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This is an assessment of current two-stroke automotive engine technology, implementation policy, vision, goals, and engine development and commercialization strategy. It includes a historical review of key two-stroke Otto cycle and Diesel cycle engine developments, a summary of the specifica-ions for the new: Toyota S-2 gasoline and S-2 Diesel engines, Suburu Super 2-stroke, Orbital two-stroke engine series, and Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) two-stroke technology in Taiwan. Although two-stroke engine technology has been under development since the end of the 19th century, currently the only mass produced vehicles powered by two-stroke cycle engines are the Trabant and Wartburg, with 594 cc two cylinder and 993 cc three cylinder engines, respectively, essentially unchanged in cylinder configuration and porting since 1931.

This is an assessment of Japanese High Speed Surface Transport (HSST) policy, vision, goals, and magnetic levitation development and commercialization strategy. It includes a status report for a test program now underway to demonstrate the safety, reliability and economic viability of the HSST-100 maglev train system. HSST-100 is one of three types of HSST maglev trains planned for implementation in Japan: HSST-100 for 100 km/h urban service, HSST-200 for 200 km/h medium range suburban service, and HSST 300 for the 300 km/h long range interurban application. For the HSST-100 program, included are detailed specifications for the vehicle, location of the Chubu (Central Japan) test site South of Nagoya, test site guideway specifications, guideway switching concept, test site facility description, major test activities, and test event schedule.

This is an assessment of Aerospace Technology in Japan, the national vision supporting it and the strategy underlies it's ultimate purpose. It includes a comparison of the organizations and missions of the two principle aerospace agencies: One, the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS); and, two, the National Space Development Agency (NASDA). Included are the launch capabilities and deep space facilities of ISAS, at Kagoshima Space Center (KSC) in Uchinoura on Kyushu island; and the NASDA Tanegashima Space Center (TSC) on Tanegashima Island. Also included are the design and development history of domestic Nippon launch and space vehicles, beginning with the licensing of the United States Thor-Delta rocket technology and including the design of the domestic H-I second and third stages and the all domestic H-II vehicles.

This is an assessment of Japanese High Speed Surface Transit (HSST) policy, vision, goals, and magnetic levitation development and commercialization technology. It includes an illustrated historical review of past HSST magnetic levitation vehicle developments, a review of the present status of HSST trains, and an outline of future HSST conventional magnetic levitation trains with speeds of 300 km/h for interurban and transcontinental service. Also described are: the start of construction of a new test track which includes the track switching mechanism designed for the Las Vegas HSST route in the United States; test operation execution for the practicalization of HSST-100 by the newly formed Chubu (Central Japan) HSST Development Corporation of Nagoya Railroad Company and HSST Corporation. These magnetic levitation electric trains have been under development since 1974 and are now considered ready for introduction into commercial service.

This is an assessment of United States High Speed Guided Transit (HSGT) systems policy, vision, goals, and magnetic levitation development and commercialization technology. It includes a historical review of past magnetic levitation vehicle developments, a review of the present status of MagLev trains, and an outline of future conventional (EML) Electro Magnetic Levitation for speeds under 400 km/h; and, (SC) Super Conductive (EDL) Electro Dynamic Levitation for subsonic speeds approaching 900 km/h. Magnetic levitation transit technology has been under development in America since the United States Congress passed the 1965 High Speed Guided Transit Act (HSGT) which authorized the Department of Transportation to fund HSGT projects. Since this initial effort focused attention on the potential of the magnetic levitation concept for very high speed transit applications, this technology has been an ongoing development in Europe and Japan.

This is a descriptive review of the ceramics structural applications developed by Isuzu, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota and General Motors in spark ignition, Diesel and gas turbine automotive engines; new analytical procedures needed for the design of structural ceramics; new silicon nitride ceramics with strength of material properties approaching steel; new ceramics processing techniques which have been reduced to commercial practice in Japan on a mass production scale; and tests of vital structural components fabricated of these ceramics.

