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1 BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Transportation Technologies (OTT) is
part of the DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. OTT works in partnership
with the domestic transportation industry, energy supply industry, and research and development
organizations to develop and promote user acceptance of advanced transportation vehicles and
alternative fuel technologies. OTT's goals are to reduce oil import requirements, criteria
pollutant emissions, and greenhouse gases. OTT also aims to develop a strong transportation
technology base to ensure strong industry competition in domestic and world markets.
with the domestic transportation industry, energy supply industry, and research and development
organizations to develop and promote user acceptance of advanced transportation vehicles and
alternative fuel technologies. OTT's goals are to reduce oil import requirements, criteria
pollutant emissions, and greenhouse gases. OTT also aims to develop a strong transportation
technology base to ensure strong industry competition in domestic and world markets.
Within OTT, there are four areas of research and development: Office of Advanced
Automotive Technologies, Office of Fuels Development, Office of Technology Utilization, and
Office of Heavy Vehicle Technologies (OHVT).
Office of Heavy Vehicle Technologies (OHVT).
The very large and growing number of on-highway trucks has a major nationwide impact
on fuel consumption and emissions production. The goals of OHVT are to improve fuel economy
and reduce emissions of on-highway, heavy-duty diesel-powered trucks. With industry input,
DOE/OHVT has developed a Technology Roadmap for Heavy Vehicles [1]. This roadmap
formulates the goals, assesses the status of the technology, identifies technical targets and
barriers to achieving those targets, develops an approach to overcoming the barriers, and
determines schedules and milestones. The roadmap serves as the foundation for the DOE/OHVT
multiyear program plan [2] that guides its sponsored research and development. In the Vehicles
System Technologies area, DOE/OHVT has conducted workshops on aerodynamic drag, friction
and wear, rolling resistance, and braking. The objective of these workshops was to obtain
industry's input to OHVT's multiyear program plan in these topical areas. The workshops
provide a unique opportunity for various segments of industry to assist in setting the DOE/OHVT
research agenda on a national scale.
and reduce emissions of on-highway, heavy-duty diesel-powered trucks. With industry input,
DOE/OHVT has developed a Technology Roadmap for Heavy Vehicles [1]. This roadmap
formulates the goals, assesses the status of the technology, identifies technical targets and
barriers to achieving those targets, develops an approach to overcoming the barriers, and
determines schedules and milestones. The roadmap serves as the foundation for the DOE/OHVT
multiyear program plan [2] that guides its sponsored research and development. In the Vehicles
System Technologies area, DOE/OHVT has conducted workshops on aerodynamic drag, friction
and wear, rolling resistance, and braking. The objective of these workshops was to obtain
industry's input to OHVT's multiyear program plan in these topical areas. The workshops
provide a unique opportunity for various segments of industry to assist in setting the DOE/OHVT
research agenda on a national scale.
Trends and performance objectives in the large-truck industry include higher-horsepower
engines, improved engine performance, reduced aerodynamic drag, improved fuel economy,
reduced emissions, improved safety, increased use of electronic devices, improved driver
comfort, increased cargo-carrying capacity, higher reliability, reduced maintenance, and
improved safety. Thermal management is a cross-cutting technology that directly or indirectly
affects (or is affected by) all of the above. For example, because of the need to accommodate
exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooling and because of trends toward more powerful engines,
larger sleeper cabs (requiring more air conditioning), and additional auxiliary equipment, the
heavy truck industry is facing substantial increases in heat rejection requirements. From a safety
standpoint, there is a desire to reduce the size of the radiator to lower hood lines and improve
driver visibility. This, in turn, would reduce aerodynamic drag and thus improve fuel economy.
Complicating all of these changes and needs is that many conventional cooling system
components are already at, or are approaching, their maximum practical size and functional
limits.
reduced emissions, improved safety, increased use of electronic devices, improved driver
comfort, increased cargo-carrying capacity, higher reliability, reduced maintenance, and
improved safety. Thermal management is a cross-cutting technology that directly or indirectly
affects (or is affected by) all of the above. For example, because of the need to accommodate
exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooling and because of trends toward more powerful engines,
larger sleeper cabs (requiring more air conditioning), and additional auxiliary equipment, the
heavy truck industry is facing substantial increases in heat rejection requirements. From a safety
standpoint, there is a desire to reduce the size of the radiator to lower hood lines and improve
driver visibility. This, in turn, would reduce aerodynamic drag and thus improve fuel economy.
Complicating all of these changes and needs is that many conventional cooling system
components are already at, or are approaching, their maximum practical size and functional
limits.