Light trucks have doubled their share of the vehicle fleet from 1980 to 2004. This paper examines the effects of this increase on traffic safety, combining estimates from a state-level panel data set with an accident-level micro-data set. The results suggest that a one-percentage point increase in light truck share raises annual traffic fatalities by 0.34%, or 143 deaths per year. Of this incre...

By G. BI*, C. F. SCAGEL, L.H. FUCHIGAMI and R. P. REGAN Truck Crops Branch Experiment Station, Mississippi State University, Crystal Springs, MS 39059, USA USDA-ARS-Horticultural Crops Research Laboratory, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA Department of Horticulture, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330, USA North Willamette Research and Extension Center, Oregon State University, Aurora, OR 9700...

Molten Sn and Bi were examined at 973 and 1073 K for use as anodes in solid oxide fuel cells with yttriastabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolytes. Cells were operated under "battery" conditions, with dry He flow in the anode compartment, to characterize the electrochemical oxidation of the metals at the YSZ interface. For both metals, the open-circuit voltages (OCVs) were close to that expected ba...

In recent years interest has been growing in using fuel cell powered auxiliary power units (APUs) to reduce idling in line-haul trucks. Demonstrations of this technology have been constructed at universities and within industry, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Invariably, in every design, tradeoffs need to be made and this has resulted in a multitude of different APU solutions t...

in the present paper, the biodesulfurization of simulated light fuel oil (i.e., dibenzothiophene (dbt) in dodecane) and untreated kerosene with a high total sulfur content has been studied by a native isolated bacterium named bacillus cereus hn. the influences of various parameters such as the reaction temperature (t), biocatalyst cell density, oil phase fraction (ofp), and initial dbt concentr...

Dimethyl Ether (DME) has been attracting attention as an alternative fuel for diesel engines because it can be produced from various feed stocks and does not create smoke. On the other hand, a DME truck require a large volume fuel tank in order to obtain the running distance equivalent to diesel trucks due to the lower energy content per unit volume of DME, and un-burned gas and fuel consumptio...

The power management controller of a hybrid vehicle orchestrates the operation of onboard energy sources, namely engine and auxiliary power source with the goal of maximizing performance objectives such as the fuel economy. The paper focuses on optimization of the power management strategy of the refuse truck with parallel hydraulic hybrid powertrain. The high power density of hydraulic compone...

Based on an analysis of several case studies of alternative fuel introductions [ethanol, biodiesel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG)], requirements for alternative fuels, vehicles, and the fueling infrastructure are postulated that are necessary for successful market implementation. Affordable vehicle technology and costcompetitive fuel were identified as the most cri...

Background Mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from transportation sources will require implementation of a variety of strategies, including improvements in the efficiency of overall vehicle/fuel systems, such as hybrid and new high-efficiency diesel engines, and use of synthetic fuels to replace or supplement petroleum-based fuels. A particularly attractive class of synthetic fuels is oxyge...

This paper investigates the opportunities for improving truck fuel economy through the use of a Fuel Cell Auxiliary Power Unit (FC APU) for silent watch, as well as for powering electrified engine accessories during driving. The particular vehicle selected as the platform for this study is a prototype of the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) capable of carrying a 5 ton payload. Peak sta...