Vehicle Ancillary Load Reduction Project Close-Out Report: An Overview of the Task and a Compilation of the Research Results

Research output: NRELTechnical Report

Abstract

The amount of fuel used for climate control in U.S. vehicles reduces the fuel economy of more than 200 million light-duty conventional vehicles and thus affects U.S. energy security. Researchers at the DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimated that the United States consumes about 7 billion gallons of fuel per year for air-conditioning (A/C) light-duty vehicles. Using a variety of tools,NREL researchers developed innovative techniques and technologies to reduce the amount of fuel needed for these vehicles' ancillary loads. For example, they found that the A/C cooling capacity of 5.7 kW in a Cadillac STS could be reduced by 30% while maintaining a cooldown performance of 30 minutes. A simulation showed that reducing the A/C load by 30% decreased A/C fuel consumption by 26%.Other simulations supported the great potential for improving fuel economy by using new technologies and techniques developed to reduce ancillary loads.
Original languageAmerican English
Number of pages85
DOIs
StatePublished - 2008

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/TP-540-42454

Keywords

  • air conditioning
  • climate control
  • energy-efficient vehicles
  • fuel economy
  • vehicle fuel savings

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