Scrap Vehicle Research Articles

Automotive parts remanufacturing models: Consequences for ELV take-back under government regulations

Increasing concerns pertaining to environmental conservation and the promotion of circular economy have exerted pressure on the implementation of automotive parts remanufacturing (APR). In order to examine the influence of government regulations on the choice of end-of-life vehicle (ELV) recycling, this study develops APR models for ELV take-back within a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC). These models consist of two direct APR models and one hybrid APR model, all operating under the purview of government regulation. The Stackelberg game is employed to attain an equilibrium strategy concerning the profits of CLSC members. Furthermore, this study conducts an analysis of the impact of recycling license fees and remanufacturing recycling rates on each CLSC member, based on the “Management Measures for Scrap Vehicle Recycling” issued in 2019. In every recycling model, automotive parts manufacturers consistently achieved greater profits compared to the nonrecycling model, while retailers also benefited from their involvement in recycling activities. Additionally, third-party profits experienced an exponential increase with the escalation of recovery rates. Numerical analysis results indicate that as the remanufacturing level of ELV matures, the government is inclined to relax the restrictions on the “remanufacturing recycling rate,” thus promoting the proliferation of third-party recycling centers.

A comprehensive analysis on the source-exposure and diffusion rule of VOCs for end-life vehicles dismantling activities

In recent years, the rapid development of technology has posed significant challenges to the waste management practices of the retired vehicle industry. How to minimize the environmental impact during the recycle process of scrap vehicle has emerged as a prevalent and pressing concern. This study employed statistical analysis and positive matrix factorization (PMF) model to assess the origin of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) at a scrap vehicle dismantling location situated in China. The quantification of potential hazards to human health arising from identified sources was achieved through the integration of source characteristics with exposure risk assessment. In addition, fluent simulation was employed to examine the spatiotemporal dispersion of the pollutant concentration field and velocity profile. The findings of the study revealed that the activities of parts cutting, disassembling air conditioning and refined dismantling were responsible for 89.98 %, 84.36 %, and 78.63 % of the total air pollution accumulation, respectively. Additionally, it should be noted that the aforementioned sources accounted for 59.40 %, 18.44 %, and 4.86 % of the aggregate non-cancer risk. The cumulative cancer risk was determined to be the disassembling air conditioning process, with a contribution of 82.71 %. Meanwhile, the average concentration of VOC in soil around the disassembling air conditioning area is 8.4 times higher than the background value. The simulation revealed that pollutants were primarily dispersed within the factory at a height ranging from 0.75 m to 2 m, which corresponds to the human respiratory zone and the concentration of pollutants in the vehicle cutting area was observed to exceed normal levels by over 10 times. These findings of this study may serve as a foundation for improving of environmental protection measures of industrialization.

Eco-friendly materials for brake pad- ANSYS overview

Recently, the awareness of green environment has raised in huge manner with comfort for nature to protect environment in terms of wastage accumulation. Among automotive components, most of the vehicles returned as a scrap vehicle so that the wastes extracted and became harmful due to the chemical treatments of materials. The spare parts of independent components are not much disposes with proper treatment. This exhausts effects the environment under wastages. Here, the brake pad having constituents are not supposed to eco-friendly like asbestos and harmful filler materials. The influence of asbestos materials leads negative impact to environment and surrounding creatures and sustainability to ecological transition. The performance of the brakes pads are completely depends on brake pad and its frictional properties. Based on this, the current study performs about prediction on natural eco-friendly materials used as brake pads by focusing on Eco safe composite mixtures. The prediction is done by simulation in ANSYS with the different eco-friendly materials such as palm kernel fiber, Coconut coir, bamboo, banana peels and so on.

Research on the Carbon Credit Exchange Strategy for Scrap Vehicles Based on Evolutionary Game Theory.

