Non Technical Summary
America is losing her farmers and ranchers. Every hour that passes America will have lost two more farms and another 80 acres of farmland. If not reversed this rate of loss is projected to continue, leaving the U.S. with fewer than two million farms for the first time since the pioneers moved west after the Louisiana Purchase. Plummeting commodity prices, rising production costs, declines in farmland values, extreme weather patterns, competing demands for limited water, rising foreign competition and a strengthening dollar that increases U.S. export prices are only a few of the threats contributing to an escalation of farmers seeking bankruptcy. Year-end 2016 banking data reports producers with troubled loans rose by 20% from 2015, with little evidence of a promising change for the foreseeable future.According to the USDA Economic Research Service, though net farm income increased in 2017 and 2018 with expectations of a 4.8% increase in 2019, it's on the heels of the largest drop since the Great Depression. In terms of expenses, production expenditures increased to $390 billion in 2014. While 2017 witnessed some expense leveling, it was insufficient to offset the income crash, and 2019 expenses are forecast to riseanother 7.3%, amidst a decline in crop receipts. Production expenses or, more accurately, the need for reduction of production expenses presents EnergyID with an opportunityto make a positive impact on farmers and their net income withits innovative fuel-savings technology.EnergyID will test the feasibility of its innovative thermodynamic technology that exploits cooling processes to dramatically reduce an engine's intake air temperature. Accessing a vehicle's stock air conditioning (A/C) system, the technology scavenges unused cold to cool the engine's intake air, decreases cooling steps, potentially reduces load on a vehicle's stock compressor, increases fuel efficiency, improves engine performance (greater horsepower) and reduces emissions. By significantly cooling an engine's intake to below ambient temperatures, the technology helps the engine burn fuel more efficiently resulting in improved fuel economy and reduced toxic emissions. EnergyID's technology is avery specialized five-stage heat exchanger that provides an engine with what is essentially a unique climate control system that will cool and maintain the intake air temperature. The thermodynamic objective is to assist an engine's receipt of a constant intake of air at an optimum operating temperature range. A closed-loop, self-contained, auxiliary add-on automotive accessory, it has no moving parts presenting significantly reduced maintenance issues. The technology can be integrated as a retrofit or as an OEM process into any internal combustion engine, fueled by carbon-based fuels (gasoline, diesel, natural gas).2016 farm production expenditures included a total estimated fuel expense of $11.3 billion.EnergyID's technology has the potential to achieve notable improvement in these fuel-related production expenses. If its proof-of-conceptevaluation approaches the preliminary alpha road test results it should be capable of an expected minimum fuel efficiency improvement of 10-15%. Based on 2016 expenditure numbers, this could equate to a $226 million reduction in producers' fuel expenses.EnergyID surveyed 147 farmers who voiced unanimous support for any technology that assists producers with their fuel bill. Additionally, farmers, commercial applicators, distributors and salesmen all expressed their need for EnergyID's technology as well as their overwhelming interest in purchasing the technology when it is commercially available.EnergyID's primary objective is evaluating the technology's feasibility to achieve measurable fuel efficiency, reduce fuel consumption, and lower farmers' fuel-related expenses; however, if the technology is viable, its measurable fuel efficiency offers the correlational benefit of reducing toxic emissions. The EPA has regulated diesel emissions on farms since 1996, and in January 2011, required all off-road diesel engines 174 horsepower (hp) and higher to comply with the Tier 4i (interim) emissions regulations. These rules affect high-hp ag tractors, combines, sprayers and other self-propelled vehicles used in farming and ranching. Emissions reductions mandates require a 90% reduction in particulate matter (PM) (soot) and a 50% reduction in nitrogen oxides or NOx (forms smog).Manufacturers are employing one of two engine technologies, known as emissions control technologies (ECTs), to achieve Tier 4i requirements. Both involve engine after treatments. John Deere, for example, uses cooled Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) to reduce NOx inside the combustion chamber along with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). DPF replaces the muffler to capture particulates, which then burn off through a regeneration process. According to farmers, this process negatively affects vehicle operations, including substantially reducing an engine's performance, and causes unexpected and inconvenient vehicle shutdowns. Shutdowns threaten production and frequently require costly visits from licensed mechanics to re-engage the system.Other manufacturers, including AGCO, Case IH and New Holland, are employing Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) to achieve the required emissions reductions. This method treats exhaust gases post combustion or after they leave the engine with diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), a blend of urea and water. This process is not without its issues. DEF is an additional cost and requires a separate holding tank installed in the engine compartment. Fluid levels must be maintained, and if levels drop, the vehicles' engines may stop until the tank can be refilled. Both ECTs are presenting challenging and costly issues for farmers who are deeply dissatisfied with the effects on their equipment, the interruption to their productivity, and the additional operational expenses. Current ECTs create increased maintenance issues, increased downtime, increased repair costs, increased time required to complete jobs, increased labor costs associated with downtime, and reduced hp/performance. While EnergyID does not anticipate its technology is an alternative to ECTs, the technology may prove to be a beneficial supplement. If it notably reduces fuel consumption with associated reduction in emissions, EnergyID's technology may assist with some of the ECTs issues. Performance presents the most likely issue where the technology may be of benefit.The technology's ability to cool intake and improve efficiency suggests it will also help increase performance. If it is capable of boosting hp and torque, the technology could conceivably assist farmers in offsetting negative performance issues currently experienced with ECTs. Agricultural tillage involves soil cutting, turning, and pulverization requiring high energy - not just due to the large amount of soil mass that must be moved, but also due to inefficient methods of energy transfer to the soil. Pulling tillage tools/implements through soil is the most widely used method. Tillage is only one example of the need for optimum tractor performance. The inability to produce the required power to provide the draft to pull a variety of implements detrimentally affects a tractor's effectiveness. A tractor's value is measured by the amount of work completed relative to the cost incurred in accomplishing the work. Drawbar power is defined by pull (or draft) and travel speed. The ideal tractor converts all of the energy from fuel into useful work at the drawbar. The technology may be able to promote greater energy conversion from fuel into useful work. By reducing fuel consumption and improving performance, EnergyID hopes to assist America's farmers and ranchers and contribute to the conservation of our nation's farmland.

