When you fill up your car's fuel tank, wouldn't you expect the fuel to power your vehicle down the road? Well, not all of the fuel put into a car's tank is used for that purpose. In fact, only 12-30% of the energy put into a conventional car is actually used to move the vehicle. The rest of the energy is lost to engine inefficiencies or used to power accessories.
The amount of energy loss varies depending on the type of driving – city, highway, or combined city and highway. This means that there is great potential to improve vehicle fuel efficiencies with advanced technologies that address these losses. In this blog post, we will discuss the different types of energy loss in vehicles and the advanced technologies that can be used to minimize them.
Engine Losses
Engine losses refer to the energy lost through the process of converting fuel into power to move the vehicle. These losses include exhaust heat and pumping. The amount of engine loss varies depending on the type of driving. City driving, for example, has higher engine losses than highway driving. This is due to the frequent stops and starts, as well as the need to maintain low speeds in traffic.
To minimize engine losses, advanced engine technologies can be used. These include turbocharging, direct injection, and variable valve timing. Turbocharging, for example, allows for a denser air intake, which leads to more efficient combustion and less energy loss. Direct injection and variable valve timing also improve combustion efficiency and reduce engine losses.
Idle Losses
Idle losses refer to the energy lost when the vehicle is not in motion. These losses occur when the vehicle is at a stop light or in traffic. There are no idle losses in highway driving, but losses due to wind resistance and rolling resistance are higher for highway driving than city driving.
Hydrogen On Demand Generators
One advanced technology that can help to reduce idle losses is the use of hydrogen on demand generators. These devices create hydrogen gas on-demand by extracting it from water. The hydrogen gas is then used as a fuel source for the vehicle's engine. This technology can help to reduce idle losses by powering the vehicle when it is stopped or at low speeds, which reduces the need for the internal combustion engine to run. This results in less energy loss and improved fuel efficiency.
Wind Resistance and Rolling Resistance
Wind resistance and rolling resistance are two other sources of energy loss in vehicles. Wind resistance is the force that opposes the motion of the vehicle as it moves through the air, and rolling resistance is the force that oppose the motion of the vehicle as it rolls on the road.
To reduce wind resistance and rolling resistance, advanced aerodynamics and low-resistance tires can be used. Aerodynamic design can reduce the drag on the vehicle, which results in less energy loss. Low-resistance tires can also help to reduce rolling resistance.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there is great potential to improve vehicle fuel efficiencies with advanced technologies that address the various types of energy loss in vehicles. From engine losses, idle losses, wind resistance and rolling resistance, advanced technologies such as advanced engines, hydrogen on demand generators, aerodynamic design and low-resistance
Tyres can also be used to minimize these losses and improve fuel efficiency. By understanding the sources of energy loss in vehicles and the technologies that can be used to address them, we can take steps to improve fuel efficiency and reduce our impact on the environment.
