This project focuses on developing an innovative electric particle heater and pressurized fluidized-bed heat exchanger – a long-term thermal energy storage system that stores energy up to 100 hours, and other technologies to allow power producers to store solar or wind energy to generate continuous, reliable, grid-scale power. B&W’s proven and established pressurized fluidized-bed boiler technology is an ideal choice for advancing this technology to commercial operation.

To learn more about long-duration storage, John Meier, Director of ClimateBright Babcock & Wilcox, answers six questions.

Why is long-duration energy storage important?

JM: We need long-duration energy storage because renewables are becoming a larger part of the energy mix, and renewables like wind and solar aren’t available for power generation all the time. Energy storage is needed to bridge those gaps when the sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing to provide consumers a reliable and resilient electrical grid.

What is thermal energy storage?

JM: Thermal energy storage is the process of storing renewable energy in a high-temperature material, such as sand, ceramics, or molten salt. Sand is being used in the NREL DAYS long-duration energy storage project. Sand is an ideal abundant low-cost material since it is chemically stable over a large range of temperatures. The thermal energy in the sand can be later converted back into electricity or steam.

Our current design includes B&W’s pressurized fluidized-bed heat exchanger and will be able to generate up to 135 megawatts of power for up to 100 hours (four days) from stored clean thermal energy with zero CO₂ emissions. By facilitating long-term storage of zero-carbon, renewable energy, this technology enables power producers to deliver power to the grid 24-hours a day, including during periods of peak demand, or when solar or wind generation are not optimal.

Why is sand a beneficial energy storage medium?

JM: In terms of availability, sand is plentiful, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly. Sand is also a great energy storage medium. Think of walking across a sandy beach on a hot day. When you walk on your bare feet, you can really feel the heat of the energy stored in the sand. And the sand will hold that energy for a very long period of time.

How does the NREL DAYS technology work?

JM: A sand battery, as these energy storage systems are sometimes called, uses electricity to heat sand via heating elements. The heating elements are arranged in a formation that allows the sand to flow through, coming into contact with the elements and heating it up to 1200°C.

The heated sand is stored in an insulated silo. When we need to recovery the energy, the sand is moved from the silo into B&W’s pressurized fluidized bed heat exchanger. This is a direct contact heat exchanger that blows air up through the sand, causing it to behave like a fluid. The air passing through the sand absorbs the heat from the sand. The pressurized and hot air is then used to drive a gas turbine to generate electricity.

How long can the heated sand be stored for use?

JM: The sand can be stored and used for more than 100 hours. Since sand is inexpensive, adding more thermal storage capacity is incrementally inexpensive. Thermal energy systems such as these can provide 10s to 100s of megawatts of electrical power output.

Are there benefits to thermal energy storage vs. batteries such as lithium ion?

JM: The greatest benefit of thermal energy storage is duration. The current cutting-edge battery technologies such as lithium ion or zinc provide energy for 4 hours – if you want 8 hours, you need two of them at double the cost. Thermal energy storage can provide energy for power generation for hundreds of hours with only the incremental cost of sand to increase the duration of storage capacity.

About John Meier

John Meier is the Director of ClimateBright for Babcock & Wilcox, a leader in energy and environmental products and services for power and industrial markets worldwide. 

Starting with B&W in early 2022, Meier currently supports the commercial advancement of ClimateBright, B&W’s comprehensive suite of carbon capture, hydrogen and other decarbonization products and services designed to help utilities and industry aggressively combat greenhouse gas emissions and climate change while producing clean energy.

Meier has over 18 years of experience controlling emissions from coal-fired utilities and is a subject matter expert in the field of mercury emission reduction with several US patents and numerous publications in the field.  Currently, Meier is responsible for assisting clients throughout Europe and Asia Pacific in developing their decarbonization pathway whether through fuel switching, carbon capture technologies or production of low-carbon fuels with B&W technologies.  While originally from the United States, John currently lives and works in Berlin, Germany. 

John Meier will host “Long Duration Energy Storage: Opportunities and Challenges for Scale-up” at Enlit Europe on 30 November, 2022 at 2:30 p.m.

