Article citation information:

Sakno, O., Medvediev, I., Kolesnikova, T. Study on the relationship between vehicle maintenance and fuel consumption. Scientific Journal of Silesian University of Technology. Series Transport. 2021, 113, 163-172. ISSN: 0209-3324. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20858/sjsutst.2021.113.13.

 

 

Olha SAKNO[1], Ievgen MEDVEDIEV[2], Tatiana KOLESNIKOVA[3]

 

 

 

STUDY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AND FUEL CONSUMPTION

 

Summary. A contemporary road vehicle (RV) is a rather complex system, consisting of a large number of subsystems, assemblies, units, and elements (parts). While operating, an RV interacts with the environment, and its elements interact with each other. Consequently, the properties (parameters) of these elements change in the process - hardness, roughness, size, relative position, gapping, etc. A partial solution to the presented problems can be the search for a technique for assessing the RV technical condition by a generalised criterion, which is quite sensitive to changes in the technical state. One of these criteria may be fuel consumption in litres per 100 kilometres. This paper investigates the possibilities of using the fuel consumption indicator as a criterion for assessing the technical condition of the vehicle and the vehicle maintenance and repair technologies have been generalised to obtain a given technical solution. Thus, the possibility of using the fuel consumption indicator as a criterion for assessing the technical condition of the vehicles was explored using the Volkswagen Touran 1.9 TDI operating in urban conditions using a driving cycle. A clear correlation between the fuel consumption and the service lifetime of the vehicle has been established; therefore, it depends on the frequency and quality of the maintenance and repair (MR). The vehicle MR technology has been generalised to obtain a specified technical solution. The process of creating an RV MR Technology model is implemented based on an iterative approach (repetition) with the possibility to specify their features.

Keywords: driving cycle, vehicle maintenance, technical condition,
fuel consumption, technology, iterative approach

 

 

1. INTRODUCTION

 

While operating, the vehicle interacts with the environment, and its elements interact with each other. This interaction causes the load of parts, their mutual displacements, friction, heating, chemical transformations [1].

Resultantly, the properties (parameters) of these elements - hardness, roughness, size, mutual arrangement, gapping, etc., are changed during the work.

According to the European DRIVE Project [2], which was carried out to identify the real operating conditions of vehicles, short trips (urban travel), low warming-up temperatures of the friction parts, acceleration, and generally, urban traffic conditions have been found to result in a significant increase in fuel consumption. The obtained data provided very precise information on the actual use of the vehicle that provided a broad overview of the normal average European driving [2]. Thus, while idling, especially in urban areas, the greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, and N2O) emissions make 37 tonnes of CO2 eq/day [3].

The efficiency, functionality and performance of a vehicle in use should be investigated with the simplified driving cycle (DC) and the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) [4]. When considering, for example, the movement of a vehicle on two-lane highways, special attention should be paid to speed, both in terms of safety [5] and the economy of operation of the engine.

A partial solution to the problems presented can be found by finding a method for estimating the technical state of the RV according to a generalised criterion, which is sufficiently sensitive to changes in the technical state. One such criterion could be fuel consumption in litres per 100 kilometres [6]. Different diesel fuel mixtures showed significant differences in combustion efficiency, and hence, in engine performance [7-9].

This research based on the method of comparative analyses of the coolant temperature, gasoline fuel consumption and exhaust emissions including total hydrocarbon (THC), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxide (NOX) [10] enabled fuller assessing of the vehicle effective working conditions.

Thus, the feasibility of using the fuel consumption indicator as a criterion for assessing the technical condition of the vehicles is relevant.

Therefore, this article aims to investigate the possibilities of using the fuel consumption indicator as a criterion for assessing the vehicle technical condition and to generalise the vehicle maintenance and repair technology and obtain a given technical solution.


 

2. ESTABLISHING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE VEHICLE TECHNICAL CONDITION AND FUEL CONSUMPTION

 

Vehicle operation is its intended use. The operating conditions of vehicles are random in nature and have probabilistic characteristics of road conditions, speed of movement, the weight of the transported cargo, mode of movement. Even with the elimination of the action of random factors, the dispersion of the values of the operating time of different cars of the same sample is noticeable.

In the course of the vehicle operation, their components and aggregates are constantly exposed to a wide range of factors that affect their technical condition in different ways.

