Automotive Engineer is running an article this month about air-hybrid engine design that features The Scuderi Group and the Scuderi Air-Hybrid Engine:
"Say hybrid and most people think electric, but there could be another answer. Both Lotus and U.S. Engine developers Scuderi Group are working on versions of an air-hybrid engine. They disagree on the details, but both say the technology's impact will be big..."Read the article in Automotive Engineer.
Die Zeit is a national weekly newspaper in Germany that has an estimated readership of more than 1.4 million. It's one of the most highly respected newspapers in Germany. On January 4, Die Zeit published a comprehensive article about the Scuderi Group and the Scuderi Air-Hybrid Engine.
Read the story in English or German.
Die Zeit is a national weekly newspaper in Germany that has an estimated readership of more than 1.4 million. It's one of the most highly respected newspapers in Germany. On January 4, Die Zeit published a comprehensive article about the Scuderi Group and the Scuderi Air-Hybrid Engine. We've included an English translation of the article below:
(Or read the original article in German at www.zeit.de/2007/02/T-Drucklufthybrid).
FUEL EFFICIENT DOUBLE CYLINDERSHybrid technology with compressed air should make buses in the future cleaner and more efficient
By Burkhard Strassmann
Compared to the private car and considering the number of passengers, even an old bus is an environmentally friendly vehicle. Now though, the real environmentally friendly buses have arrived; the twin motorized hybrids. An example is the Urbino 18 bus from Poland; a city bus with a diesel engine and two electric engines. The promise: up to 43% less usage, nearly 40% less NOx and barely any more fine dust. Some of these buses are already being driven in Dresden and Bremen.
The Hybrid Question is not new, but the momentous consequences are just being understood now. Back in 1969 Mercedes Benz experimented with the Electric Trial Bus OE 302. In 1996 four Hybrid Buses were tested in traffic. Two years later the low-floor, mid-size Cito bus with diesel-electric powertrain was launched. However the main disadvantage of all Hybrid concepts is that, like with passenger cars, there is a high price. The demanding regulations, the additional engines and the rechargeable batteries amounts to an additional cost of Euros 7,000 - 10,000. Thus, insiders are watching with interest a slightly different hybrid concept by the U.S. company Scuderi; the air hybrid engine, which should only be a couple of hundred Euros more expensive than a conventional diesel engine. Albeit, the engine only exists now as a computer simulation.
The inventor of this engine, Camillo Scuderi, from West Springfield, MA., based his theory on a ninety year old, from time to time revived, idea to reinvent the Otto engine.
In their split-cycle engine, the four classical strokes (intake, compression/firing, power and exhaust) don’t happen in one cylinder, but in two. One cylinder creates compressed air through compression, whilst in the other cylinder, the fuel/air mixture is combusted. Due to an ingenious choice of valves, and an invention which delays the firing of the gas as long as possible (provoking the engineers: firing after top dead center!), Camillo Scuderi managed to design, at least theoretically, an amazingly efficient and clean engine. His son Sal, who heads the young company, added a tank for compressed air and the result: a hybrid engine.
In a relaxed mode, the system directs parts of the compressed air, which is generated in the compression cylinder, into this tank. If the driver wants to speed up; he uses the energy from the tank. The best part: if the vehicle brakes, additional compressed air will be pumped into the tank. It is at this moment when the hybrid technology makes sense. Stop-and-go in city traffic or downhill driving means no more hot brake shoes, but fully recharged batteries. Or, at Scuderi, a full tank of compressed air.
This would mean in the real life of a bus driver, that he would be able to drive with the contents of a small tank of compressed air, perhaps for 2 or 3 minutes, before refilling the air tank by diesel or brake pressure. One suspects that the real saving of fuel is dependent on the way one drives and where one drives. The numbers should be looked at positively, but with caution: usage halved and emissions reduced by up to 80%. Because of the late firing, the combustion temperature decreases so much that one can count on significantly less NOx in the exhaust fumes.
The Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, TX, is entrusted with the building of the first prototype. Their goal is to create a two cylinder and a six cylinder in split cycle technology by the end of 2007. Significant Funding by the Ministry of Defense shows that the Institute is well respected in the U.S. For military purposes, but also for commercial vehicles, this way of generating compressed air on-board is interesting. It can be integrated into the present compressed air systems, with which valves can be controlled or brakes actuated. With the energy from the hybrid tank, it is possible to start the engine and to operate tools.