Join Enlit Europe in Frankfurt and be part of the conversation about the energy transition in Europe and beyond.

Register now

The post Six questions about long-duration energy storage appeared first on Power Engineering International.

The study shows that Baltoflake, a GFP solution developed by coatings manufacturer Jotun, provides decades of protection for offshore wind substructures and reduces lifecycle costs by up to 50%.

The high-performance coating is ideal for deployment in the offshore wind sector, where strong corrosion resistance and excellent mechanical properties are required.

DNV inspected a section of jacket from a North Sea oil platform which was installed in 1972 and decommissioned in 2020. Jotun’s Baltoflake coating was applied to the platform in the late 1980s and, despite over 30 years’ exposure to the North Sea’s harsh environment, analysis revealed that the coating at the splash zone was intact, still smooth and showing no signs of delamination.

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Ismail Tan, global category manager – new construction primers, at Jotun said: “Although glass flake coatings have been used in the energy industry for over 40 years, there has traditionally been very little research into the material’s long-term benefits. However, by partnering with DNV on this report, we now have the relevant in-field data required to demonstrate Baltoflake’s full asset lifecycle protection performance.

“Baltoflake removes the requirement for offshore wind developers to undertake expensive repairs or replacement due to corrosion. By reducing overall maintenance costs and downtime, we can empower operators to focus their efforts on clean energy generation.”

According to recent figures, global installed offshore wind capacity is expected to reach 630GW by 2050, up from 40GW in 2020.

However, with global steel stocks and production declining following the pandemic, and with the war in Ukraine locking out around 10% of the global steel trade, the cost of steel is skyrocketing while availability drops, putting pressure on offshore wind projects.

Energy Transitions Podcast: The North Sea – Axis of decarbonisation

Offshore wind developers are at an increased risk of rising prices due to the large turbine sizes, longer foundation structures and substation requirements. However, with offshore turbines designed to last for 20-25 years, solutions like Baltoflake have the potential to extend the life of new and existing turbines by more than 10 years, reducing lifecycle costs by 50% in the process.

Introduced during the 1970s, Baltoflake was one of the first performance coating products targeted for offshore environment deployment. The coating has glass flake materials incorporated into polyester to create structure that is 5–20 times more impermeable than resin alone.

Glass flake coatings have an outstanding corrosion resistance to a wide range of acids, alkalis, solvents and salt solutions, whilst displaying excellent thermal stability.

The report will be launched at this year’s ONS exhibition in Stavanger, Norway.

The post Glass flake coatings could lessen offshore wind substructure surface maintenance appeared first on Power Engineering International.

The company operates the Sakhalin-1 project on behalf of a consortium of Japanese, Indian, and Russian companies, with a 20% stake held by Russian state-owned Rosneft. bp announced the severing of its 20% stake in Rosneft on Sunday.

On the same day as bp’s announcement, Norwegian state-backed energy giant Equinor too announced plans to exit its Russian ventures, whilst also announcing its intention not to enter into any new business dealings in the country.

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Shell too, has announced its exit from Russian-based operations – making Exxon Mobil the fourth global oil and gas major to exit major ventures in the country in almost as many days.

The company statement reads: “ExxonMobil supports the people of Ukraine as they seek to defend their freedom and determine their own future as a nation. We deplore Russia’s military action that violates the territorial integrity of Ukraine and endangers its people.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of innocent lives and support the strong international response. We are fully complying with all sanctions.”

“As operator of Sakhalin-1, we have an obligation to ensure the safety of people, protection of the environment and integrity of operations. Our role as operator goes beyond an equity investment. The process to discontinue operations will need to be carefully managed and closely coordinated with the co-venturers in order to ensure it is executed safely.”

Shell, bp, Equinor and now Exxon Mobil are not the only major global companies pulling out of Russia: General Motors, Apple, and Harley Davidson have also announced their exit from the country, with severe sanctions being imposed on Russia by the EU and Western countries.