This is an assessment of alternative propulsion technology options presently under investigation for potential application to automobile propulsion in the 1990's. It includes a brief review of key aspects of the new US DOE National Energy Strategy, as recommended to the President in March 1991, and the impact on future automotive propulsion policy choices in the immediate future. Also considered is the impact of the decision by the California Legislature, in the 1990-91 State Budget, which directed the Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to expand the assessment and policy support for improvements in transportation technology. In addition, key technical aspects of the prime mover options currently under development around the World are shown. Among these options are: ceramic piston engine dynamic structural components for conventional four-stroke engines, ceramic gas turbines, new two-stroke engines, and electric propulsion.

There are two well known basic concepts for achieving magnetic levitation of vehicles: one is based on electromagnetic attraction (EMA); and the second method is based on electrodynamic repulsion (EDR). In turn, each of these concepts has at least two variations (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19)1 This paper presents a third form of levitation known in the Ukraine as the Magnetic Potential Well (MPW) developed by Kozoriz (20, 21, 22 and 23), and in the West as Laithwaite's Magnetic River (24)(25). The MPW concept, in effect, electrifies the passive sidewall levitation coils of the RTRI EDR (16) system to obtain levitation at zero vehicle velocity and during acceleration to cruising speed. This dc electrification of sidewall levitation coils eliminates the need for wheels during acceleration from standstill and deceleration in the station. Specifically, MPW levitation force exhibits a stable positive slope as the levitation gap increases.

During the interval from 1985 to 1993, the major automotive manufacturers of Western Europe, America, and Japan introduced experimental and prototype battery electric vehicles (EV) to the public. These electric vehicle technical developments have demonstrated that the automotive industry is responsive and creative in proposing potential solutions to the key concerns which have constrained the widespread application of the EV in the past. While this technical assessment included: identification of the key concerns and innovative solutions to aerodynamic drag reduction, tire loss reduction, and compared acceleration performance, vehicle range, regenerative braking, batteiy developments, fast recharging, unique passenger compartment heating and cooling solutions, and low mass vehicle structural materials; the scope of this paper is limited to reporting the performance and vehicle range results.

The Experimental Safety Vehicle powertrain and fuel system developed by General Motors in compliance with Contract DOT-OS-00095 with the U.S. Department of Transportation include several special features: a low engine accessory package to meet the front visibility down angle of 8 degrees, engine and transmission mounting for retention at high decelerations, a light aluminum engine, an over-the-rear-axle fuel tank, and a unique evaporative emission fuel pipe routing. A comprehensive test program was planned and final testing to validate contract specifications was conducted.

As part of an electric vehicle state-of-the-art evaluation, General Motors built a fuel cell powered van, the Electrovan, to explore the potential and problems of the fuel cell powerplant. Fuel cells were considered because they offer the potential of high thermal efficiency and extended range compared with batteries. Although the Electrovan was successfully operated on the road, we concluded that much research and development work is still needed to solve the many major problems. The encouraging rate of progress and the advantages of fuel cells provide the stimulus to maintain a strong continuing effort in this field.

This paper describes a fuel cell system capable of delivering a peak power of 160 kW. It consists of 32 Union Carbide fuel cell modules together with the electrical and fluid system auxiliary components needed to operate and control them in a vehicle. The reactants are hydrogen and oxygen, and the modules use a circulating electrolyte, potassium hydroxide. Two of these 160 kW electric powerplants were built. One is a laboratory test bed and the second is installed in a vehicle.

The development of a plasma jet ignition system is described on a 4-cyl, 140 in3 engine. Performance was evaluated on the basis of combustion flame photographs in a single-cylinder engine at 20/1 A/F dynamometer tests on a modified 4-cyl engine, and cold start emissions, fuel economy, and drivability in a vehicle at 19/1 air fuel ratio. In addition to adjustable engine variables such as air-fuel ratio and spark advance, system electrical and mechanical parameters were varied to improve combustion of lean mixtures. As examples, the air-fuel ratio range was 16-22/1, secondary ignition current was varied from 40 to 6000 mA, and plasma jet cavity and electrode geometry were optimized. It is shown that the plasma jet produces on ignition source which penetrates the mixture ahead of the initial flame front and reduces oxides of nitrogen emission, in comparison to a conventional production combustion chamber.

