Grand Challenges in Engine and Automotive Engineering

Abstract

Oil provides 33% of the world’s energy (Wilcox, 2014) and transportation engines account for over 60% of the 70 million barrels of crude used each day. Engines power the world’s roughly one billion passenger vehicles, as well as trucks and heavy-duty vehicles. In theUSA, engines consume 14million barrels of oil per day or 2.5 gal/person. Since there are insufficient reserves, 62% is imported, and at current prices (e.g., $80 a barrel), the USA spends about 1 billion dollars a day on imported oil. is also impacts national security. It is unreasonable to think that this vast consumption of fuel is sustainable. But prospects for replacing the IC engine with more fuel efficient and cleaner power plants are not hopeful. Indeed, a recent report (NRC, 2011) concluded that “. . .the internal combustion engine (ICE) will be the dominant prime mover for light-duty vehicles for many years, probably decades. us, it is clearly important to perform R&D to provide a better understanding of the fundamental processes affecting engine efficiency and the production of undesirable emissions.” Also, there is no obvious alternative to the IC engine for mediumand heavy-duty commercial vehicles, which account for a quarter of all fuel used (mostly diesel). e fuel used by IC engines also has a major impact on our global environment. Burning one 1 kg of fuel consumes about 15 kg of air, and signi cant energy is required to pump it into and out of the engine. In addition, about 3 kg of CO2 is generated, which contributes to the world’s annual production of 37 billion tons of CO2, a major green house gas (GHG). Some fear that GHGs can cause climate change with unpredictable consequences. To address this problem, the International Energy Agency’s roadmap is to reduce fuel use by 30–50% in new road vehicles worldwide by 2030, and in all vehicles by 2050 (IEA, 2012). Although 2050 appears distant, the time required to bring new engines to production, together with the years needed for new technology to permeate the vehicle eet, means that major effort (and investment) will be required. us, the grand challenge faced by engine and automotive engineering researchers over the next decades will be to devise technological advances thatmaximize engine efficiency, minimize pollutant emissions, and optimize tolerance to a wider variety of fuels in power generation and transportation systems.