The aim of current research on internal combustion engines is to further reduce exhaust gas pollutant emissions while simultaneously lowering carbon dioxide emissions in order to limit the greenhouse effect. Due to the restricted potential for reducing CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions when using fossil fuels, an extensive defossilisation of the transport sector is necessary. Investigations of future propulsion systems should therefore not focus solely on further development of the prime mover, but also on the energy carrier which is used. In this context, fuels from renewable energy sources are of particular interest, e.g. paraffinic diesel fuels such as hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) or potentially entirely synthetic fuels like POMDME (polyoxymethylene dimethyl ether, short: OME) as well as blends of such fuels. If renewable energy is used for fuel production, the current disadvantage of fossil energy carriers regarding CO2 production is eliminated, while at the same time further advantages can be exploited through lower pollutant emissions compared to conventional fuels. As an example, soot emissions can be significantly reduced with both of the above-mentioned alternative fuels in comparison to diesel. When using OME without additional blend components, the soot-NOx (nitrogen oxides) trade-off is no longer relevant as combustion is almost soot free. However, further research and development is required, particularly with regard to the identification of suitable fuels (e.g. concerning emission reduction potential, suitability as a fuel for mobile applications and availability) and with respect to the optimization of the combustion process for the corresponding fuels. Within the framework of a joint funded project, OME and blends of HVO and OME are investigated in a single-cylinder research engine. The different fuel blend combinations are systematically compared with respect to the experimental results, and the most promising combinations for an ultra-low emission concept based on such fuel blends will be determined.

The use of vegetable oil as a fuel for agricultural and forestry vehicles allows a CO2 reduction of up to 60 %. On the other hand, the availability of vegetable oil is limited, and price competitiveness depends heavily on the respective oil price. In order to reduce the dependence on the availability of specific fuels, the joint research project “MuSt5-Trak” (Multi-Fuel EU Stage 5 Tractor) aims at developing a prototype tractor capable of running on arbitrary mixtures of diesel and rapeseed oil. Depending on the fuel mixture used, the engine parameters need to be adapted to the respective operating conditions. For this purpose, it is necessary to detect the composition of the fuel mixture and the fuel quality. Regardless of the available fuel mixture, all functions for regular engine operation must be maintained. A conventional active regeneration of the diesel particulate filter (DPF) cannot be carried out because rapeseed oil has a flash point of 230°C, compared to 80°C for diesel fuel. This leads to a condensation of rapeseed oil while using post-injection at low and medium part load operating points, which causes a dilution of the engine oil. In this work, engine-internal measures for achieving DPF regeneration with rapeseed oil and mixtures of diesel fuel and rapeseed oil are investigated. In order to provide stationary operating conditions in real engine operation, a “high-idle” operating point is chosen. The fuel mixtures are examined with regard to compatibility concerning a reduction of the air-fuel ratio, late combustion phasing and multiple injections. The highest temperatures are expected from a combination of these control options. After the completion of a regeneration cycle, the fuel input into the engine oil is controlled. These investigations will serve as a basis for the subsequent development of more complex regeneration strategies for close-to-reality engine operating cycles with varying load conditions.

Due to the steadily increasing number of decentralized generation units, the upcoming smart meter rollout and the expected electrification of the transport sector (e-mobility), grid planning and grid operation at low-voltage (LV) level are facing major challenges. Therefore, many studies, research and demonstration projects on the above topics have been carried out in recent years, and the results and the methods developed have been published. However, the published methods usually cannot be replicated or validated, since the majority of the examination models or the scenarios used are incomprehensible to third parties. There is a lack of uniform grid models that map the German LV grids and can be used for comparative investigations, which are similar to the example of the North American distribution grid models of the IEEE. In contrast to the transmission grid, whose structure is known with high accuracy, suitable grid models for LV grids are difficult to map because of the high number of LV grids and distribution system operators. Furthermore, a detailed description of real LV grids is usually not available in scientific publications for data privacy reasons. For investigations within a research project, the most characteristic synthetic LV grid models have been created, which are based on common settlement structures and usual grid planning principles in Germany. In this work, these LV grid models, and their development are explained in detail. For the first time, comprehensible LV grid models for the middle European area are available to the public, which can be used as a benchmark for further scientific research and method developments. This document is an English version of the paper which was originally written in German1. In addition, this paper discusses a few more aspects especially on the planning process of distribution grids in Germany.

Understanding the mechanisms and controlling the possibilities of surface nanostructuring is of crucial interest for both fundamental science and application perspectives. Here, we report a direct experimental observation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) formed near a predesigned gold step edge following single-pulse femtosecond laser irradiation. Simulation results based on a hybrid atomistic-continuum model fully support the experimental observations. We experimentally detect nanosized surface features with a periodicity of ∼300 nm and heights of a few tens of nanometers.We identify two key components of single-pulse LIPSS formation: excitation of surface plasmon polaritons and material reorganization. Our results lay a solid foundation toward simple and efficient usage of light for innovative material processing technologies.

Grinding is one of the effective manufacturing processes with which to produce highly accurate parts with an ultra-fine surface finish. The tool used to remove materials in grinding is called the grinding wheel. Abrasive grains made of extremely hard materials (alumina, silica, cubic boron nitride, and diamond) having a definite grit size but a random shape are bonded on the circumferential surface of the grinding wheel. The fabrication process is controlled so that the wheel exhibits a prescribed structure (in the scale of soft to hard). At the same time, the distribution of grains must follow a prescribed grade (in the scale of dense to open). After the fabrication, the wheel is dressed to make sure of its material removal effectiveness, which itself depends on the surface topography. The topography is quantified by the distribution and density of active abrasive grains located on the circumferential surface, the grains’ protrusion heights, and their pore volume ratio. The prediction of the surface topography mentioned above requires a model that considers the entire manufacturing process and the influences on the grinding wheel properties. This study fills this gap in modelling the grinding wheel by presenting a surface topography model and simulation framework for the effect of the grinding wheel fabrication process on the surface topography. The simulation results have been verified by conducting experiments. This study will thus help grinding wheel manufacturers in developing more effective grinding wheels.