A consortium led by the Dearman Engine Company, a highly-efficient liquid nitrogen or air (LiN) engine, has secured funding close to £2m from the Technology Strategy Board to provide support for low-carbon vehicle initiatives.
There is a pressing need for more cost-effective technology to improve the efficiency of urban medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles and buses. Electric hybrid systems are seen by some as a solution, but costs remain high, leading to long payback periods (10-12 years for a bus).
However, this project will deliver a production-feasible waste-heat recovery system for urban commercial vehicles, which offers life-cycle CO2 savings of up to 40%, fuel savings of 25% – with the potential of up to almost 50% – and potential payback in less than three years. The project uses the Dearman Engine, a highly efficient liquid nitrogen or air (LiN) engine that harvests low-grade heat sources and, in this configuration, is most effective in urban duty cycles, working with the internal combustion engine (ICE) as a hybrid powertrain.
Using the Dearman Engine allows efficient use of the waste heat, leading not only to greater economy, but also offering the potential for improved air quality. The technology uses readily-available materials with low embedded carbon, and operates with commercially-available liquid nitrogen, which is readily available and is frequently produced using off-peak electricity, with great potential for storing wrong-time renewables.
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