10 DiL system cuts physical testing Horiba MIRA has opened a driving simulator centre in the UK with driver-in-theloop technology (writes Nick Flaherty). The £4 million centre aims to help established car designers, start-up vehicle manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers to develop new vehicles. The simulation technologies help developers adjust the design of multiple subjective elements of an e-mobility platform in a virtual environment rather than waiting to drive a physical prototype. At the heart of the centre is the UK’s first DiM450 dynamic motion driving simulator from VI-grade. This significantly reduces the need for physical vehicle testing and prototypes. A vehicle model developed using the simulator could avoid a maximum potential of 14,000 t of carbon dioxide equivalent, said the company. Developers can also use the smaller VI-grade Compact simulator, acquired by Horiba MIRA in 2021. Horiba MIRA uses a subjective attribute methodology with a human in the loop at the start of the virtual engineering series. Attribute development engineers can make accurate and unlimited comparisons quickly and at lower cost, often at the flick of a switch. This is especially important when working to balance conflicting attributes such as the feel of the driving and the sound of the motors to optimise the vehicle. The focus for the DiM450 is on vehicle dynamics, NVH and driveability, but also includes holistic engineering across capabilities such as advanced driver assistance systems and human machine interfaces. SIMULATION Refuelling pump seals the FC deal Researchers in the US have developed a sealed compressor using a linear motor for refuelling hydrogen EVs (writes Nick Flaherty). The hydrogen compressor, developed at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), can improve the efficiency and reliability of hydrogen compression used in the refuelling of fuel cell EVs (FCEVs). The linear motor drives a reciprocating compressor (LMRC) to compress the hydrogen for FCEVs and other hydrogen-powered vehicles. Unlike most hydrogen compressors though, it is hermetically sealed, and the motor increases its efficiency and reliability. “To refuel hydrogen vehicles, the gas must first be compressed to high pressures, so we set out to design a more efficient, leak-proof compressor,” said SwRI principal engineer Eugene Broerman, the project’s lead investigator. Most reciprocating compressors have motors that move repeatedly in the same motion and require lubrication for maintenance, which can contaminate the hydrogen. Instead, the LMRC’s linear motor can move the piston in a user-defined motion pattern; it is mounted for vertical motion and has a unique dynamic seal design. As a result, the compressor’s seals and bearings experience less friction, avoiding the need for traditional lubrication. A key challenge for hydrogen compression is the risk of leaks as the gas flows through equipment. “Because hydrogen molecules are so small, they sneak in and alter the performance of the materials and equipment. For instance, with the molecules causing magnets to fail, we had to coat them more effectively to prevent that.” The LMRC also uses a ceramic piston to minimise the heat expansion and lower the stress on its seal. HYDROGEN POWER November/December 2023 | E-Mobility Engineering The VI-grade Compact simulator
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