Energy management of a fuel cell hybrid ultra-energy efficient vehicle

This paper focuses on energy management in an ultra-energy efficient vehicle powered by a hydrogen fuel cell with rated power of 1 kW. The vehicle is especially developed for the student competition Shell Eco-marathon in the Urban Concept category. In order to minimize the driving energy consumption a simulation model of the vehicle and the electric propulsion is developed. The model is based on vehicle dynamics and real motor efficiency as constant DC/DC, motor controllers and transmission efficiency were considered. Based on that model five propulsion schemes and driving strategies were evaluated. The fuel cell output parameters were experimentally determined. Then, the driving energy demand and hydrogen consumption was estimated for each of the propulsion schemes. Finally, an experimental study on fuel cell output power and hydrogen consumption was conducted for two propulsion schemes in case of hybrid and non-hybrid power source. In the hybrid propulsion scheme, supercapacitors were used as energy storage as they were charged from the fuel cell with constant current of 10 A.     

Controlled Membrane Transport in Polymeric Biomimetic Nanoreactors

Polymersome-based biomimetic nanoreactors (PBNs) have generated great interest in nanomedicine and cell mimicry due to their robustness, tuneable chemistry, and broad applicability in biologically relevant fields. In this concept review, we mainly discuss the state of the art in functional polymersomes as biomimetic nanoreactors with membrane-controlled transport. PBNs that use environmental changes or external stimuli to adjust membrane permeability while maintaining structural integrity are highlighted. By encapsulating catalytic species, PBNs are able to convert inactive substrates into functional products in a controlled manner. In addition, special attention is paid to the use of PBNs as tailored artificial organelles with biomedical applications in vitro and in vivo, facilitating the fabrication of next-generation artificial organelles as therapeutic nanocompartments.