Seat strength in rear body block tests

Purpose: This study collected and analyzed available testing of motor vehicle seat strength in rearward loading by a body block simulating the torso of an occupant. The data were grouped by single recliner, dual recliner, and all belts to seat (ABTS) seats.

Methods: The strength of seats to rearward loading has been evaluated with body block testing from 1964 to 2008. The database of available tests includes 217 single recliner, 65 dual recliner, and 18 ABTS seats. The trends in seat strength were determined by linear regression and differences between seat types were evaluated by Student's t-test. The average peak moment and force supported by the seat was determined by decade of vehicle model year (MY).

Results: Single recliner seats were used in motor vehicles in the 1960s to 1970s. The average strength was 918 ± 224 Nm (n = 26) in the 1960s and 1,069 ± 293 Nm (n = 65) in the 1980s. There has been a gradual increase in strength over time. Dual recliner seats started to phase into vehicles in the late 1980s. By the 2000s, the average strength of single recliner seats increased to 1,501 ± 335 Nm (n = 14) and dual recliner seats to 2,302 ± 699 Nm (n = 26). Dual recliner seats are significantly stronger than single recliner seats for each decade of comparison (P < .001). The average strength of ABTS seats was 4,395 ± 1,185 in-lb for 1989–2004 MY seats (n = 18). ABTS seats are significantly stronger than single or dual recliner seats (P < .001). The trend in ABTS strength is decreasing with time and converging toward that of dual recliner seats.

Conclusions: Body block testing is an quantitative means of evaluating the strength of seats for occupant loading in rear impacts. There has been an increase in conventional seat strength over the past 50 years. By the 2000s, most seats are 1,700–3,400 Nm moment strength. However, the safety of a seat is more complex than its strength and depends on many other factors.     

木薯乙醇-汽油混合燃料生命周期排放多目标优化研究

建立了木薯乙醇-汽油混合燃料生命周期排放单目标和多目标优化模型.以生命周期CO,NO_x,PM,HC,SO_x,CO₂排放为优化目标,对木薯乙醇-汽油混合燃料生命周期排放进行了单目标及多目标优化,并进行了灵敏度分析.结果表明:多目标优化后木薯乙醇-汽油混合燃料的混合比例为63%.与原始值相比,多目标优化后生命周期CO排放略有升高,NO_x升高15%,PM升高19%;生命周期HC、SO_x和CO₂分别降低8%、50%和21%.     

Application of environmentally conscious manufacturing strategies for an automotive component

Application of appropriate environmentally conscious manufacturing strategies enables the sustainable development of products and processes. Automotive component manufacturers recognise the potential of applying appropriate strategies for attaining Triple Bottom Line benefits. In this context, three strategies such as eco-efficiency, waste minimisation and material efficiency are being applied to minimise environmental impacts associated with the manufacture of automotive products and its associated processes. A case study of an automotive component manufacturing firm has been exemplified. After conducting the study, the potential environmental impact was reduced by 20% and eco-efficiency was improved by 13%. Further, improvements have been observed in terms of overall resource consumption and material efficiency. The overall power consumption was reduced by 18% and weight of the component was reduced by 11%. The study aimed at improving the sustainable performance of product by incorporating green and environmentally friendlier manufacturing practices.

Abbreviations: USEPA: United Nations Environmental Protection Agency; OECD: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; WBCSD: World Business Council for Sustainable Development; Eco-QFD: Environmental Quality Function Deployment; WCED: World Commission on Environment and Development; LCA: Life Cycle Assessment     

Industrial ecology flows of agriculture and food industry in Finland: utilizing by-products and wastes

Although half of the administrative units in China are said to have implemented their local Agenda 21, the promotion of sustainable communities is not pervasive. In this paper, we adopted a relatively untried mode of analysis and a socio-economic context to illustrate the potentials and failures of China's grassroots local government bodies in achieving sustainable waste management. Our study shows that, among the three main functions of sustainable waste management (ensuring environmental hygiene, provision of recycling logistics and changing the consumption pattern of the local community) for local governments, grassroots local government bodies in mainland China are only able to do the minimum, i.e. ensuring environmental hygiene and handling complaints. One of the reasons for the failure is that, despite the emphasis on capacity building in China's Agenda 21, the reality is that no action is taken to empower grassroots local government. Despite the high profile accorded by the Chinese central government to motivating local governments to formulate their own Agenda 21, local sustainability and waste management performance have little relevance to the appraisal systems of these government agents.     

