Electric bus indoor heat balance in cold weather

Abstract

The use of electric buses is increasing all over the world; this is due to the aim of limiting pollution in heavily urbanized areas. Using electric buses is one element of the desire to drop local pollution to zero emissions. The necessary electricity can be generated through centralized production, and in the case of electric buses, the pollution level is directly proportional to the amount of electricity produced. Their limited onboard power needs optimization, both in terms of traction and in auxiliary energy consumption. Heating in electric buses consumes the most energy from the auxiliaries, which can reduce the range of the vehicle up to a half, or more in the coldest days of the winter months. In this context, a precise estimation of heat loss and of the energy necessary for heating electric buses is crucial. Using the heat transfer theory, the heat balance method, and the U-value estimation, this article estimates the heat loss for a typical 12 m electric bus for a harsh winter day. Thermal simulations were made in order to estimate the heat flux through the structure of the bus (windows, walls, roof, and floor). Heat loss components were calculated in order to determine the most affected zones of the bus. The calculated data for the energy necessary to heat the bus were compared with the heating system data from an electric bus. By optimizing the necessary auxiliary energy consumption, the emissions at the source of electricity production will be significantly reduced. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.