The post Exxon Mobil announces exit from Russian Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project appeared first on Power Engineering International.

National Grid Gas Transmission has been granted £1.1m ($1.5m) funding for 10 projects, advancing work investigating the use of hydrogen in the national gas system and further unlocking gas’s role as a key enabler in the transition to net zero

National Grid Electricity Transmission has been awarded £400k ($532k) for three projects that will help develop a net zero electricity network – including replacing greenhouse gas SF6 with a low carbon alternative as well as utilising satellite data analytics to future proof against the impacts of climate change.

The projects, led by National Grid’s innovation teams, form part of the group’s efforts to facilitate a fully decarbonised and flexible UK electricity grid, connecting increased levels of renewable power, and enabling the decarbonisation of gas through investing in a range of solutions like renewable natural gas and blending hydrogen.

National Grid Gas Transmission has been granted funding for 10 projects:

1. HyNTS compression investigates the key challenges associated with compression of hydrogen using existing national transmission system (NTS) assets. This work will determine the most cost-effective compression option for hydrogen gas networks and demonstrate the proposed system.  This discovery phase will consider several sites for demonstration including the FutureGrid site enabling Phase 2 of the facility and building on this UK facility for testing and training. [Whole System Integration]
2. HyNTS deblending develops a skid mounted gas separation system that is scaled for extracting gas blends from the NTS and providing the right gases to our customers.  This project develops this solution alongside refueling automotive applications which require 100% hydrogen with high purity levels. [Zero Emission Transport]
3. Ch4rge emissions capture will determine and demonstrate capture and recompression technologies that can be deployed on the existing gas network, to eliminate emissions from compressor leaks. [Heat]
4. Gas Analyser Systems for Hydrogen Blends aims to demonstrate a fuel cell gas analyser technology that enables the compositional analysis of blends of hydrogen and natural gas up to 100% hydrogen in the NTS. [Data and Digitalisation]
5. HyNTS pipeline dataset addresses several challenges regarding the inline inspection of hydrogen assets around both the pre assessment prior to hydrogen injection and post injection inspection. The project will consider the feasibility of utilising current systems and the integration of novel inspection tools and techniques. [Data and Digitalisation]
6. Green hydrogen injection into the NTS focuses on the commercial and technical challenges of injecting and blending small volumes of ‘green’ hydrogen into the NTS. [Whole System Integration]
7. Nuclear net zero opportunities (N-NZO) will look at how nuclear hydrogen both at a large and small scale can provide consistent hydrogen injection into the UK gas networks, whilst considering the wider impact on balancing between electricity and gas network systems.  [Whole System Integration]
8. Gas network interoperable digital twin looks to develop an interoperable digital system and twin of the Gas Transmission and Gas Distribution networks, linking into the wider energy networks.  [Data and Digitalisation]
9. Hydrogen metering will investigate how gas metering will change as the network is transitioned to hydrogen and will develop solutions for blends of hydrogen and natural gas, whilst considering the possibility of variability in the blends.  [Data and Digitalisation]
10. Hydrogen barrier coatings for gas network assets investigates the potential for deployment of hydrogen barrier coatings to protect and extend the lifetime of our assets. A potential solution is through electrodeposition of thin metallic layers onto the internal surface of pipelines and other assets which will be considered alongside other coating systems and pipeline materials. [Heat]

National Grid Electricity Transmission has received Discovery phrase funding for three projects:

1. Sustainable Electrical Gas Insulated Lines (SEGIL) project will investigate a feasibility of a SF6 free Gas Insulated Line (GIL) solution to provide cost competitive, high-capacity transmission connections over 2000MVA to increase available network capacity for new offshore wind generation. The project will look at the options to replace SF6 with alternative low carbon footprint gases as a viable means of GIL insulation. [Whole System Integration]
2. Super Conductor Applications for Dense Energy Transmission (SCADET) project will develop an understanding of the barriers, opportunities, and benefits of modernising existing electricity infrastructure by replacing conventional cables with the use of High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) cable technology. This will increase network capacity, delivering time, cost, and carbon savings with reduced energy losses and wider environmental benefits including reduced disturbance to local communities caused by construction activities. [Whole System Integration]
3. Eye in the Sky Project – Utilising satellite data to improve grid resilience in emergency will investigate new satellite data analytics solutions that can help GB networks to improve the visibility of infrastructure and assets, response in emergency and risk assess effects of climate change. Novel uses of satellite data and digital platforms can significantly improve network planning, modelling and forecasting capabilities, and improve the response to climate change effects like flooding, strong wind, snow storm or wildfire and provide warning to the networks for better planning and resource allocation during extreme weather events. [Data and Digitalisation]

