This paper presents experimental research aimed at developing novel low lubrication methods for rotorcraft and jet engines, focusing on sustaining minimal lubrication to prevent catastrophic bearing failure during loss of lubrication (LoL) events or to increase fuel consumption performance on once-through, fuel-oil bearing lubrication engines. Utilizing two high-speed bearing test rigs simulating low and high thrust class engine conditions, the study establishes lower bounds for oil flow rates necessary to maintain thermal stability and prevent thermal runaway in hybrid ball bearings. These findings inform the design of the Zulu Pod (ZPod), a passively driven, self-contained oil delivery system that uses engine compressor bleed air to precisely meter lubricant flow. Engine test stand results demonstrate that replacing traditional fuel-oil lubrication with the ZPod system reduces thrust specific fuel consumption (TSFC) by an average of 7%, with up to 11% savings, without compromising

Boersma, Pieter, Currier, Todd, Ferrante, Jason, Rosenthal, Julius

Quantitative Analysis of a Hybrid Electric HMMWV for Fuel Economy Improvement

2024-01-3356

4/23/2025

ABSTRACT This paper presents a quantitative analysis and comparison of fuel economy and performance of a series hybrid electric HMMWV (High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle) military vehicle with a conventional HMMWV of equivalent size. Hybrid vehicle powertrains show improved fuel economy gains due to optimized engine operation and regenerative braking. In this paper, a methodology is presented by which the fuel economy gains due to optimized engine are isolated from the fuel economy gains due to regenerative braking. Validated vehicle models as well as data collected on test tracks are used in the quantitative analysis. The regenerative braking of the hybrid HMMWV is analyzed in terms of efficiency from the kinetic energy at the wheels to the portion of regenerative power which is retrievable by the battery. The engine operation of both the series hybrid and conventional HMMWV are analyzed using a 2-D bin analysis methodology. Finally, the vehicle model is used to make

Nedungadi, Ashok, Masrur, Abul, Khalil, Gus

Development of the Mild Hybrid System for Off-Road Machinery

2024-32-00674/18/2025

In recent years, the importance of achieving carbon neutrality has been highlighted in response to the escalating severity of climate change. In the leading automobile market, the share of electric vehicles is gradually expanding, especially in passenger car sector. However, it is not same in commercial vehicle sector. In the off-road machinery market, as with electrification in commercial vehicles, the factors such as the need to install charging infrastructure and the requirement for large batteries to expand operating duration are significant challenge to full electrification. As one of the realistic solutions toward carbon neutrality for off-road machines, methods to utilize both internal combustion engines (ICE) and their applied products are being reconsidered. Under the circumstances, we have developed a mild-hybrid (MH) system for small off-road machinery. This system adopts a 48V power supply in order to minimize size of the system offers as a “Drop-in” package solution. This

Koyama, Kazuaki, Kimura, Ryota, Nagamori, Yuko, Horita, Tatsuhiko, Nosaka, Kento

Development of Cylinder Deactivation Control during Idle for Conventional Engines

2024-32-00194/18/2025

This report examines the advancement and utilization of cylinder deactivation technology that enhances fuel efficiency in conventional engines without hardware modifications. It operates by halting fuel supply to some of the cylinders in multi-cylinder engines and increasing the output power of the remaining active cylinders to maintain an idle state. By implementing this technology in the mass-produced 90° V-twin engine, the U502, and deactivating one of its two cylinders, fuel consumption during idling is reduced by over 30%. The focus of this study is on the technology developed to minimize engine speed fluctuations during the transition to cylinder deactivation and reactivation for the engine. By making various modifications to the fuel injection control sequence and optimizing the throttle opening of each cylinder in idle and driving conditions, engine speed fluctuations were minimized. This allows users to reduce fuel consumption while maintaining the engine’s original

YANAGIDA, Shoji

Virtual Calibration Approach to the Development of Control Systems and Strategies for Hybrid L-Category Vehicles