The factors affecting the change in the technical state can be divided into groups: design and production, which determine the initial quality of the RV, and operational factors, which determine the change in the technical state during operation.

Operating factors depend on road, transport and climatic conditions. They mostly affect the vehicle technical condition. Road conditions are characterised by the type, state and strength of the pavement, the longitudinal profile of the road, the mode of movement, visibility, etc. [11-14]. Climatic conditions in different periods of the year are determined by air temperature and humidity, atmospheric pressure, precipitation, wind strength and direction, snow cover, etc.

Operating conditions significantly influence the operating modes, loads and reliability of the RV, and thus, the maintenance and repair needs, and changing technical specifications. For example, experimental studies were carried out to diagnose the control of wheeled vehicles with different operating times. It was established that when running up to 6000 hours, the diagnostic parameter can be reduced to 15% [15].

The Volkswagen Touran official debut took place at the motorcycle show in Amsterdam in February 2003. The vehicle received a modern look, made in the style of the latest VW cars.

The Volkswagen Touran is based on a Golf V model. The vehicle uses a new rear axle with four suspension wheel levers and an electromechanical steering wheel booster.

The large protection system includes seat belts on all 7 seats, ABS, ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Program), BAS (Brake Assist System), 6 airbags (front and side for the driver, front and rear passengers). Disc brakes on all wheels (front - with internal ventilation). All of the above assumes a high level of active safety.

 

2.1. Statement of research objectives

 

The purpose of the experimental study is to establish the relationship between the technical condition and fuel consumption of Volkswagen Touran 1.9 TDI vehicles under certain operating conditions.

To achieve this goal, the following tasks were solved:

1. Define the route parameters of the vehicle.

2. Collect and process statistical data on the dynamics of changes in weather conditions throughout the year.

 

Experimental data included:

1. Determination of the parameters of the routes of the city of Dnipro using the urban driving cycle.

2. Collecting and processing the statistical data on the dynamics of changes in atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature in the city of Dnipro in the period from 1.01.2019 to 31.10.2019.

The objects of experimental research were Volkswagen Touran 1.9 TDI vehicles (Figure 1), produced in 2003-2012, with a serial in-line diesel 4-cylinder engine, with a liquid cooling system and manual transmission 6.

 

Фольксваген Туран 2003-2009 г.в. фото

 

Fig. 1. General view of the Volkswagen Touran 1.9 TDI

 

2.2. Research results

 

Figures 2 and 3 show the velocity profile, the track and the topography dynamics during the operation. Vehicle operation was done in the city.

During the experimental study, the data on the ambient temperature and the value of atmospheric pressure in the city of Dnipro were collected.

The graph of temperature changes with averaged values for the research period is shown in Figure 4. As observed from the graphs, the ambient temperature changes according to a sinus-like law, and the value of atmospheric pressure has a uniform distribution throughout the year and is at the level of 99.3 kPa.

General temperature range: -1…+28оС.

The research results are shown in Figure 5.

Table 1 shows the polynomial dependences of fuel consumption on ambient temperature during operation.

 

Table 1

Polynomial dependences of fuel consumption on ambient temperature during operation

 

Equation

Approximation Accuracy

Qs0  оС

Qs(t) = 0,0114·t 2-0,2744·t+7,54

0,9107

5,34

1,41

 

Where:

Qs(t) – fuel consumption depending on the ambient temperature, l/100 km;

t – ambient temperature, degrees Celsius;

Qs0 – fuel consumption in the first month of operation, l/100 km.


 

The first stage of the investigation on the influence of technical conditions on fuel consumption confirmed the general hypothesis that under the same operating conditions, the new vehicles consume less fuel than the used vehicles. To do this, we compared the fuel consumption on the route monthly. The results are shown in Figure 6.

 

 

Fig. 2. Dependence of the speed of movement and road travelled on the timing

 

Fig. 3. Dynamics of changes in the topography of movement and vehicle speed

 

 

Fig. 4. Graph of changes in the ambient temperature for the research period at Dnipro in 2020 (degrees Celsius)

 

As seen in Figure 6, there is a clear dependence of the fuel consumption on the service life of the vehicle, which means it depends on its frequency and the quality of MR.