In this article, we construct a game model that uses government regulators and scrap vehicle owners as the main parties to investigate the carbon credit exchange strategy of scrap vehicles using evolutionary game theory. The results were validated using Matlab simulation analysis to reveal the dynamic evolution process of the strategy of both sides of the game. A sensitivity analysis of the key parameters was conducted to explore the influence of each parameter on the evolution process and the stabilization trends. The study shows that (1) The time for the game system to reach a steady state is inversely related to the size of the initial willingness of the parties to cooperate. (2) In the mixed steady-state scenario, when the overall return differential between the positive and negative regulatory verification by government departments is positive, the steady state is participation and positive scrapping. (3) When the probability of the government verifying and being successful in verifying the punishment of the owner's negative scrapping behavior increases, both parties of the game will eventually choose the strategy of participation and positive scrapping. When the cost of the government participation strategy and the cost of the government verification strategy increase, both sides of the game will eventually choose the strategy combination of no participation and positive scrapping. (4) When the owner's reward for cooperating with the strategy, the owner's cost of scrapping the vehicle, and the benefits of the owner's negative cooperation strategy change, they will not change the strategy stability results but will affect the time it takes for the game system to reach a stable state. This study has theoretical implications for government policies in the scrapping industry and how to guide vehicle owners to actively scrap their vehicles.

Self-compacting concrete strengthening efficiency investigation using recycled steel waste as fibres

Steel recycling saves energy and time, and is more environmentally friendly. It can help rid the environment of huge amounts of scrap vehicles and huge structures, as well as reducing the mining operations that destroy the natural environment. In this investigation, the steel scrap effect on the mechanical properties of concrete was investigated, in addition to investigating the variation in mechanical properties with increased concrete age. Three concrete mixes were studied: one without steel waste as a control, one with 1% steel waste by volume of concrete, and one with 1.5% steel waste by volume of concrete. The results show that adding waste steel to the concrete improved the compressive strength as well as the tensile strength, where a mixture which contains 1% of steel waste had an increase in strength of up to 12% and 23% by day 28 for compressive strength, and tensile strength sequentially in comparison to the reference mix. Furthermore, the results show that there was a significant increase in splitting tensile strength, at 29% on day 28 for a mix of 1.5% steel waste as compared to the reference concrete mix. The best improvement in compressive strength over time was obtained when using 1% steel waste. The best improvement in tensile strength over time was obtained when using 1.5% of steel waste. In both cases, the amount of the improvement was better than the models without steel waste, which gives us confidence in giving recommendations for conducting more in-depth studies to achieve the maximum advantage.

AI Based Salvage Value System for Scrap Vehicles

The Web Application AI Based Salvage Value System for Scrap Vehicles can be used for calculation of scrap vehicle value and the fragmented component value of scrap vehicle. The project is an economic alternative to Vehicle Scrappage Policy 2021 and provides an ease of vehicle value evaluation within fraction of seconds at fingertips. Using this application, the user gets quality comparison for the price of old scrape vehicle as a consequence of the calculation based on snippets of the vehicle. As the price value of evaluation in this application is based on quality and age of the components therefore it may result in price better than that of the market evaluated value. The project is not only economically beneficial but also very important in the view of environment as it involves recycling and reuse of components of scrap vehicle.

Rice University develops method of turning plastic from “end-of-life” vehicles into graphene

Chemists of Rice University are working with researchers at the Ford Motor Company to turn plastic parts from scrap vehicles into graphene. After the plastic parts are ground into a powder, they are turned into graphene via the university's flash Joule heating process. The result is graphene that reportedly can be repeatedly recycled the same way. It can be used to provide extra strength and sound-dampening polyurethane for new vehicles.

Mechanical Properties Evaluation of Concrete with Crumb Rubber Particles used as Fine Aggregate

Crumb rubber is basically tiny rubber particles produced from scrap vehicle tires. This rubber is crumbled into uniform tiny particles with the help of shredders. In the present work, an attempt has been made to utilize rubber particles as a partial substitute of fine aggregates in fabricating cement concretes. Concrete is a mixture of cement, coarse aggregates, fine aggregates and water. Rubber particles of size ranging between 0.297 and 0.250 mm are used as a substitute in the proportion of 5, 10 and 15% by weight to partially replace fine aggregates. Grade 43 Portland cement has been used. Mechanical properties such as compressive, flexural and impact strength are experimentally investigated. Further, dynamic characteristics such as damping ratio and natural frequencies of test samples with different amounts of crumb rubber particles are compared with neat cement concrete samples. Experimental data for different mechanical and dynamic properties are obtained by curing test samples in water for a period of 7, 14, 21 and 28 days respectively. Substitution of crumb rubber particles to partially replace fine aggregates results in reasonable improvement in impact resistance. A decrease in compressive and flexural strength is observed. Further, addition of rubber particles improves the damping property of the samples along with a decrease in natural frequencies.

