TNO research on powertrains

Thema:
Sustainable vehicles

Modern means of transport, from passenger cars to heavy road and waterborne vehicles, must comply with increasingly stringent emission regulations and greenhouse gas targets.

These future challenges will be met by applying a range of increasingly complex powertrain technologies. For heavy trucks, an example of a solution could be a combination of:

  • low-carbon renewable fuels, such as biofuels and hydrogen
  • new, high-efficiency concepts for internal combustion engines (e.g. RCCI)
  • diverse electrification and hybridisation
  • fuel cell applications
  • and exhaust aftertreatment.

Finally, an integrated development approach is needed to maximise overall system efficiency. To reduce system development efforts, TNO has developed a unique methodology based on a combination of state-of-the-art test facilities and virtual development.

First, the real system is represented by a representative mathematical model based on TNO’s component library. Uniquely, all our models are based on physics and validated in our own facilities, are fully predictive and scalable, controllable, and can be implemented in real-time.

Each component model is equipped with a special tool that allows easy, systematic calibration for your specific application.

At TNO, we develop control strategies for:

  • SCR dosing
  • flex-fuel engines
  • battery management systems
  • and predictive energy management.

Our solutions can be implemented directly on your programmable controller to maximise performance online under field conditions. Before being implemented on a real object, TNO’s virtual test environment enables time- and cost-efficient verification of the performance and robustness of the control functionality.

The controller is tested in a hardware-in-the-loop environment using state-of-the-art rapid prototyping tools. The system components and environment are simulated while the control algorithm runs in real-time.

Before hitting the road, TNO provides ultimate system validation, performed at our state-of-the-art experimental facilities:

  • unique climatic altitude chamber for engines for testing motor vehicles at temperatures from -45 to +55 ºC and up to an altitude of 4,000 metres
  • four transient engine test benches equipped with comprehensive state-of-the-art measuring equipment for emissions and greenhouse gases: NOx, NO, CO, THC, CO2, O2 (CH4, EGR CO2)
  • portable emission measurement systems (PEMS) for field measurements
  • automated test benches for battery cell, module, pack, and vehicle testing with thermal conditioning
  • extensive infrastructure for liquid (diesel, petrol) and gaseous (LPG, NG) fuels and biofuels
  • fuel cell testing and validation facilities (under development)
  • fully configurable truck and car labs (combustion, hybrid, fuel cell) for real-world road experiments.

TNO Powertrains has a strong international track record for various applications, from passenger cars to heavy road and water transport, making it the ideal knowledge partner for innovative solutions to tomorrow’s challenges.

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