IV H “G. GALILEI”

How do conventional petrol-powered vehicles impact the environment?

What role do they play in the production of greenhouse gases?

How are hybrid vehicles different from conventional ones?

Are they a good solution to the environmental issues created by conventional vehicles?

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HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES

HEVs are powered by an internal combustion engine or other propulsion source that runs on conventional or alternative fuel and an electric motor that uses energy stored in a battery. The battery is charged through regenerative braking and by the internal combustion engine and is not plugged in to charge.

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PLUG-IN HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES

PHEVs are powered by an internal combustion engine that can run on conventional or alternative fuel and an electric motor that uses energy stored in a battery. The vehicle can be plugged into an electric power source to charge the battery. Some PHEVs are also called extended range electric vehicles (EREVs).

ALL-ELECTRIC VEHICLES EVs use a battery to store the electric energy that powers the motor. EV batteries are charged by plugging the vehicle into an electric power source. EVs are sometimes referred to as battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System).

It recovers energy from breaking for later use under acceleration. It is used in buses, trains and cars.

MILD HYBRID Engine off on deceleration.

Mild rigenerative breaking.

Electric power assist.

FULL HYBRID KERS.

Based on Atkinson Cycle: it has an internal combustion engine helped by an electric engyne.

Opel Ampera LaFerrari Toyota Prius

price: €19.900

8 hours to be recharged 3 hours of autonomy per day when driven in a city for an overage of 50 km

           Solar cars are powered by electricity through the use of solar energy. Solar panels are attached to the surface (generally, the top) of the vehicle. Photovoltaic (PV) cells convert the Sun's energy directly into electrical energy. Powering cars using solar energy has some great benefits: Using solar energy means fossil fuels (which are a limited resource) will be used less. Solar energy is free. Solar energy doesn’t cause pollution. Solar energy will never run out.

However, there are some problems: You can only get solar power during the day (and there is less on cloudy days). Solar equipment is very expensive. Expensive batteries are needed to store solar energy for cars to be able to run at night. Solar cells are not very efficient, and the collector areas are too big for consumer cars.

Scientists are working on these problems. Battery systems that offer high-density energy have become a focus of auto industry scientists. Development continues towards designing solar panels on cars that are more efficient.

Unfortunately, at this stage, solar cars are still not suitable for day-to-day transport. However, solar cars are built for special purposes (demonstration and engineering exercises) and are built by enthusiasts who want to race them.

Research and development into solar cars continues. The cars are getting faster and big corporations are looking at more efficient solar cells and battery technology – where the batteries are lighter and hold more energy. When the World Solar Challenge began (1987), the winner’s average speed was 67km/h. In 2007, the winner’s average speed was 91km/h.

More than a dozen alternative fuels are in production or under development for use in alternative fuel vehicles and advanced technology vehicles. Government and private-sector vehicle fleets are the primary users of these fuels and vehicles, but consumers are increasingly interested in them. Using alternative fuels and advanced vehicles instead of conventional fuels and vehicles helps the United States reduce petroleum use and vehicle emissions.

BIODIESEL

Biodiesel is a renewable fuel that can be manufactured from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled cooking grease for use in diesel vehicles.

ELECTRICITY

Electricity can be used to power plug-in electric vehicles, which are increasingly available. Hybrids use electricity to boost efficiency.

ETHANOL

Ethanol is a widely used renewable fuel made from corn and other plant materials. It is blended with gasoline for use in vehicles.

HYDROGEN

Hydrogen is a potentially emissions- free alternative fuel that can be produced from domestic resources for use in fuel cell vehicles.

NATURAL GAS

Natural gas is a domestically abundant gaseous fuel that can have significant fuel cost advantages over gasoline and diesel fuel.

PROPANE

Propane is a readily available gaseous fuel that has been widely used in vehicles throughout the world for decades

Energy Security

The Renewable Fuels Association's 2012 Ethanol Industry Outlook(PDF) calculated that in 2011 the ethanol industry replaced the petroleum produced from more than 485 million barrels of imported oil. Ethanol represents 25% of domestically produced and refined motor fuel for petroleum engines.

Fuel Economy and Performance

Ethanol prodeces less energy than petroleum. The result is lower fuel economy than a gallon of petroleum. The amount of energy difference varies depending on the blend. For example, E85 has about 27% less energy per gallon than pertoleum . However, because ethanol is a high-octane fuel, it offers increased vehicle power and performance.

Enlarge illustration Ethanol production creates jobs in rural areas where employment opportunities are needed. According to Renewable Fuels Association, ethanol production in 2011 supported more than 400,000 jobs across the country, $42.4 billion to the gross domestic product, and $29.9 billion in household income.

Lower Emissions

The carbon dioxide released when ethanol is burned is balanced by the carbon dioxide captured when the crops are grown to make ethanol. This differs from petroleum, which is made from plants that grew millions of years ago. On a life cycle analysis basis, corn-based ethanol production and use reduces greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) by up to 52% compared to petroleum production and use.

Equipment and Availability

Low-level blends require no special fueling equipment and can be used in any petroleum vehicle. E85 fueling equipment is only slightly different than petroleum fueling equipment, but the costs are higher. FFVs are available nationwide as standard equipment with no incremental costs, making them an affordable alternative fuel vehicle option. However, because most U.S. ethanol plants are concentrated in the Midwest, fueling stations offering E85 are predominately located in the Corn Belt states. More and more states are installing E85 every day.

Energy Security and Balance

The United States imports about half of its petroleum, and it is a problem for the economy. Biodiesel can be produced in the U.S. and used in conventional diesel engines, directly substituting for or extending supplies of traditional petroleum diesel. Biodiesel contains about 8% less energy per gallon than petroleum diesel, but most B20 users report no noticeable difference in performance or fuel economy.

Air Quality

Compared with using petroleum diesel, using biodiesel in a conventional petroleum diesel engine substantially reduces emissions of carbon dioxide. B100 provides the best emission reductions, but lower-level blends also provide benefits.

 Different types of Stirling engine: Engine alpha  Engine beta Our Stirling Engine

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It was invented by Robert Stirling in 1816 It is an hot air engine It was an alternative to steam engines when they easely exploded It stopped being used when steam engines were improved

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A positive aspect of the engine is that it has a more ecological exhaust system.

The engine can be used for small domestic purposes.

How do we choose which vehicles to believe in?

What can we do in our everyday life to reduce Carbon Dioxide emissions?

WE MUST LIMIT THE USE OF CARS AND USE BYCICLES AND WALK MORE OFTEN CHANGE OUR WAY OF DRIVING SHARE CARS, USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND BUY HYBRID CARS.