Skip to main content

Low construction engine emissions project

The University of Hertfordshire is collaborating in a £9 million project aimed at reducing carbon emissions from off-highway machinery. The University of Hertfordshire’s School of Engineering and Technology is part of a specialist engineering consortium working on the project. Benefiting from more than £4 million in funding from the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK Limited (APC), the project includes companies such as Caterpillar subsidiary Turner Powertrain Systems and Torotrak, a developer and supplier o
October 18, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
The University of Hertfordshire is collaborating in a £9 million project aimed at reducing carbon emissions from off-highway machinery. The University of Hertfordshire’s School of Engineering and Technology is part of a specialist engineering consortium working on the project.

Benefiting from more than £4 million in funding from the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK Limited (APC), the project includes companies such as 178 Caterpillar subsidiary Turner Powertrain Systems and Torotrak, a developer and supplier of emissions reduction and fuel efficiency technology.

The aim of the project is to develop a new drivetrain system that will reduce carbon emissions and have better energy storage. This new drivetrain will be used for a range of off-highway equipment.

The three and half year project is expected to begin in December and will focus on developing and commercialising a leading edge hydrostatic, continuously variable transmission with a flywheel-based energy storage system. This is expected to deliver improved performance along with reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. It should also allow manufacturers of off-highway equipment to downsize engines across a wide range of construction machines.

Flywheel-based energy storage technology is ideally suited to off-highway and construction equipment applications because it offers a robust, low-cost way to allow engine downsizing while improving machine productivity.

Staff from the School of Engineering and Technology will provide advanced simulation, modeling and design expertise in the area of computational fluid dynamics, rotadynamics and finite element analysis. The research will also benefit from the University’s High Performance Computing cluster.

Dr Rodney Day, Associate Dean (Research and Commercial) in the School of Engineering and Technology said: ‘This is a fantastic opportunity to collaborate with two leading companies to develop this novel technology for the off-highway market.’

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Caterpillar’s hybrid excavator uses evolutionary technology
    September 27, 2013
    Caterpillar’s hybrid excavator represents evolutionary rather than revolutionary technology - Mike Woof reports One of the key things to understand about Caterpillar’s hybrid excavator is that its fuel savings come not from a single technology, but from a range of features that have been integrated together. The sophisticated engine works hand in hand with the advanced hydraulics, with electronics governing the whole operation and optimising efficiency. And while none of these technologies is new in it
  • Global pressures driving bitumen developments
    June 19, 2015
    A raft of global pressures is driving developments in the materials and equipment we use for the handling, storage and treatment of bitumen. The goal is to achieve better performance and longer life for less financial outlay, and at the same time overcome the challenges of inconsistent and varying bitumen supplies. Kristina Smith reports.
  • Asphalt paving design advances
    June 15, 2012
    A diverse array of advanced paver designs is now being offered in the asphalt paving sector – Mike Woof reports With the World of Asphalt and INTERMAT 2012 events having both taken place in recent months, a series of innovations have been introduced for the asphalt paving market. Developments have come to market that widen the array of both US and European asphalt paving systems and all the major manufacturers have developed new pavers and materials feeders to meet the latest emissions requirements. Demand
  • Hydrema launches electric dumper
    September 11, 2023
    Hydrema has delivered the first DT6, what the Danish company says is the industry's first zero-emission 6tonne dumper. It also marks the company’s first step into the electric-powered construction vehicle market.