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
402	5310	2020	100%

Knowledge Area
402 - Engineering Systems and Equipment;

Subject Of Investigation
5310 - Machinery and equipment;

Field Of Science
2020 - Engineering;

Goals / Objectives
The project goals of Energy Innovation Development, LLC (EnergyID) are to complete a feasibility study of an intake air cooling technology for off-road agricultural vehicles and tosubstantiate the technology's ability to producea minimal vehicle fuel savings of 10-15%, while simultaneously reducing vehicles' toxic emissions and improving vehicles' performance (hp and torque). The specific project objectives include: (1) creating a conceptual design for proof-of-concept prototype unit; (2) construct a physical assembly of proof-of-concept unit for evaluation and testing; (3) conduct chassis dynamometer test bench evaluation of proof-of-concept prototype; (4) monitor and measure test tractor's intake air temperature within controlled laboratory conditions; (5) establish fuel consumption and fuel efficiency data of test tractor for range of ambient air conditions within controlled laboratory conditions; (6) conduct on-the-farm/in-the-field testing evaluations of proof of concept prototype; (7) monitor and measure test tractor's intake air temperature during on-the-farm/in-the-field testing; and (8) establish fuel consumption and fuel efficiency data of test tractor for range of ambient air conditions during on-the-farm/in-the-field testing.