Build it,but will they come? Evidence from consumer choice between gasoline and sugarcane ethanol

How consumers might switch from gasoline and diesel to alternative energy sources is not known, since the availability of alternatives is currently very limited. To bridge this gap, we exploit exogenous variation in ethanol prices at Brazil's pumps and uncover substantial consumer heterogeneity in the choice between long-established gasoline and an alternative that is similarly available and usable: sugarcane ethanol. We observe roughly 20% of flexible-fuel motorists choosing gasoline when gasoline is priced 20% above ethanol in energy-adjusted terms ($/mile) and, similarly, 20% of motorists choosing ethanol when ethanol is priced 20% above gasoline. We use transaction-level data to explore “non-price” characteristics which differentiate the two goods in the minds of different groups of consumers. Our findings suggest—and a counterfactual illustrates—that switching away from gasoline en masse, should this be desired, would require considerable price discounts to boost voluntary adoption, in the US and elsewhere.     

汽油车技术发展对尾气排放影响研究进展

近年来,汽油车尾气排放已成为城市大气污染的主要来源之一.为减少油耗、温室气体和大气污染物的排放,汽油直喷技术(GDI)、醇类燃料替代以及混合动力系统等新兴技术被应用到汽车产品中,该研究对GDI发动机汽车、醇类燃料车和混合动力车的颗粒物(PM)、氮氧化物(NO_x)、总碳氢化合物(THC)的排放研究进行梳理和总结,综合评估先进动力技术和醇类燃料的环境影响.结果表明:GDI汽油车的PM排放因子为进气道喷射(PFI)汽油车的1.2~5倍,加装汽油颗粒物捕集器(GPF)后GDI汽油车的PM排放大幅下降,同时具备催化能力的GPF可减少NO_x和THC排放.与汽油车相比,乙醇燃料车PM排放量减少了35%~56%,尾气THC排放减少了10%~44%,但挥发性有机物(VOCs)蒸发排放增加了20%~41%,其主要来自于日呼吸损失.各类型车辆的NO_x排放差异较小,比较结果存在一定的不确定性.混合动力车相比传统内燃机汽车污染物减排优势明显,可积极推广其在公共交通和私家车队中的应用.建议今后研究应着重关注以下几个方面:①GDI和混合动力车在实际条件下排放污染物的环境影响;②醇类燃料车VOCs蒸发排放控制技术及相关法规标准的完善;③新兴技术汽油车排放污染物的生成机理及其影响因素.      

个人乘用车用可替代燃料与我国未来的选择

个人乘用车排放量占道路交通运输二氧化碳(CO2)排放量的三分之一。因此,逐步实现其燃料由传统石化燃料汽柴油向新能源转变是交通运输行业低碳减排和绿色发展的重要抓手之一。本文对当前可供个人乘用车使用的4大类新能源即生物燃油、燃料乙醇、氢和电的属性,特别是其CO2减排效果和使用成本进行了分析和对比,并对新能源加注(充电)设施在欧盟和美国的布局战略和实施成果进行了介绍。结合欧美的实践和中国的实际,本文提出了未来个人乘用车用可替代燃油布局的建设,建议我国直接从传统石化汽油跨越至氢和/或电,并将其作为未来个人乘用车的燃料。     

Fenton试剂处理汽车油漆废渣

采用Fenton试剂处理汽车油漆废渣。考察了FeSO_4用量、H_2O_2用量、反应温度、反应时间对处理效果的影响。实验结果表明,在FeSO_4用量为20.5 mg/g、H_2O_2用量为0.6 g/g、反应温度为80 ℃、反应时间为3 h的最优条件下,清漆渣、色漆渣、底漆渣3种漆渣的干基减量率均为20%左右,湿基减量率分别为67.9%、48.2%和64.2%,3种产物的脱水性能均有不同程度的提高,处理后废液的COD均为2 000 mg/L左右。采用Fenton试剂处理后的清漆渣产物粒径与原料相似,产物颗粒球形度高,表面粗糙,内部为多孔结构,产物作为固体燃料时燃烧更充分。Fenton试剂处理未对漆渣中的树脂主体产生较大的破坏。     

肼类燃料在大气中的迁移转化

肼类燃料（肼、甲基肼和偏二甲肼）排放于大气中时,可与大气组分;氧、二氧化碳、水、臭氧、氮氧化物、二氧化硫等发生反应,降解主要产物是氮气、水、甲烷或偏除,在紫外光照射条件下可发生光解。本文详细论述了肼、甲基肼和偏二甲肼与大气中的氧气、臭氧和氮氧化物的反应历程及降解机理,其中某些降解产物毒性比肼类燃料本身更大。     

汽车塑料饰件电镀工艺及其性能检测

本文重点讲述了汽车塑料电镀工艺以及其可能存在的各种问题,进一步介绍了相关问题的解决方法.参照目前国际上各大整车厂的性能检测方法,论述了如何对汽车塑料电镀成品件进行性能测试来确定其质量.随着各国对环保要求的提高,希望我国汽车塑料电镀工艺能紧追和应用先进工艺,减少对环境的污染.