This is a technological assessment of alternate piston engine cylinder and crankshaft configuration alternatives. The balance characteristics of automotive engines have been generalized here in terms of four mathematical expressions which describe the unbalanced forces and moments of a piston engine as functions of the number of cylinders, vee angle, crankshaft configuration and cylinder bank offset. These unique relations permit any inline, vee and opposed engine to be evaluated for balance. And, this made it possible to identify all of the inherently balanced configurations with uniform radially spaced crank throws, for any cylinder vee angle and for any crank configuration with up to 24 cylinders.

This is an assessment of electric propulsion and magnetic levitation of automotive size vehicles in Japan. It includes conventional battery electric vehicles with peak speeds up to 100 km/h in mixed traffic for urban and suburban applications and magnetic levitation guideway confined vehicles with peak speeds of 300 km/h for intercity trans-sportation. These electric vehicles have been under development since 1971 and some are considered ready for commercialization.

This is a technological assessment of alternate engine component configuration and material alternatives. It includes a comparative analysis of key characteristics of Gasoline, Diesel and Gas Turbine engines built by Daihatsu. Honda, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan. Suburu. Suzuki and Toyota. The piston engines range from two to ten cylinders with inline, vee and opposed configurations. Furthermore, additional special features and alternative choices include variable compression ratio, ceramic structural components, supercharger, turbocharger, twin turbocharger, supercharger-turbocharger combined and the regenerative gas turbine.

This is an assessment of Aerospace Technology in Japan, the national vision which supports it and the strategy which underlies it's ultimate purpose. It includes a comparison of the organizations and missions of the two principle aerospace agencies: One, the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS); and, two, the National Space Development Agency (NASDA). Also included are the launch capabilities and deep space facilities of ISAS, at Kagoshima Space Center (KSC) in Uchinoura on Kyushu island; and, the Tanegashima Space Center (TSC) of NASDA located on Tanegashima Island. Also included are the design and development history of domestic Nippon launch and space vehicles, beginning with the licensing of the United States Thor-Delta rocket technology and including the design of the domestic H-I second and third stages and the all domestic H-H vehicles.

This is a comparative assessment of the three magnetic levitation high speed mass transportation systems currently under extensive development, and in the prototype vehicle demonstration stage, in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and in Japan: One approach, which is promoted by Transrapid International (TRI) in FRG, is based on the electro magnetic levitation (EML) concept; a second approach, which is promoted by the High Speed Surface Transport Corporation (HSST), is based on the EML concept developed and licensed from Japan Air Lines (JAL); a third approach, which is promoted by the Railroad technology Research Institute (RTRI) (Sogo Tetsudo Gijutsu Kenkyusho), the developer of the Shinkansen train, is based on the super conductive electro dynamic levitation (EDL) concept.

This study identifies the ambient conditions under which a so-called empty-Boeing model 747-131 fixed wing jet center wing tank (CWT), containing a residual fuel loading of about 3 kg/m3, less than 60 gallons of aviation kerosene (JetA Athens refinery jet fuel), could form hazardous air/fuel mixtures. The issues are limited to explosion safety concerns relating to certificated fixed wing jet aircraft in scheduled passenger service. It is certain that combustible mixtures do not exist in a fuel tank containing JetA type fuel at ambient temperatures below 38°C (100°F), the lean limit flash point (LFP) for jet fuel at sea level. Never the less, the original study by Wyczalek and Suh (1997), identified six rational conditions which can occur and permit hazardous mixtures to exist in a fuel tank.

The US EPA 40CFR certification label fuel economy mpg for 114 model types of 1998 model year passenger vehicles marketed in the United States (US) by European. Pacific Rim, and American manufacturers, was correlated with fuel economy mpg test data obtained by the Consumers Union (CU) of US, Inc., a nonprofit, independent consumer information organization. The 114 model types range in curb mass (empty weight) from 916 kg (2015 lbs) to largest 2425 kg (5335 lbs). This correlation shows that the manufacturers US EPA label values overstate city mpg and understate the highway mpg significantly; in comparison to the CU city mpg and CU highway mpg test data, for the 114 model types of motor vehicles, reported by Consumers Union in 1998.