A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fuldlment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering Johannesburg, 1991 / With increasing competition in the commercial vehicle industry, future vehicle designs need to be able to carry greater payloads within the bounds of existing legislation. Increasing the payload efficiency of transport vehicles involves two main areas: a. Optomizing the size and mass distribution of the vehicle for the purpose intended. b. Keeping the tare mass as low as possible through efficient design and the use of lighter and stronger materials. [Abbreviated Abstract. Open document to view full version] / MT2017

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 1998. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 59 p. : ill. (some col.) Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 57-58).

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2000. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xxv, 246 p. : ill. (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 162-168).

Thesis (MScIng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

The main objective of idle reduction devices is to reduce the amount of energy wasted by idling trucks, decrease exhaust emissions and save in fuel use and maintenance costs and vehicle life extension. To achieve reductions emissions from vehicle idling in heavy-duty trucks, strategies and actions have been employed through the use of various technologies, namely auxiliary power units (APUs), direct-fire heaters (DFHs), truck stop electrification (TSE) and advanced truck stop electrification (ATSE). Little quantitative data exists on the amount of emissions that are emitted by heavy-duty trucks during idling. In general, diesel engines emit less CO and hydrocarbons (HC) when compared to gasoline engines since fuel-lean mixtures tend to reduce CO and HC emissions. The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic review that illustrates the status of data present in literature for costs and emissions reduced for APUs, DFHs, TSEs and ATSEs. From the review process, a cost calculator was devised from the synthesis of literature data to measure cost-effectiveness of these technologies in dollars per year per ton per year of emissions reduced over a 30 year investment period. Data on capital costs, maintenance and operational costs, and fuel costs were reported in order to calculate net present values, payback periods and fuel savings from each technology. Given the relevant data available from various studies that compute the efficiency of competing technologies, TSEs were the most cost-effective for the investor and the truck owner in regards to NOx emissions reduction. Cost-effectiveness measured for investors at $1,707.57 and $1,473.27 per ton of NOx reduced, and $16,799.91, $22,261.44, and $20,583.79 per ton of NOx reduced for truck owners. The calculator also served as a tool to illustrate insufficient data currently present in the body of literature. Limited quantitative data and unknown variability of costs as a function of time over the 30-year investment period was used to assess best practices. Thus, policymakers and other stakeholders can benefit from this review in order to conduct future studies that would enlighten greater understanding of data points from specifications of the operating context and devise more robust models for the sake of comparing these technologies based on impact and risk

The energy consumption throughout the world has increased substantially over the past few years and the trend is projected to continue indefinitely. The primary sources of energy are conventional fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal. The most apparent negative impacts of these conventional fuels are global warming, poor air-quality, and adverse health effects. Considering these negative impacts, it is necessary to develop and use non-conventional sources of energy. Landfill gas (LFG) generated at landfills can serve as a source of cleaner energy. LFG has substantial energy generation potential and, if cleaned of certain impurities, can be used for several applications such as electricity generation and conversion to high Btu gas. This thesis considers another application of LFG, which consists of using it as a vehicular fuel for refuse trucks. Currently, limited research has been performed on the development of such a methodology to evaluate the application of LFG as a vehicular fuel for refuse truck operations. The purpose of this thesis is to develop a methodology that can be used to evaluate the use of LFG generated at landfills as a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) fuel source for refuse trucks in Texas. The methodology simulates the gas generation process at a landfill by using standard models developed by the Environmental Protection Agency. The operations of a refuse truck fleet are replicated by using generic drive cycles developed as part of this research. The economic feasibility is evaluated by estimating the costs required for cleaning the LFG and converting the truck fleet from diesel to LNG as well as quantifying the benefits obtained due to change in fuel consumption and emission generation by the refuse trucks. The methodology was applied to a potential landfill in Texas. The results show that the methodology offers an innovative tool that allows the stakeholders to evaluate the economic feasibility of using LFG for refuse truck operations. The methodology also provides a flexible framework wherein each component can be changed or tailored to meet the specific needs of the stakeholders.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2004. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 111 p. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 109-111).