Antony Green, National Grid Gas Transmission’s Hydrogen Director said: “The scale of the net-zero challenge is significant. As a team in Gas Transmission, we really embraced the SIF process and submitted a number of well-rounded project proposals that are central to overcoming this challenge.

“I’m delighted that we have received funding for 10 projects. These will all help demonstrate how we will transition from the National Transmission System of today to the gas network of the future.”

Alexander Yanushkevich, National Grid Electricity Transmission’s Innovation Manager noted: “These ambitious, innovative projects have the potential to shape the future electricity network, accelerating the transition to net zero at the same time as delivering significant benefits to consumers. The most successful of the feasibility study projects can go on to receive further funding and we look forward to taking each project forward and helping these new technologies become a reality.”

The projects are funded by energy network users and consumers through Ofgem’s SIF managed in partnership with Innovate UK. The Discovery is the first phase of a three-phase SIF competition grant focused on a solution feasibility study to identify challenges and benefits to end consumers.

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According to a company statement, Ørsted will also no longer consider any direct Russian suppliers for future renewable energy projects.

The Danish company is widely credited as being the world’s largest offshore wind power developer.

The announcement was made amidst similar moves by energy majors including neighbouring Norway’s state-supported Equinor, the Swedish energy company Vattenfall and global giants bp and Shell, each announcing the ending of their partnerships with Russian majors and cutting current and future operations in Russia.

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The company has not, however, ended its supply of natural gas from Gazprom to its home country of Denmark. According to a company statement, such a move would be better coordinated as part of sanctions at national and EU government levels, due to the possible severe impacts on basic human living conditions.

“Shortfalls in gas supplies will, as opposed to stopping supply of other types of products, have severe human and societal consequences and, therefore, need to be coordinated at EU and national levels rather than decided by individual companies,” the statement read. “Therefore, the dependency on Russian gas and any ban on import of gas from Russia needs to be decided and enforced by clear political sanctions.”

“Ørsted finds the situation deeply disturbing, not least the human suffering following the war in Ukraine. The Russian aggression goes against everything that Ørsted stands for, and we have therefore taken significant steps in accordance with our values as a company.”

 “All potential EU or national sanctions impacting the gas supply will be fully supported and immediately executed,” the statement concluded.

The post Ørsted ceases supply of coal and biogas from Russian firms appeared first on Power Engineering International.

The plant is developed and operated by the German biogas and biomethane plant developer and operator Weltec and is the fourth plant of its kind opened by the company in the country.

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The new plant digests some 12,000 tons of organic waste and cattle manure into energy, supplied by a nearby facility owned by the operator.

The largely liquid organic fuels are pumped into a 2823m³, 25.34-meter diameter digester, before being fed into a 336m³ upstream substrate storage tank. Following generation, digestate is fed into a 525m³ digestate tank, from which most of the digestate is dried into solids, to be used as compost and fertiliser.

The modular plant design has been constructed with consideration given to the country’s susceptibility to seismic activity.

“The Japanese appreciate the custom plant design and the benefits of our modular approach, especially because the plant structure with stainless-steel modules facilitates the consideration of the special risks in areas that experience a lot of seismic activity,” noted Vladimir Bogatov, head of sales operations for Weltec.

Weltec set to supervise the biological management of the new facility in order to maximise the gas yield.

The post New 450kW biogas cogeneration plant goes live near Japanese capital appeared first on Power Engineering International.