 

 

Fig. 5. Fuel consumption dependence on ambient temperature

 

 

Fig. 6. Fuel consumption (l/100 km) of the vehicles from the research groups for 5 months

 

 

3. GENERALISING THE METHODOLOGIES FOR THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE VEHICLES MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR

 

Thus, it is possible to generalise the technology of maintenance and repair and obtain a given technical solution [16-19]. Figure 7 provides a chart for the technology system design, obtaining a given technical solution. The choice of a given technical solution can be carried out based on the corresponding system of the hierarchical level of simulation, which must be worked out based on an iterative sequence. Before starting the simulation process, it is necessary to set the initial conditions and restrictions on the performance of works on vehicles maintenance and repair, determine the modelling principle, consider the features of simulation, that is, the stage of modelling, the level of complexity, technical progress and the image of the system. These stages and levels in the systems synthesis process should be implemented based on an iterative approach. The entire simulation process should be performed only based on the limiting criterion of reliability and efficiency of operation during the RV maintenance and repair.

 

When modelling the RV maintenance and repair technology, it should be noted that modelling processes can be performed at all stages of the integrated maintenance and repair technology (Figure 8), namely 1, 2, 3, …, ni. At the same time, the process of creating a model should be implemented based on an iterative approach (iteratio - repetition) with the possibility of specifying their features. These features also need to be clarified at all stages of the simulation (Figure 8b).

 

Pole tekstowe: Technical solutionElipsa: Level of ComplexityElipsa: Image LevelElipsa: Level of ReliabilityElipsa: Simulation level

 

Fig. 7. The technology system simulation chart of the vehicle maintenance
and repair system and obtaining a given level of technical solution

 

The iterative direction of the RV MR Technology simulation (Figure 8b) is considered at all levels of complexity. The complexity levels of a system may have the following types: elementary function, level subfunction n-2, level subfunction n-1, high level function n. In this case, the simulation process, as an iterative one, can be carried out with a gradual complication of the function. According to the level of technical condition (reliability level) (Figure 8d), simulating the RV maintenance and repair technologies should also be performed taking into account an iterative approach, which is performed in the following sequence: durability, reliability, maintainability, ..., function with two conditions, function with one condition, function without conditions. By the level of the image (Figure 8e), the simulation process can be carried out at the following levels: graph, chart, structure, model, and list of RV maintenance and repair works, RV design.

Steps of simulation

а)

Stages of simulation

b)

Level of complexity of the vehicles technical system

c)

Vehicle reliability level

d)

System image level

e)

 

Fig. 8. Features of the vehicle maintenance technology simulation:
a) by model step; b) by model stage; c) by system complexity level;
d) by technical condition (reliability level); e) by technical system image level

 

 

4. CONCLUSIONS

 

The possibility of using the fuel consumption indicator as a criterion for assessing the technical condition of vehicles was investigated using the example of the Volkswagen Touran 1.9 TDI during operation (Route Novomykolaivka village – city of Dnipro (Shevchenkovskyy district)). A clear dependence of fuel consumption on the service life of the vehicle was established, which means it depends on its frequency and the quality of maintenance. The technology of maintenance and repair of the vehicles and obtaining a given technical solution was generalised.

The process of creating a model of the RV maintenance and repair technologies is implemented based on an iterative approach (repetition) with the ability to clarify the features of changes in the technical condition, operating conditions, the quality of preventive work, etc.

 

 

Acknowledgements

 

We wish to express our gratitude to Professor Volodymyr Sakhno (National Transport University, Kyiv, Ukraine) and the referees for their constructive and valuable suggestions.

 

 

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Received 02.10.2021; accepted in revised form 17.11.2021

 

 

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Scientific Journal of Silesian University of Technology. Series Transport is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License



[1] Department of Vehicle Operation and Maintenance, Prydniprovs’ka State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture, 24A Chernyshevsky Street, Dnipro, 49600, Ukraine. Email: sakno-olga@ukr.net.
ORCID: 0000-0003-4672-6651

[2] Department of Logistics Management and Traffic Safety in Transport, Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University, 59-a Ave. Central, Sievierodonetsk, 93406, Ukraine. Email: medvedev.ep@gmail.com. ORCID: 0000-0001-8566-9624

[3] Department of Vehicle Operation and Maintenance, Prydniprovs’ka State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture, 24A Chernyshevsky Street, Dnipro, 49600, Ukraine. Email: tnk1403@ukr.net.
ORCID: 0000-0002-8568-4688