Modification of GM Voltec Hybrid power plant cooling system to improve economic efficiency

Authors

  • Владислав Геннадійович Абраменко Kharkiv National Automobile and Highway University, 25, Yaroslava Mudrogo str., Kharkiv, 61002, Ukraine., Ukraine

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30977/VEIT.2020.18.37

Abstract

Problem. Every day, thousands of engineers try to improve existing engine cooling systems of all types, and several fundamentally new systems have recently been invented. A kind of revolution in the 90's was made by Japanese engineers, they launched a hybrid to the masses, the first attempt was Honda Insight and Toyota Prius, engineers of these Japanese automakers invented innovative cooling schemes, although hybrid schemes were different, the cooling systems themselves were similar. The first innovators were General Motors (GM) with its Chevrolet Volt, a hybrid of a fundamentally new scheme that is more of an electric car than a car with an internal combustion engine and at the same time an effective system. In Europe, this car received another modification in the form of the model Vauxhall (Opel) Ampera. Hybrids are essentially a "green car" concept, but they have internal combustion engines that still emit pollutants into the air. Electric cars are another thing, they themselves do not throw anything into the air, but their production is much dirtier, as well as producing electricity to charge them. At the moment, until green energy reaches 45-50% of the hybrid produced in each country, it will be significantly more environmentally friendly than electric cars. Goal. The goal is the research aimed at improving the economic performance of the power plant in the GM Voltec hybrid. Methodology. Analytical methods were used to achieve the desired goals and identify areas for further research and improvement. Results. This system allows to increase the efficiency of the hybrid system due to the "warm" start of the internal combustion engine, i.e. its losses during cold start are nullified. In Chevrolet Volt, this scheme will be more appropriate than in the Prius due to the fact that the engine in the first case is used only as a last resort, and when starting a classic engine, it will be well warmed up; another thing – Toyota Prius, where cold start first starts the engine, which heats all the systems, i.e. all savings are reduced to zero. In addition, a similar modification can be adapted to other hybrid systems. However good this system is, it has its drawbacks, it is primarily due to the reduced reliability due to the addition of new moving parts to the system. Originality. This system is a reworking of the original GM Voltec refrigeration system and offers solutions to specific problems.


Key words: hybrid, cooling system, electric motor, internal combustion engine, hybrid power plant, General Motors, GM Voltec.

Author Biography

Владислав Геннадійович Абраменко, Kharkiv National Automobile and Highway University, 25, Yaroslava Mudrogo str., Kharkiv, 61002, Ukraine.

student of the Automobile Faculty

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Published

2020-10-10

How to Cite

Абраменко, В. Г. (2020). Modification of GM Voltec Hybrid power plant cooling system to improve economic efficiency. Vehicle and Electronics. Innovative Technologies, (18), 37–44. https://doi.org/10.30977/VEIT.2020.18.37

Issue

Section

WAYS TO IMPROVE THE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS OF MOTOR VEHICLES. ENERGY SAVING TECHNOLOGIES