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Researchers developing free-piston linear generator for exhaust waste heat recovery

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Researchers in China have developed a novel free-piston linear generator (FPLG) to recover exhaust waste heat efficiently from a vehicle engine. The FPLG can be used in a small-scale organic Rankine cycle (ORC) system and can directly convert the thermodynamic energy of working fluid into electricity. —Tian et al. Prototype FPLG.

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Dynamically tuning the structure of platinum in catalytic converters to enhance performance under different conditions

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Researchers from France and Germany are proposing a new concept for the dynamic tuning of the structure of platinum nanoparticles on catalytic converters to enhance their performance—especially after cold starts and in urban traffic—and to reduce the consumption of expensive noble metal. Gänzler et al. Click to enlarge.

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Porsche unveils 2017 version of 919 Hybrid Le Mans prototype

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The 2017 model of the Porsche 919 Hybrid deploys a range of new innovations, particularly in the vehicle’s aerodynamics, the chassis and the combustion engine. Team Principal Andreas Seidl, who continues to serve as acting technical director, said that for the 2017 season, 60 to 70 percent of the vehicle is newly developed.

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New composite reduces rare earth element usage in three-way catalytic converters

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The high-performance, three-way catalytic (TWC) converter is one of the workhorses of emissions reduction for gasoline engines. This function is crucial in current TWC, in which the oxygen partial pressure in the exhaust must be regulated to be near the ideal air-to-fule ration (A/F = 14.6). Adapted with permission from Machida et al.

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Valmet Automotive starts EV battery pack production in Salo

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Valmet Automotive has completed the first battery packs destined for customer deliveries from the Salo plant, after exhaustive testing of the production system and product quality. In Salo, Valmet Automotive converted a former cell-phone-manufacturing plant completely to meet the requirements of high-volume automotive battery pack production.

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Study finds “markedly” high levels of diesel exhaust present in commuter trains powered by locomotives in pull-mode

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Imagine yourself driving down a busy highway in a convertible, and spending your entire commute sitting behind a very large diesel truck. Evans (2017) “Exposure to ultrafine particles and black carbon in diesel-powered commuter trains,” Atmospheric Environment doi: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2017.02.015. —Greg Evans. 2017.02.015.

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BMW to begin testing BMW M Hybrid V8 with P66/3 engine

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The combustion engine is based on the DTM unit used in the BMW M4 DTM in 2017 and 2018. The normally-aspirated P66/1 eight-cylinder engine used in the 2017 and 2018 seasons in the BMW M4 DTM was the one that got the nod. The BMW M Hybrid V8 is powered by the P66/3 eight-cylinder turbo engine with supplementary electric drive.

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