The company’s backup power solution with the X factor – extended runtime is an upgrade of the GenCell G5rx and produces emission-free auxiliary electricity for substations during outages.

GenCell has enhanced the REX solution with three configurations: 130VDC, 48 VDC and an integrated solution offering a dual output of both 130/48VDC in a single unit. This allows the GenCell REX to concurrently support critical substation loads, internal communications and SCADA systems that monitor the utilities’ operations. 

Furthermore, the enhanced REX solution improves the functionality of the GenCell Remote IoT Manager software by providing improved visibility of the equipment via additional data points that can be accessed by monitoring systems.

The solution can be used to provide backup power for long periods compared to products that are on the market and have limited duration backup power, according to a statement.

The product is being showcased within the Hydrogen Europe Zone at ENLIT Europe 2021, being held from November 30^th to December 2^nd in Milan, Italy. 

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Offering an immediate injection of power that keeps circuit breaker “auto reclosers” operational until grid recovery, the GenCell REX complies with today’s more stringent regulations requiring that utilities reinforce their backup power in response to the higher risks of power outages caused by the increasingly frequent and severe climate-related weather events impacting Europe, according to a statement.

Rami Reshef, the CEO of GenCell, said his firm “is proud to be a part of Enlit Europe, an event that is addressing every aspect of Europe’s energy transition.

“Within the Hydrogen Europe Zone that is highlighting hydrogen’s huge growth potential within this energy transition, GenCell offers European utilities resilient, weather-resistant, and emission-free backup solutions that meet the requirement to withstand increasingly severe weather conditions while also complying with increasingly strict sustainability requirements.

“EU Commission regulations for the network code on electricity emergency and restoration obligate TSOs and service providers to maintain sufficient equipment redundancy and backup power supply sources for their communication systems to have a minimum backup power capacity of higher than 24 hours.  Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/2196 stipulates that each TSO shall arrange a backup power supply for its backup control room of at least 24 hours in case of loss of primary power supply. Hydrogen fuel cells are the ideal means to provide utilities with reliable long-duration backup power and GenCell is pleased to bring its experience in the Americas to meet the needs of European TSOs and power providers.”

GenCell is exhibiting at Enlit Europe Stand 12E96.

We can’t wait to see you in Milan

Enlit Europe will bring the energy community together during the live event in Milan (30 November – 2 December 2021). Register here

The post GenCell Energy presents hydrogen-based backup power tech at Enlit Europe appeared first on Power Engineering International.

The CamClose is a panel air filter, designed to extend the service life of the final filter. Adding the CamClose pre-filter in front of a final filter further improves overall filtration efficiency.

The CamClose has best-in-class water handling properties, a user-friendly design and robust construction. These features make it an excellent pre-filter for most turbomachinery and gas turbine applications. It is especially suitable for humid conditions such as tropical and coastal installations.

“The new features of the CamClose pre-filter will simplify the installation process, improve filtration performance, and offer excellent protection in wet environments.” Gautam Marwaha, Product Manager

New Features:

• Patented built-in pressure drop port helps to accurately monitor filter pressure drop across each filter stage separately, enabling the operator to better plan for filter replacement.
• Built-in plastic clips allow for an easy close-coupling to the final filter, without any additional hardware.
• High burst strength > 6 250 Pa (25” w.g.) and robust frame maintains filter integrity in challenging environments
• Lowest pressure drop in the G4 panel filter class
• Optimal and proper sealing gives best-in-class water and contaminant handling, as well as a low and stable pressure drop
• Advanced media offers low pressure drop, long life and good water handling
• Non-charged, high mechanical efficiency ensures gas turbine filters maintain their efficiency class in high velocity applications.

The new generation includes three efficiency classes and have been tested to the latest industry standards per EN779:2012 and ISO 16890: 2016.

• G4 / ISO ePM Coarse 60%
• M5 / ISO ePM10 65%
• M6 / ISO ePM2.5 50%

To learn more about the new generation CamClose pre-filters, please contact your local Camfil representative or visit www.Camfil.com/CamClose.