A moving urban mine: The spent batteries of electric passenger vehicles

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have become the most essential power source for electric vehicles today due to having the advantages of no memory, large capacity, and high energy density. Additionally, with the maturity of LIBs and the promotion of a series of supporting policies, China’s electric vehicle industry has undergone extensive changes. This study takes the batteries of 26 kinds of pure electric passenger vehicles and 12 kinds of plug-in hybrid electric passenger vehicles produced and sold in mainland China from 2013 to 2018 as the research objects. The theoretical scrap number of electric passenger vehicles is calculated by the Weibull distribution, and then the scrap vehicles are classified according to the power battery type. It is estimated that by 2025, the numbers of spent pure electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles will reach 367,242 and 116,923, respectively. LiNixCoyMn1-x-yO2 (NCM) and LiFePO4 (LFP) are the two main battery types in electric passenger vehicles. The number of spent pure electric passenger vehicles with LFP will reach a peak of 78,719 in 2023, while that with NCM will reach a peak of 287,211 in 2024. The numbers of spent plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) equipped with LFP and NCM batteries have increased quickly and will reach maximum values of 10,613 and 113,297 in 2022 and 2024, respectively. Then, the recovered amounts of the main metals in the cathode materials are calculated by different methods. Corresponding suggestions are put forward at the end of the article.

A Mixed Integer Linear Programming Model for End of Life Vehicles Recycling Network Design

Automotive industry, with both its contributions to the technology and values added to the economy, has been indisputably one of the leading sectors. As the demand and interest in automobile grow, the environmental pollution caused by the automobiles increases correspondingly. In addition to automobiles’ carbon emissions, also the vehicles which have completed their life cycle, namely scrap vehicles, cause environmental pollution due to their solid and liquid waste. In developed countries, a regulation has been made in order to prevent the situation from getting worse. According to this regulation, in order to support product management, manufacturers are obliged to take back and recycle all their vehicles which have completed their life cycle. The regulation started to be implemented after being adapted to the national law. Upon its adaptation to our national regulations, it has been enforced in our country as well. In the study, Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model has been presented to design end of life vehicles recycling network. The proposed model has minimized the total network cost as well as to determine the amount of material transported between the facilities and to decide whether to open the dismantling and shredding facilities. The presented model has been applied to end of life vehicles recycling network design problem in Istanbul. The proposed model gives suitable and cost effective results for end of life vehicles recycling network in Istanbul.

Automatic Detection System for Vehicle Identity

"Automatic detection system for vehicle identity" (national patent ZL200710166583.5), is based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, image recognition technology, large-scale database technology. In an accurate, fast, efficient, automated premise, the automatic detecting system identify the true identity of a motor vehicle, and find inconsistence with the true identity of the motor vehicle ( including fake cards,decks, altered license plate, without inspection, scrap vehicles, etc.), or find other identity-related violations(including escape purchase tax, travel tax, insurance, management fees and operating vehicles management fees and "yellow car" , etc.). On the inspection mode, the original "must check every car" model is changed into "problematic vehicle check" inspection mode. This system can greatly improve public security, the level of traffic management; strengthen the construction of terrorism prevention and control system and stability maintenance system. And it could also greatly reduce vehicle exhaust discharge to improve transportation and social security and achieve social management innovation.

Current recycling regulations and technologies for the typical plastic components of end-of-life passenger vehicles: a meaningful lesson for China

China became the largest automotive producer and the biggest automobile market in the world in 2009, but the scrap vehicle recycling industry is still in its beginning stage. Especially, the scrapped plastic parts recycling technology lags behind developed countries. Therefore, in-depth studies on the recycling of automotive plastics are significant and beneficial for environmental protection, energy conservation and the sustainable development of the Chinese automotive plastic industry. In this article, automotive plastic components recycling-related rules and regulations about developed countries and China are discussed first. According to the passenger vehicle plastic part types, the recycling technologies for typical plastic components of end-of-life passenger vehicle are analyzed comprehensively. Based on the combination of contemporary domestic and foreign plastic recycling technology and the result of the current research, the problems and future development for the ELVs plastic recycling industry in China are deliberated, at the same time, some constructive ideas and suggestions for the industry are provided.

