Completed Clean Energy Engineering

Stepco2

Funder InnovateUK (part of UKRI)
Recipient organisation Dolphin N2 Limited
Funding £4.8M
Period May 2018 — May 2021

In plain English

AI plain-English summary

Heavy goods vehicles are getting a new type of engine that could cut their fuel use and carbon emissions by a wide margin. The problem is that current hybrid and electric technologies, which work well for cars, are too heavy and expensive for trucks, buses, and other heavy-duty vehicles. Without a dedicated solution, these vehicles will account for a growing share of transport emissions as other sectors clean up. The UK Automotive Council has identified new thermodynamic engine cycles as a key goal, and this project directly answers that call. The STEPCO2 engine uses a split-cycle design with a novel step that radically improves efficiency. Previous feasibility studies and test results suggest the concept can work. If successful, this research moves the technology from the lab toward a working demonstrator and eventual commercial use in heavy-duty vehicles. The impact would be a drastic reduction in fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions across the entire heavy transport sector—the trucks, buses, and lorries that keep supply chains moving but are notoriously hard to decarbonise.

View original technical description
Within the EU, Heavy Duty Vehicles (HDVs) are responsible for 30% of on-road CO2 emissions. Hybrid & & electrification strategies, now being introduced in the light duty vehicle (LDV) sector are ineffective in HDVs due to prohibitive on-cost, high associated mass & compromised range & load carrying capacity. Without a sector-specific carbon reduction technology, the contribution & importance of HDV carbon emissions will inevitably rise as other sectors adopt effective low carbon propulsion solutions. To address the significant CO2 production within the sector, the UK Automotive Council roadmap calls for new thermodynamic cycles as a key medium-term objective. STEPCO2 represents a disruptive shift in combustion engine technology, & addresses this call through the use of split cycle technology with a novel step to significantly increase engine efficiency. Extensive feasibility studies supported by test results from previous projects, indicate the technology has potential to radically increase the efficiency of an engine in a HDV application. The project objective is to progress this game-changing concept from a research environment towards a working concept demonstrator & eventual application within HDVs, leading to drastic reduction in fuel usage & CO2 emission within the heavy duty transport sector.

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Original classification

Collaborative R&D

Plain English summaries and category classifications on this site are generated by AI and may not perfectly reflect the original research.