About Camfil Power Systems:

Camfil Power Systems specializes in air inlet and acoustical systems for turbomachinery, including gas turbines, generators, industrial air compressors, and diesel engines.

Our engineering experts continuously strive to protect this high-value equipment by designing the best filtration and acoustical solutions to meet the priorities and requirements of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), engineering procurement construction companies (EPCs), operators, and end users. They can be assured that their equipment will operate in the most profitable way, with maximum availability and reliability.

Camfil Power Systems is part of the Camfil Group, a world leader in the development and production of air filters and clean air solutions, with 30 manufacturing sites, six R&D centers, and local sales offices in 30 countries. For information or to contact a Camfil Power Systems representative, use the Contact Locator.

The post New generation CamClose panel air filters for turbomachinery appeared first on Power Engineering International.

This announcement for the installation of floating LiDAR marks the next step in the surveying process for Thang Long, the only large-scale offshore wind farm to be granted a survey licence by the Vietnamese government. To date, a full year of wind data measurements has been collected via fixed LiDAR to assess resource over the allocated area, with reconnaissance surveys to support the project team’s understanding of geological and seabed features occurring earlier this year. Based on initial results, Enterprize Energy has confirmed there will be no reduction in prospective area due to unsuitable seabed features such as basalt intrusions.

Enterprize Energy has engaged Fugro and its local partner, PTSE, to deploy Fugro’s ‘SEAWATCH Wind LiDAR Buoy’ to collect detailed wind resource, meteorological, and oceanographic data across the 2000 km2 project site over the next 12 months. The technology – comprising the SEAWATCH Wavescan Buoy as a platform into which the ZX 300M LiDAR is integrated – will track air pressure, humidity, air and water temperature, wave height and current, with support from a guard vessel which will also track fishery activity and supplementary ocean data from its own onboard sensors.

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Ian Hatton, Chairman, Enterprize Energy, states that contracting Fugro and their local partner PTSE to install the first floating LiDAR technology in Vietnam at the Thang Long project site was a “natural decision”.

Says Hatton: “The data the team will collect is central to informing the next stages in Thang Long’s development process, including long-term financial modelling and power purchase agreements.

“The results from our initial marine survey demonstrate that, as we had predicted during our proposal for a survey license, a majority of the seabed throughout the Thang Long Zone is suitable for placing turbines. Now, we can quantify how much energy can be generated throughout the project based on using all of the seabeds we initially planned to build on.

“We are delighted to have taken another step towards harnessing the incredible wind resource off the coast of Binh Thuan, bringing a further 3.4GW of renewables into Vietnam’s energy mix and opening up the opportunity for even more green energy capacity as we explore the potential for energy storage. We have lain the foundation upon which the full potential of the Thang Long zone can be released for the benefit of the Vietnamese people, in line with national planning and policies.”

Truong Tuan Nghia, Director of PTSC G&S also stated: “Today’s signing ceremony shows our respect for the cooperation with Enterprize Energy, and this is an important milestone for our next steps in the future. PTSC G&S believes that, with the experience of leading experts, technical facilities and high-class equipment, can provide the best service in developing the Thang Long Wind project.

“With the support from Enterprize Energy, together with our long-standing partner ” Fugro Singapore Marine, and commitment from all levels of our organization, PTSC G&S is fully confident that the project will be completed within the agreed time schedule, to the highest quality and safety standards”.

At the virtual contract signature ceremony, Emily Hamblin, British Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, commented: “The timing of this signing is particularly apt. We are very pleased that COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma will be visiting Vietnam to discuss Vietnam’s clean energy ambitions and explore further collaboration in the run-up to the November COP26 Climate Summit, to be hosted in the UK. We see this as a critical opportunity for meaningful international action on climate ” we hope Vietnam will be a central part of that conversation and show visible leadership through the adoption of renewables.”

The first 600MW phase of the 3.4GW Thang Long offshore wind farm is due to come online by the end of 2025, with further phases developed on a rolling basis.