Reconciling Sectoral Abatement Strategies with Global Climate Targets: The Case of the Chinese Passenger Vehicle Fleet

The IPCC Forth Assessment Report postulates that global warming can be limited to 2 °C by deploying technologies that are currently available or expected to be commercialized in the coming decades. However, neither specific technological pathways nor internationally binding reduction targets for different sectors or countries have been established yet. Using the passenger car stock in China as example we compute direct CO(2) emissions until 2050 depending on population, car utilization, and fuel efficiency and compare them to benchmarks derived by assuming even contribution of all sectors and a unitary global per capita emission quota. Compared to present car utilization in industrialized countries, massive deployment of prototypes of fuel efficient cars could reduce emissions by about 45%, and moderately lower car use could contribute with another 33%. Still, emissions remain about five times higher than the benchmark for the 2 °C global warming target. Therefore an extended analysis, including in particular low-carbon fuels and the impact of urban and transport planning on annual distance traveled and car ownership, should be considered. A cross-sectoral comparison could reveal whether other sectors could bear an overproportional reduction quota instead. The proposed model offers direct interfaces to material industries, fuel production, and scrap vehicle supply.

Internet Web-Based Information System for Scrap Vehicle Disposal in Taiwan

The scrap vehicle recycling program was formally initiated in 1995 when the illegal dumping issues of scrap tires and cars turn out to be intolerable in the society of Taiwan. The inherent complexity of such a recycling program, however, by integrating many public and private sectors that functions as a whole from the collection, storage, transport, treatment, and the disposal of scrape vehicles, makes the entire managerial efficiency hard to be maintained. Therefore, the state-of-the-art information technology via the use of the “Internet” platform becomes an indispensable tool to present a good communication mechanism, to provide the essential information sharing between all users and agencies, and to end up with improving the overall managerial efficiency. The idea using advanced web database along with geographical information system to help general public to dump their scrap vehicles smoothly and to make governmental agency control the disposal procedure easily could be one of the best solutions from the long-term environmental management perspective. This paper, representing contemporary progress of environmental management skill performed by the “Foundation for Reduction, Reuse and Recovery”, sponsored by the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) in Taiwan, is designed to illustrate how to build up such a system, as named by the “Scrap Vehicles Recycling Program Information System” (SVRPIMS) in order to meet the requirement from both supply and demand sides of scrap vehicles disposal. Experience gained in this study indicates that the SVRPIMS successfully integrates the Coldfusion® and Mapguide® software engineering technologies on the World Wide Web (WWW) platform. After actual implementation in 1999, it proved that communication between users and agencies at various levels in the recycling program became much easier through instant information retrieval and analysis via such a system. Besides, SVRPIMS also provides two decision-support functionalities to assist in automatic search for the most appropriate dumping site for the users and to perform possible trading of spare parts for the recyclers through a logistic optimization analysis.

Removal of Polychlorinated Phenols in Sequential Anaerobic–Aerobic Biofilm Reactors Packed with Tire Chips

Scrap vehicle tire chips were used as packing material for sequential anaerobic–aerobic biofilm reactors to remove persistent chlorinated hydrocarbons. Adsorption capacity of scrap tires was greater under acidic conditions than under basic conditions. However, it was only approximately 0.04 to 0.3% of that of activated carbon. The amount of biomass that attached to the surface of scrap tires was 3.16 and 3.72 mg volatile suspended solids/cm2 after 14 and 37 days, respectively. Two laboratory‐scale, down‐flow anaerobic–aerobic biofilm reactors packed with tire chips were operated to remove 2,4‐dichlorophenol (DCP) and 4‐chlorophenol (CP). More than 98% of DCP was dehalogenated to CP in the anaerobic reactor, 70 to 98% of which was subsequently degraded in the aerobic reactor. Scrap tires did not cause any operational problems when used as biofilter media.