If the air hybrid works not only from a technical point of view, but also from an economical point of view, it could create shock waves in both the domains of commercial vehicle power trains and stationary engines, one example being, by making a couple of expensive components redundant or cheaper. A turbo charger wouldn’t be necessary anymore, as the split cycle engine takes care of it instead. Because firing is only done in every second cylinder, one saves expensive injection systems. Possibly, but one has to wait for the first test-runs, the engine will run so cleanly that the after treatment of the exhaust fumes will be much more inexpensive.
The question not yet clarified by experts, is if a car with two engines can drive more fuel efficiently and cleanly than a car with a conventional engine, has long been answered by the consumer, as: “Never mind, hybrid is cool!” Famous actors have bought twin engine Toyotas and now everyone wants one. If the air hybrid prevails, at least in the small segment of public transport, then even the economists will finally understand the hybrid.
>> Return to the homepage of Airhybridblog.com
In an effort to further educate the automotive OEM marketplace on the benefits of the Air-Hybrid Engine, the Scuderi Group will be appearing next month at the SAE 2007 Hybrid Vehicle Technologies Symposium in San Diego, Feb. 7-8. (www.sae.org/hybrid). Scuderi executives will be on hand to speak to attendees and bring more awareness of the unique benefits of the Scuderi Air-Hybrid Engine over today’s existing electrical hybrid vehicles.
As hybrid vehicle technology grows rapidly, more engineering professionals in the automotive industry are looking to learn about the advances and keep abreast of the changes in the industry. The two-day symposium will center on discussions around the growing acceptance of hybrids, powertrain and vehicle design, fuel economy and environmental aspects and various government regulations impacting the hybrid industry.
"This symposium is a perfect venue to directly reach the top engineers in the field who are looking to advance their hybrid projects,” said Nick Scuderi, vice president of sales and marketing. “This event will give our air-hybrid fantastic exposure and allow us to communicate more directly with the hybrid engineering community."
If you are planning to attend the Hybrid Symposium or will be in the San Diego area and would like to learn more about the air-hybrid engine technology, call the Scuderi Group at 413-439-0343 or send an email to info@scuderigroup.com.
We are proud to announce that the Scuderi Group has relocated its European headquarters to a new location in Frankfurt to better facilitate and accommodate the growing interest in the Scuderi Air-Hybrid Engine. Headed by Vice President of European Operations Lutz Deyerling, the office is command central for all European, Indian and Scandinavian sales, marketing, and investment initiatives.
Frankfurt is the financial center of Germany. Here is the view outside the doorway of the Scuderi Group's new office in Frankfurt.
Germany has long been a global center for automotive engineering and manufacturing. The first internal combustion automobile engine was patented by German Karl Benz in 1895. Benz founded the Benz Company, precursor of today’s DaimlerChrysler. Along with DaimlerChrysler, Germany is home to the world headquarters of Volkswagen Group (which includes Audi, Lamborghini, and Bentley) and BMW (which includes Rolls-Royce).
“The new space allows us to more efficiently handle all the inquires from potential licensees and gives more room to conduct our sales and marketing initiatives,” said Deyerling. “Frankfurt is a superb base for companies like our that do with the automotive and investment community.”
Frankfurt has been considered Germany’s financial center for centuries. The Frankfurt Stock Exchange is the largest in Germany. Frankfurt is also home to the European Central Bank, which decides monetary policy for the the 13 members of the European Economic Union that use the euro as currency. The Frankfurt International Airport is one of one of the top ten airports in the world, with flights to over 100 countries.
Deyerling joined The Scuderi Group in 2006. He has deep roots in the European automotive industry, having worked in senior finance positions in the auto industry practice groups at Ernst &Young Corporate Finance GmbH, Bankgesellschaft Berlin and Deutsche Bank. Deyerling oversees fundraising and licensing activities within the European automobile marketplace for the company.
For further information about Scuderi’s European operations, contact our new Frankfurt office:
Lutz Deyerling
Vice President of European Operations
An der Welle 4
60322 Frankfurt
Germany
Tel: +49-69-7593-7179
Fax: +49-69-7593-8200
E-mail: lutz@scuderigroup.com
Automotive Engineer is running an article this month about air-hybrid engine design that features The Scuderi Group and the Scuderi Air-Hybrid Engine:
"Say hybrid and most people think electric, but there could be another answer. Both Lotus and U.S. Engine developers Scuderi Group are working on versions of an air-hybrid engine. They disagree on the details, but both say the technology's impact will be big..."
Read the article in Automotive Engineer.
Die Zeit is a national weekly newspaper in Germany that has an estimated readership of more than 1.4 million. It's one of the most highly respected newspapers in Germany. On January 4, Die Zeit published a comprehensive article about the Scuderi Group and the Scuderi Air-Hybrid Engine.
Read the story in English or German.
