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NATIONAL VEHICLE AND FUEL EMISSIONS LABORATORY
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PARTNERSHIP FOR A NEW GENERATION OF VEHICLES
This engine represents one of the major areas of research that the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is undertaking under the
auspices of the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV).
This historic partnership between the federal government and General
Motors, Ford, and Chrysler, formed in September 1993, aims to "reinvent
the car." The objective is to develop an affordable family car that is clean
and safe, matches the performance of today's models, and gets three times
better gas mileage.
Today's midsize family sedans (Lumina, Taurus, Concorde) have
fuel economies of about 27 mpg on the combined EPA city/highway fuel
economy test. The PNGV goal is to develop a prototype family sedan that
achieves 80 mpg. Such a car would emit 67% less carbon dioxide than
today's cars and would be a turning point in environmental history.
Carbon dioxide is the most important "global warming gas," and tripling
automotive fuel economy would be a big step toward controlling
worldwide emissions of global warming gases.
In addition to the environmental goal of reduced carbon dioxide
emissions, the PNGV program reflects several other important public
policy objectives:
•	Reduce our nation's dependence on imported oil
•	Improve the international competitiveness of domestic automakers
•	Focus federal research on important civilian priorities

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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ROLE
IN THE
PARTNERSHIP FOR A NEW GENERATION OF VEHICLES
EPA is proud and excited to be a part of PNGV and has dedicated
its automotive technology development program to achieving the 80 mpg
goal.
In addition to EPA, the following federal departments are
sponsoring research as part of the overall PNGV program:
•	Department of Commerce
•	Department of Energy
•	Department of Defense
•	Department of Transportation
•	National Aeronautics and Space Administration
•	National Science Foundation
PNGV research is investigating a wide range of automotive
technologies that could potentially power the cars of the 21st Century: fuel
cells, gas turbines, batteries, flywheels, ultracapacitors, compressed fluids,
and various combinations of these technologies in hybrid vehicle
configurations. EPA has been asked to take the lead in two areas:
renewable alcohol-fueled engines and pneumatic/hydraulic secondary
energy storage systems. EPA's participation in this project is based at its
National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL) in Ann Arbor,
Michigan.
EPA's long-term plan is to develop hybrid vehicle components that
contribute to meeting the 80 mpg goal. The hybrid system will use a
small, alcohol-fueled engine like this one for most driving and a
pneumatic/hydraulic energy storage system to supply extra power for
occasional demands such as heavy accelerations. This approach will also
use regenerative braking to save energy. The engine development work
is being carried out in concert with engine design companies, while much
of the remaining effort is being done in-house at NVFEL. The goal of this
program is to provide the domestic auto industry with the best possible
options for achieving the performance objectives at the lowest possible
cost.

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BASIC COMBUSTION PROCESS
Air enters the combustion chamber through an intake manifold and
runners (yellow). After the intake valve closes and the piston travels
upward to increase the pressure, fuel is directly injected into the chamber
by the high-pressure fuel injector to initiate combustion. The glow plug
aids the combustion process by heating the air/fuel mixture to promote
ignition. After ignition, gas expansion pushes down on the piston to create
a rotational force on the crankshaft. The crankshaft is connected to a
transmission and eventually to a vehicle's wheels. As the piston again
travels upward, the gases are pushed past the exhaust valve, through the
exhaust manifold and runners (red), and through a catalytic converter,
which reduces the amount of pollutants produced during combustion. The
green areas represent coolant passages through which coolant is circulated
in order to maintain engine temperatures to avoid overheating.
This engine, though much smaller, is very similar in design to Diesel
engines used predominately in large trucks and buses. Gasoline engines
used in most cars require good mixing of the air and fuel vapor prior to
the onset of combustion and utilize spark plugs to initiate combustion.

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METHANOL FUEL INJECTION
This is a direct-injection, stratified charge, methanol-fueled engine.
Air enters the combustion chamber via the intake manifold and runners
(yellow) with high air swirl intensity in the chamber to aid fuel
vaporization. The methanol fuel is then injected directly into the
combustion chamber by a high-pressure fuel injector that produces a spray
of very small fuel particles that will vaporize easily.
The fuel is directed toward a bowl in the piston. A glow plug,
located next to the fuel injector, creates a hot surface that helps ignite the
fuel and enhances further combustion.
This engine has been designed for methanol, an alcohol which is
currently produced from natural gas but which could also be made from
coal, wood, or garbage. With very simple modifications, this engine can
also use ethanol produced from corn, other grains, wood, or garbage. Both
methanol and ethanol are excellent automotive fuels with excellent
environmental characteristics.

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Technical and Project Assistance
Technology Development Group
National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Ann Arbor, MI
Combustion System Development Contractor
FEV Engine Technology, Inc.
Southfield, MI
Cutaway Engine Project Contractor
Cutaway Services, Inc.
Redford, MI
Charts and Graphics Support
ARTECH
Livonia, MI
Display Project Sponsored by
Office of Mobile Sources
Communications Committee
1994
EPA Contacts For More Information:
Ron Schaefer (313)668-4279
Jeff Alson (313)668-4296
Janet Cohen (313)668-4511

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