Offshore wind in Vietnam is increasingly recognised as the primary route to decarbonising the country’s energy supply, with its southern waters ranked in the top 10 per cent of global wind locations. In 2018, Enterprize Energy brought the potential of offshore wind energy off the coast of the Binh Thuan Province to the attention of the Vietnamese government, with a focus on accessing the best resource and identifying opportunities for grid stability solutions such as hydrogen storage.

The post Enterprize Energy launches first floating lidar survey in Vietnam appeared first on Power Engineering International.

To reduce CO₂-emissions, OEMs have been looking at low emission engine technologies as an alternative for internal combustion engines (ICE). Currently, there are different electrified solutions on the market, from mild hybrid electric to full electric vehicles.

Overview of engine technologies

The passenger car market holds a diverse range of engine technologies:

• Internal Combustion Engine (ICE)
• Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) with Start/Stop Technology
• Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle (M-HEV): The electric motor cannot propel the vehicle on its own. It is used for starting the engine, acceleration assist and regenerative braking. This technology is used in the Honda Civic.
• Full Hybrid Electric Vehicle (F-HEV): The electric motor can power the car unassisted while the is battery charged by the combustion engine. This technology is used in the Toyota Prius.
• Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (P-HEV): This engine is similar to F-HEV where the battery can be charged externally or via the combustion engine. This technology is used in the Ford C-max Energy.
• Electric Vehicle (BEV): Battery driven electric motors and controllers used for propulsion. This technology is used in all Tesla models.
• Range Extender Electric Vehicle (REEV): A BEV that also carries an ICE driven electric generator to supplement the batteries. This technology is used in the BMW I3.

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Market acceptance of hybrid- and electric vehicles

Full hybrid electric vehicles (FHEV) with additional features such as regenerative braking or stopping the engine during idle, can significantly improve fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions. It makes them increasingly popular with OEMs as a way to reach European emission legislation.

A number of large manufacturers are developing FHEVs because they see the technology as a good bridge until more advanced diesel and electric vehicles are fully developed.

Gaining the global acceptance of hybrid- and electric vehicles by consumers remains a big challenge. In Europe 10% of last year’s car sales consisted of hybrid- and electric vehicles. In the Netherlands they accounted for close to 100.000 new vehicles in 2019, which is close to 25% of the new car sales registrations.

Lubrication of hybrid cars

Hybrid vehicles introduce new powering architectures with average engine loads that are significantly higher and engine operating times that are much shorter. These special circumstances require special lubrication solutions:

• Engine oil
• Oil for the drivetrain
  • Manual Transmission fluids (MTF)
  • Automatic Transmission Fluids (ATF)
  • Dual Clutch Transmission Fluids (DCT)
  • Continuously-variable transmission (CVT)
• Engine coolants

Lubrication challenges of hybrid vehicles

During speeding up, a hybrid vehicle switches from one to the other engine at the proper time, yielding a win-win in terms of energy efficiency. This is translated into lower fuel consumption and reduced CO₂-emission.

However, it also brings some specific challenges:

• When the combustion engine kicks in when the hybrid car is already travelling at speed, it introduces a heavy load on cold start, increasing the risk of engine wear.
• Because the operation time of the combustion engine is short it is more prone to moister and acid formation.
• Under-usage of the combustion engine can lead to fretting wear.
• Short journeys during which only the electric motor is used, increase the risk of water accumulation in the combustion engine.

These special engine operating conditions result in low oil temperatures for which the additive chemistry has to be compatible. In this harsh environment, water ingress and sludge formation can cause serious oil degradation over time. In combination with the use of bio-fuel, this can further accelerate the oil degradation process in HEV-applications. It means only the highest quality engine oils are suitable for hybrid vehicles.

Hybrid lubricants from Q8Oils

Q8oils develops new dedicated engine oils for hybrid vehicles and new dedicated transmission oils for the driveline for both hybrid- and electric vehicles.

They deliver an instant start-up lubrication in cold conditions, minimizing friction and start-up wear. They reduce fuel consumption and CO₂-emissions, protecting the environment.

The post Hybrid and electric vehicles and their lubrication challenges appeared first on Power Engineering International.