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EMPIR project launched for metrologically validated fuel consumption measurements

24.09.2021

The aim of the EMPIR project 20IND13 "Sustainable advanced flow meter calibration for the transport sector" (SAFEST) is to further develop flow measurements for the transport sector in order to enable reliable, metrologically secured measurements of fuel consumption in road and maritime transport.

Transport accounts for almost a quarter of Europe's greenhouse gas emissions and is one of the main consumers of non-renewable fuels. At the same time, European economies depend crucially on a functioning and affordable transport system. The balancing act to be solved can be illustrated by the fact that European greenhouse gas emissions must be more than halved by 2050 compared to 1990, while transport volumes are expected to double over the same period. In contrast to the successful electrification of freight and passenger transport in urban areas, sub-sectors such as long-distance land and water transport are considered difficult to adapt to. Moreover, for economic and technical reasons, a complete conversion of technologies or replacement of vehicles or vessels is not feasible in a short- to medium-term timeframe. Therefore, timely and broadly applicable solutions are needed, in which more efficient and smaller engines as well as greater and more extensive use of climate-neutral energy sources are essential building blocks. Alternative and synthetic fuels that can be used in new vehicles and new ships as well as in existing vehicles or ships with combustion engines are seen as a promising approach. However, reliable fuel consumption measurements and thus flow measurements form a key element in all cases.

In the project, metrological infrastructure and procedures will be developed that will allow the characterisation of flow meters, which are used for fuel consumption measurements, closer to the operating conditions and the media used. In addition, the transport properties of innovative alternative and synthetic fuels will be determined and improved possibilities for in-situ measurement of density and viscosity of fuels will be advanced.

The project consortium comprises ten partners, including five national metrology institutes (PTB, INRIM, RISE, VTT and TUBITAK), four universities (Imperial College, TU Chemnitz as well as the universities of Cassino and Perugia) and the engineering office Hagemann. The project is coordinated by PTB.

Project duraction: September 2021 – August 2024

Projekt webseite: Opens external link in new windowLink

 

      

 

Contact:

Corinna Kroner, FB 1.5, email: Opens local program for sending emailcorinna.kroner(at)ptb.de