New Methodologies for assessing the behaviour of vehicles under Real Driving Emissions testing regimes.

The Powertrain and Vehicle Engineering Research Centre and HORIBA MIRA have an exciting PhD opportunity to join their multidisciplinary team. You will be joining a team of around 50 people undertaking research on many aspects of engine and powertrain design.

Real Driving Emissions (RDE) legislation comes into force for new Light Duty vehicle type approval from September 2017. The requirements of this regulation brings into force a new certification process and definitions of moderate and extreme boundary conditions, together with new Portable Emission Measurement Systems (PEMS). In-use-conformity and Surveillance testing requirements will also be introduced for the first time in European legislation. There is therefore a fundamental need to understand and derive new engineering methodologies covering the behaviours of vehicles under the testing regimes for RDE.

The candidate will need to take a scientific approach to solving these problems. Without being too constrained, the project could start by assessing the feasibility of the following tasks and appropriateness of the methodologies:
• Expressing in a mathematical and structured way the broadness and seemingly randomness of on-road driving. Statistical definitions and frequency analysis could be used here.
• Defining practical methods for characterising the performance of non-linear, time varying dynamic vehicle systems over the broadness of these operating points. System identification theory and the use of Dynamic Design of Experiments could be an interesting approach.

The measurements taken for these conditions will be used to develop a range of analytical tools for fundamental derivation of system performance. These tools would be focused towards the necessary analysis to allow definition of vehicle system components, required to meet the requirements of the RDE regulation.

This is likely to include the following elements:
• Exhaust gas composition over a simulated RDE test procedure
• After-treatment behaviour modelling covering catalysts, NOx storage, particle filtration and regeneration strategies
• Mathematical modelling of influences between the extremes of the boundary conditions

The PhD will be sponsored by HORIBA MIRA based in the UK midlands and the successful applicant will be required to spend some periods at their site. The PhD position will start in October 2017.

Interested applicants should Apply via the University’s online application by 1st November 2016 system and contact Richard Burke ([Email Address Removed]) or Ed Chappell ([Email Address Removed]) for further information.