds up the resin molding process, enabling carbon fiber to be mass-produced for automotive use. Unlike conventional steel platforms that can weigh about 300kg for a luxury passenger car, carbon fiber plastics, which combine carbon fiber and resins, will help cut platform weight to roughly 150kg.

This will allow automakers to reduce the overall weight of their vehicles , which average around 1.5 tons, by 10 per cent, resulting in a 4-5 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency.  . . .

Because carbon fiber would still be somewhat costly, Toray plans to initially market its technology for use in luxury vehicles. It predicts that the cost will eventually fall to a level similar to conventional steel platforms.

Ships Becoming Largest Source of Emissions

According to Europa, in the EU ships are fast becoming the biggest source of air pollution.  Unless more action is taken they are set to emit more than all land sources combined by 2020.

A 2003 study found that large ships generate 30 percent of global nitrogen emissions and 16 percent of sulfur emissions from all petroleum sources. Despite the fact that ships are more energy efficient than other forms of commercial transportation, marine engines operate on extremely dirty fuels. Most large ships use the dirtiest and least expensive diesel available, bunker oil.

Shipping is a small contributor to the world total CO2 emissions (1.8% of world total CO2 emissions in 1996)

How About 1902.7 mpg?

Students from the across the U.S. and Canada competed in the first Shell Eco-marathon(TM) Americas. Shell challenged the engineering students to drive their vehicles the farthest distance using the least amount of fuel, either conventional or alternative. While all of the teams accomplished impressive fuel economy figures, team Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, in the internal combustion division, won the grand prize with an astonishing 1902.7 miles per gallon.

California State Polytechnic University student Kevin Fang drove the wining car to victory in the marathon held at the CA Speedway in Fontana, CA, Saturday, April 14, 2007. Los Altos Academy of Engineering (Hacienda Heights, CA) won the hydrogen division at 1038 miles per gallon.

"The innovative ideas and the exchange of information taking place at the Shell Eco-marathon demonstrate the approach necessary to address today's energy challenges. There's not one answer; we must have a broad spectrum of economically, socially and environmentally viable energy solutions to meet the future's mobility demands" said David Sexton, president of Shell Oil Products U.S.

Teams were comprised of about eight students working together to build prototype vehicles with three or four wheels using conventional fuels or alternative fuels or energy sources such as liquid petroleum gas, biofuels, compressed natural gas, hydrogen or solar. This years challenge brought eighteen conventional fuel-powered entries, one hydrogen-powered entry and one solar-powered entry.

0-60 mph in 1.5 Seconds on Bike Powered by A123 Batteries

In a blatant, but still revealing, advertising gimmick A123Systems, made this announcement today.

April 5, 2007 – A123Systems today announced that The KillaCycle, the world’s quickest electric motorcycle and the official world record holder in the ¼ mile drag, broke the world record again using its lithium-ion batteries. The official record for any electric vehicle worldwide in the ¼ mile is set now at an elapsed time of 8.16 seconds.  Further, The KillaCycle holds the top speed record for the ¼ mile, at a blistering 156mph.

Powered by 990 A123Systems Nanophosphate cells™, The KillaCycle set the new world record for the fourth time in two days at the All Harley Drag Racing Association (AHDRA) event at the Firebird Speedway in Chandler, AZ on Saturday, March 31, 2007.  Weighing just over 165 pounds, the A123Systems battery pack delivers over 350 horsepower to the motorcycle drivetrain and holds 7.5 kWh of energy. With the A123Systems battery pack, The KillaCycle goes from 0 to 60mph in under 1.5 seconds.

Quantum Delivers More Hydrogen Hybrids

Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc., (Nasdaq: QTWW) announced that it has shipped eleven hydrogen-fueled Prius hybrid vehicles to Miljobil Grenland AS, a participant and vehicle provider to the Norwegian Hydrogen Highway (HyNor).

The Hydrogen Hybrid package for the Prius includes Quantum's electronic multi-point hydrogen injection system, turbocharger and intercooler, Quantum's compressed hydrogen fuel storage module and hydrogen fuel delivery system, and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) crashworthy design and validation. The eleven vehicles in this shipment were equipped with an extended range package, which was engineered by Quantum to provide additional hydrogen storage capacity and a resulting 30 percent increase in vehicle driving range between refueling. In addition to performing in specified starting conditions and meeting certain drivability specifications, these vehicles were designed to meet European safety standards, including the successful completion of crash testing to verify the safety of the converted vehicles.

The Norwegian government, industry participants, and the organizations participating in a joint effort called HyNor plan on creating a "Hydrogen Highway" between the capital, Oslo, and western Norway's port of Stavanger.

As part of the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (AQMD) program to develop and demonstrate hydrogen hybrid vehicles in Southern California Quantum is supplying 30 Prius hybrids; five of them have been delivered to the City of Santa Monica, California and five to the City of Burbank, California.