2024-32-00664/18/2025

Hybrid powertrain for motorcycles has not been widely adopted to date but has recently shown significant increased interest and it is believed to have great potential for fuel economy containment in real driving conditions. Moreover, this technology is suitable for the expected new legislations, reduced emissions and enables riding in Zero Emissions Zones, so towards a more carbon neutral society while still guaranteeing “motorcycle passion” for the product [1, 2]. Several simulation tools and methods are available for the concept phase of the hybrid system design, allowing definition of the hybrid components and the basic hybrid strategies, but they are not able to properly represent the real on-road behaviour of the hybrid vehicle and its specific control system, making the fine tuning and validation work very difficult. Motorcycle riders are used to expect instant significant torque delivery on their demand, that is not properly represented in legislative cycles (e.g. WMTC); rider

Antoniutti, Christian, Sweet, David, Hounsham, Sandra

Studying the Lean Burn Operation in Two-Wheelers to Increase Fuel Efficiency and Investigate the Use of Lean NOx Trap Catalyst (LNT) for Lean Burn System

2024-32-00584/18/2025

This study offers an overview of the impact of lean burn technology in two-wheeler vehicles, specifically concentrating on enhancing the fuel economy and addressing the challenges associated with its adoption. Lean burn systems, characterized by a fuel-air mixture with a higher air content than stoichiometric ratio. The study focuses on technology which meets stringent emission standards while enabling the optimization of fuel efficiency. The lean burn system employs strategies to optimize air-fuel ratio using electronic fuel injection, ignition timing control, and advanced engine control algorithms like - updated torque modulation control algorithm for drivability, lambda control algorithm for rich and lean switch and NOx modelling algorithm for LNT catalyst efficiency tracking. The challenges related to lean burn systems, includes issues related to combustion stability, nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, and their impact on drivability, is summarized in the study. Mitigation strategies

Somasundaram, Karthikeyan, Sivaji, Purushothaman, John Derin, C, Vishal, Karwa, Manoj Kumar, S, Maynal, Rajesh

EDITORIAL: Farewell and thanks, Mr. Birch

21AUTP06_041/27/2025

“We pay close attention to the SAE magazines because your guy in Europe writes interesting articles,” a BMW engineering executive told me one year at the Frankfurt Motor Show. He was referring to Stuart Birch, our veteran European Editor, who has recently decided - after nearly 37 years of outstanding reporting for SAE International - to hang up his keyboard and spend more time with his wife, Kim, their family and friends in the British countryside, and his classic Porsche 911. Our staff had been dreading the day that Stuart would announce his retirement, foremost because he's been a great friend as well as a colleague. And because journalists with his qualities - professionalism, perspective, a powerful work ethic and great wit - are increasingly rare in the mobility-technology space. As SAE's global audience knew, Stuart Birch delivered compelling technical and business information. He covered product, processes and people with equal poise. And he thrived on the R&D beat: Virtual

Brooke, Lindsay

SAE TOMORROW TODAY: Reshaping Air Freight with Blended Wing Body Design

134941/6/2025

For more than 60 years, the air freight industry has adapted passenger aircraft for cargo fleets resulting in limited capacity and diminished fuel efficiency. However, a long-overdue shift toward a volume-optimized blended wing body (BWB) design is enabling freight aircrafts to carry 40-50% more in cargo capacity per trip while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Leading the way is Natilus, a company that develops hyper-efficient cargo and passenger BWB aircraft that dramatically improve aerodynamic efficiency and provide a powerful increase in internal volume. The result? Less fuel burn, lower emissions, higher payloads, and lower operating costs. To learn more, we sat down with Aleksey Matyushev, CEO and Co-Founder, to discuss how Natilus' next-generation BWB aircraft design can improve economic efficiency and sustainability, as well as the company's foray into the passenger aircraft space. We'd love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and

Hineman, Marcie

ACHIEVING 44% THERMAL EFFICIENCY in TODAY’S ENGINES “More for Less”