Project Methods
Design Proof-of-Concept Prototype EnergyID will design a proof-of-concept beta prototype using specifications from its early stage alpha mock-up and information learned during early attempts to collect preliminary field data.Build Proof-of-Concept Prototype EnergyID will engage the manufacturing capabilities of a premier custom heat exchanger manufacturer to construct the proof-of-concept beta prototype unit. Its automotive engineering team will work with EnergyID to identify performance targets and system inputs (e.g., applications) along with package requirements. The teams will then conduct a fundamental heat transfer analysis to rate the prototype and identify the basic envelope. Working closely with EnergyID's lead engineer, the manufacturer's project team will complete any necessary design changes and build the prototype unit. In collaboration with EnergyID's team, the manufacturer's team will oversee installation of the prototype on the test tractor. Following completion of the dynamometer laboratory test bench, the project teams will review data from lab tests, compare data with pre-test predictions and complete initial iteration. Subsequent to the on-the-farm field tests, the project teams will, again, review resulting data, compare with pre-test predictions and complete second iteration.Develop Road-load Model of Test Tractor EnergyID working with the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS) at Mississippi State University will develop a rolling resistance, aerodynamic drag and inertial road-load power model of the Case Magnum 240 test tractor. This is done through coastdown testing and calculating road-load coefficients to determine the dynamometer's proper horsepower absorption setting, allowing the vehicle to coast to a stop on a level, smooth road surface, mapping as a function of speed the tractor's rate of deceleration. The EPA adopted the coastdown method to characterize road-load force, in part, because it is difficult to measure road-load directly. During a coastdown test the vehicle is allowed to decelerate with the transmission in neutral while its speed is periodically measured. Using Newton's Law (F=MA), force, mass and deceleration can all be related. This data informs the road-load model, which determines the appropriate resistance to be applied on the vehicle driveline by the chassis dynamometer, the testing instrumentality that will mimic conditions of actual operations as it simulates aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance.Evaluate Test Tractor on Dynamometer Once the road-load model is determined CAVS will mount the test tractor to a four-wheel chassis dynamometer in its vehicle lab, where it will undergo evaluation in outdoor ambient weather conditions. CAVS will drive the test tractor over representative farm-type driving cycles to evaluate both fuel consumption and fuel efficiency. CAVS will conduct at least three tests without the prototype to establish baseline segments and a minimum of three tests with the prototype installed. Fuel consumption will be tested, but consumption is not a measure of efficiency. The most common measure of energy efficiency is the specific volumetric fuel consumption (SVFC), given in units of gal/hp•hr. SVFC is generally not affected by engine size and can be used to compare energy efficiencies of tractors having different engine sizes under different operating conditions. Diesel engines' SVFC typically range from 0.0476 to 0.111 gal/hp•hr. For ease of computation, the reciprocal of SVFC is often used and is called specific volumetric fuel efficiency (SVFE) with units of hp•hr/gal and corres-ponding ranges from 12 to 21 hp•hr/gal. EnergyID will treat specific fuel consumption as a measure of power for a given amount of fuel and will measure in hp•hr/gal of fuel, as expressed by SVFE - the higher the resulting numbers, the more work is being performed with a given amount of fuel. Fuel consumption can be measured in several ways. One method is using the carbon balance method, in which fuel consumption can be calculated on the basis of a mass balance of carbon-bearing emission gases (CO2, CO, CH4, other hydrocarbons) as described in SAE test methods. Using this methodology, vehicle emissions are collected and analyzed using laboratory gas analyzer equipment. Test equipment measures and records the concentration of carbon-based compounds emitted in the exhaust and the exhaust flow. The concentrations and densities of the carbon-based compounds and exhaust flow values are used to calculate mass of fuel consumed. The volume of fuel consumed is determined by the mass and density of fuel consumed. EnergyID will apply a second method to measure the fuel economy for each test by using the vehicle's on-board fuel economy estimating system, which is typically provided by the ECU using a rolling injector count. For redundancy, EnergyID will employ a third method by metering or measuring fuel added to the vehicle. If these methods prove ineffective for any reason, the fuel tank may be dropped from the vehicle and weighed to determine the fuel mass used in each test. The focus is to determine at a confidence level of 95% the statistical significance of changes in the test tractor's fuel consumption with prototype installed. Nominal values for changes in fuel consumption are determined from analysis of the measured fuel data and reflect fuel consumption reduction resulting from the modification being tested. The proposed performance criterion is the achievement of fuel savings of 3% (minimum nominal value) over the baseline. The result is expressed as a nominal value (+/-) the confidence interval. If the confidence interval value for a test is greater than or equal to the nominal test value, as determined by the statistical analysis results, we will conduct additional tests to reduce the confidence interval value to less than nominal test value. If additional tests do not show statistically conclusive results, the conclusion must be the test does not show statistically valid change in fuel consumption (the change is less than the test precision or the change in fuel consumption is influenced by variations in test conditions). CAVS will provide the results in raw data format and as a PowerPoint presentation summarizing the findings. (Dynamometer testing procedures will comply with all applicable federal regulations.)Conduct On-Farm Field Test of Test Tractor CAVS will fit the test tractor with a variety of sensors, including fuel level sensing, instrumented with an Influx Rebel LT data logger. This data acquisition setup will allow continuous monitoring of vehicle performance as well as related external variables. Data will be collected either through cellular 4G communication to a cloud server or manual retrieval of SD cards. Final site selection for the field tests depends on project start date and ongoing farming operations at start date. Phase I focus is to determine the prototype's feasibility to improve fuel consumption and fuel efficiency. This will be accomplished by filling the test tractor's tank to full capacity before and after each operation of the equipment. The method of consumption will be one of the measures described in the test bench description above and the same method selected for the lab bench will be utilized for the field test. Similarly, the same methods adopted for evaluating fuel efficiency during test bench will be applied to field test. EnergyID will control as many variables as is possible in the field and ensure fuel of the same type and from the same source is used in both the test bench and field test.