Abstract

GRIJALVA, Edwin; ACOSTA, Jorge  and  MANCHENO, Edison. Influence of air density on fuel consumption in light-duty vehicles. Novasinergia [online]. 2021, vol.4, n.2, pp.140-151.  Epub Dec 01, 2021. ISSN 2631-2654.  https://doi.org/10.37135/ns.01.08.09.

Abstract: Energy efficiency in light-duty vehicles is an important factor for both automotive companies and end consumers. However, different vehicle brands calculate fuel consumption using automotive industry standards without considering external factors, such as air density. Therefore, the value provided by the manufacturer is a reference value that may differ from the actual value. This study aims to analyze the effect of air density on the fuel consumption of a general-purpose vehicle in Ecuador. To achieve our objective, we performed a Model-in-the-Loop (MIL) simulation. For this study, external factors characteristic of different geographical locations in Ecuador were considered. As a result, it was determined that in the cities evaluated in the coastal region, vehicle fuel consumption was approximately 7.214 L/100 km. In comparison, in the highlands, it was 6.842 L/100 km. Thus, the effect of aerodynamic drag (air density) reduces fuel consumption in the Sierra region by approximately 5%.

Keywords : drag; air density; fuel consumption; lightweight vehicle; model-in-the-loop.

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