2024-01-3188

11/15/2024

ABSTRACT The US Army is seeking improvements in the fuel efficiency of their military vehicles.. They have initiated a number of R&D projects aimed at advancing the state-of-the-art of powertrain efficiency including demonstration in a laboratory environment. This effort will set a benchmark for the vehicle integrators, allowing them to improve future vehicle offerings. The SAIC, AVL, Badenoch, QinetiQ and Ker-Train Research team offered powertrain solutions from 7 Tons to 40 Tons that achieved the goal of 44% thermal efficiency and the stringent flexible fuel and emissions requirements. In each of these offerings the team was able to identify modifications to existing engines that allowed dramatic improvements in the thermal efficiency. These efficiency improvements were achieved through a combination of techniques, combustion cycle adjustments using in-cylinder pressure monitoring and precise control of fuel injector timing, and turbo-compounding. For the R&D project, the fuel

McDowell, Jim, Hunter, Gary L., Hennessy, Chris

Quantitative Analysis of a Hybrid Electric HMMWV for Fuel Economy Improvement

2024-01-3356-TEST-REC11/15/2024

Nedungadi, Ashok, Masrur, Abul, Khalil, Gus

On-Board Fuel Sensing for UAS and Ground Vehicle Applications

2024-01-4128

9/16/2024

Abstract The variability in fuel, particularly for fuel blends containing sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), emphasizes the importance of understanding fuel properties for optimizing engine performance. This paper introduces spectroscopic fuel sensors capable of real-time estimation of jet fuel properties, mainly derived cetane number (DCN). While initially developed for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), the paper explores their potential in ground vehicle applications: enhancing engine performance through sensing for feed-forward control and fuel property monitoring at fuel depots. The fuel sensing technologies are based on spectroscopic techniques coupled with machine learning (ML) approaches. The combination of these techniques demonstrates a promising solution for a wide spectrum of fuel applications.

Patel, Dev B., Sutar, Ashish, Abraham, Abhinav, Ambre, Dhananjay, Brezinsky, Kenneth, Lynch, Patrick T., Okada, Haruna, Stafford, Jacob M., Miganakallu, Niranjan, Sanders, Scott, Rothamer, David, Mayhew, Eric, Kim, Kenneth S.

Development of Low Viscosity Fuel Economy Engine Oil for Commercial Vehicles

2024-26-00401/16/2024

Sustainability today has evolved from being just a niche engagement to an absolute necessity. The reduction of carbon emissions from aspects of human activity has become a critical enabler to mitigate the impact of climate change. The Transportation industry is a significant contributor to such emissions while at the same time a critical part of the global economy. As powertrains have undergone significant changes to reduce emissions through hardware changes, now an effective and efficient engine oil is amongst the most convenient and cost-effective ways of reducing a vehicle’s carbon emissions. Development of lubricants towards this must address many challenges of today’s world. Modern Commercial Vehicle engines operate at higher temperatures than before, promoting both oxidation and nitration of the lubricant. At the same time, higher levels of fuel economy require usage of lower viscosity engine oils, which must then be formulated in a manner that protects the engine and maintains

Tyagarajan, Sethuramalingam, Singh, Samsher, Bondre, Sushil, Madan, Lalit, Lim, Pei Yi, Pollington, Mark

A comparative study of ethanol and methanol blends on performance and emissions on BSIV and BSVI class of vehicles

2024-26-00731/16/2024

The quest for alternate fuels has led many researchers to evaluate various alcohols as an immediate substitute for gasoline. Among the alcohols, ethanol has received a lot of popularity as it can be produced from biomass feeds such as sugarcane and corn. Several countries have made it mandatory to blend at least 10% of ethanol in gasoline. However, the source of feedstock for ethanol production is posing a threat to food security. In order to restrain this problem, a few countries are promoting the use of methanol as an alternative fuel. Methanol can be obtained by processing naturally available biomass resources, much of which is waste material. Methanol-gasoline blends have been found to have a high octane number, good performance and lower carbon emissions, making it an excellent alternative fuel for engines. In the present study, a comparative analysis was carried out to evaluate the performance and emissions from unmodified vehicles using lower concentrations (up to 20%) of

Teja, Ravi, Khandai, Chinmayananda, Muralidharan, M

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