The Future of Green Cars lies in Sophisticated Testing
27 May 2008
The automotive industry’s race to develop a generation of high Performance, low emissions power plants has lead to high capability test beds that monitor parameters.
Electric/ petrol and electric/ diesel hybrid engines with fuel injectors, regenerative braking and kinetic energy stores are just some of the future performance enhancing technologies hoped for in ‘green cars.’
To make this possible however, relies not just on the engineering design of the power plants but also on the capabilities of what was once, the humble test-bed since the future technology will rely on the ability to monitor multiple parameters simultaneously.
Sensor Technology has produced TorqSense, an in-line digital torque sensor which is easy to use, accurate and low cost – ideal as the core of any motor test bed. Tony Ingham, from Sensor Technology, explains:
“Measuring an engine’s torque is a fundamental business; older sensors often used slip rings which wear over time thus increasing inaccuracies or had analogue electronics which are difficult to interface with digital equipment.
With no need for slip rings due to its non-contact, working through an RF couple and with modern digital RF electronics inside, Sensor Technology’s TorqSense allows easy interfacing with digital equipment. It also boasts its own TorqView software so the development engineers are able to concentrate on monitoring the key input and output parameters.
” In a hybrid power plant electrical power and mechanical torque are essentially the same thing - an energy flow, which has to be used as efficiently as possible with minimum losses. Significantly the two directions of energy flow, to and from the power source, as equally important to optimize so that recharging is as efficient as running. “
There are some really radical thinkers currently employed in advanced engine design,” observes Tony. “To them, electric motors, IC engines, generators and regen units are all essentially the same – torque producers that ultimately drive the road wheels! So is it any wonder that they like TorqSense?”
A typical test bench used in this sector is based around a TorqSense torque sensor. This is in-line mounted and used to monitor all rotary inputs and outputs within whatever combination of engine and electric machine is under scrutiny so that efficiencies calculations and mapping can be implemented. TorqSense transducers use two tiny quartz piezoelectric combs, called Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) devices fixed to the surface of the sensor’s shaft.
As the torque increases the spacing between the combs inside the SAW devices vary, allowing the resonant frequency to change proportionally to the applied torque of the rotating shaft under test. In effect the SAW devices are frequency dependent strain gauges that measure changes in resonant frequency of the test shaft as the test programme is run and with a wireless radio frequency (RF) coupling to transfer the data signal to a pick-up head the sensor is non-contact.
The same RF coupling also supplies power to the SAW devices. This is possible because the devices are based on piezo technology so need less than one mill watt of power. This arrangement does away completely with the difficulties of fitting slip rings inside the sensor and maintaining their contact quality throughout an extended test run. “TorqSense makes motor testing much more straightforward than any other method of measurement,” enthuses Tony. “Its digital outputs and ease of operation allows easy data capture, intelligent calibration and advanced analysis toolsets.”
Other Press Releases By This Company
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- 14/01/2019 - Mass market electric vehicles getting revved up for launch
- 15/11/2018 - Measuring torque without slip rings
- 16/07/2018 - Pay as you sense
- 08/06/2018 - Long service motors tested after re-engineering
- 05/04/2018 - Optical rotary torque sensors suitable for low torque and high band width measurements
- 20/02/2018 - Pump and valve innovator finds a test rig technology that talks the torque
- 20/02/2018 - Electric vehicle pioneer favours wireless test rigs
- 05/02/2018 - Pump and valve innovator finds a test rig technology that talks the torque
- 14/12/2017 - Chemical engineers talk sense about mixer efficiencies
- 14/11/2017 - Sensor Technology keeps hydraulic projects on course
- 14/09/2017 - Electric vehicle pioneer favours wireless test rigs
- 21/06/2017 - Torque test ensures reliability of steerable drills
- 10/06/2013 - Torque Sensor guarntees Tip Top-Taps!
- 30/08/2012 - Automotive Innovations Torque Up Manufacturing Revival
- 31/07/2012 - Torque of a Motor Revolution
- 12/06/2012 - Torque test ensures reliability of steerable drills
- 30/04/2012 - Engineers Torque Technology To Medics
- 29/03/2012 - Long Service Motors Tested after Re-Engineering
- 01/02/2012 - Back Manufacturing, But That Is Only Half The Story
- 23/12/2011 - Pay as you Sense
- 02/11/2011 - New wave and tidal turbine concept promises clean, affordable energy
- 05/10/2011 - Ground Crews talk sense on Generator Maintenance
- 08/09/2011 - TorqSense transducers help to guarantee valve actuator performance
- 08/08/2011 - Company Profile
- 11/05/2011 - Sensing growth opportunities
- 25/03/2011 - Drama as Helicopter sensor flies into Theatre role
- 07/02/2011 - Technology transfer tests tree safety
- 18/01/2011 - Sensor Technology helps to keep sheep shorn
- 02/12/2010 - Smart Load Sensor
- 13/10/2010 - Novel sensors aid tidal turbine development
- 01/09/2010 - Torque Sensor helps reduce engine friction
- 12/08/2010 - Tidal Turbine to light the Thames
- 22/06/2010 - Sensor Technology Provides the Key to Learning
- 05/05/2010 - Talking Sense About Technology Transfer
- 16/04/2010 - ULTRASOUND HELPS OPTIMISE DRIVE DESIGNS
- 08/03/2010 - Ensuring accurate feel to Power Steering
- 12/01/2010 - Iron Bird with lightest touch
- 16/10/2009 - Sensor hones in on sharp operators
- 03/09/2009 - Testing time for business Jet
- 10/08/2009 - Non-contact torque sensor now mounts in moments
- 09/06/2009 - SAWs: A Cutting edge technology from Sensor Technology
- 23/01/2009 - Torque improvement for handling accuracy
- 03/11/2008 - Servo research points the way to improved dynamics
- 29/08/2008 - Sensor Technologys' TorqSense shows it's safer to belt up than previously thought
- 30/07/2008 - Nuclear engineers avoid contact with Sensor Technology
- 11/03/2008 - When two is better than one
- 19/12/2007 - Regen Drive turns laundry green
- 19/10/2007 - BIG PUSH TO RECYCLE PLASTIC
- 12/09/2007 - Intelligent Extruder plans its' own growth
- 10/08/2007 - UAV takes fast track to altitude
