• Energy Research

The lightweight of axle hub has been recognized as a typical representative of reducing the quality of vehicles for energy saving and emission reduction. Therefore, a modeling analysis and lightweight design based on ANSYS for axle hub is proposed. Firstly, design dimensions and structural parameters of axle hub are modeled. The hub model is imported into workbench software to simulate the static analysis. The stress and deformation of the axle hub are obtained by mesh element division, boundary condition constraints and loading conditions, and the modal and fatigue strength of the hub are simulated to obtain the modal natural frequency and life data. Then, from the point of view of reducing the quality and safety of the hub, the structure of the hub is changed, the model is compared again, and the lightweight design scheme can be obtained. The results show that the weight of a hub decreases by 5.537% after lightening. This method can improve the structure, save materials, reduce production costs, and shorten the design cycle. This lightweight design method has important reference and practical significance for the lightweight design of axle wheels and similar products.

The automobile industry, as a representative in pursuing the goals of “emission peak” and “carbon neutrality”, has made low carbon a new industrial practice. With regard to low carbon, the lightweight design proves to be an effective approach to reducing carbon emissions from automobiles. Given the state of research, in which the existing lightweight design schemes of automobiles seldom consider the impact of the lightweight quality on carbon emissions during the whole life cycle of the automobiles, this paper proposes a more comprehensive lightweight design method for automobiles in regard to carbon emissions. First, the finite element method was adopted to analyze the stress, strain and safety factors of the automobile parts based on their stress, so as to identify the positions where the lightweight design was applicable. Subsequently, a lightweight scheme was designed accordingly. Next, the finite element method was re-applied to the parts whose weights had been reduced. In this way, the feasibility of the lightweight scheme was verified. In addition, a method of calculating the carbon emissions produced by changes in the mass, manufacturing processes, application and recycling of automobile parts after the application of the lightweight design was also presented. The method can be used for evaluating the low carbon benefits of the lightweight design scheme. To prove the feasibility of the method, the ZS061750-152101 wheel hub designed and manufactured by Anhui Axle Co., Ltd. was taken as an example for the case analysis. The lightweight design changes three structures of the wheel hub, reducing its weight by 1.4 kg in total. For a single wheel hub, the carbon emissions are reduced by 51.22 kg altogether. That is to say, if the lightweight scheme were to be applied to all the wheels produced by Anhui Axle Co., Ltd. (about 500,000 per year), the carbon emissions from the wheel production, application and recycling could be cut by 2.56 × 107 kg, marking a favorable emission reduction effect. The proposed method can not only provide insight into the lightweight design of automobiles and other equipment against the background of low carbon but also provide a channel for calculating the carbon emission changes in the whole process after the application of the lightweight design.

The lightweight design is considered to be of great significance for carbon reduction. Therefore, a lightweight design of a special axle hub is proposed based on ANSYS considering different working conditions. The structure of a special axle hub is identified. The ANSYS Workbench is used to mesh the hub and import the mechanical and physical parameters. Considering full load, emergency turning and braking, and the treatment of constraints and loads, the stress concentration position is obtained, and the lightweight design is carried out. The free vibration analysis and fatigue life prediction of the hub after lightweight design are verified. After the lightweight design, the optimized hub mass is reduced by 7.52%, and its structural stability and strength meet the demands of various working conditions. The application of a lightweight hub reduces CO2 emissions by 49875 kg during the life cycle of the vehicle. This study provides theoretical and methodological support for lightweight design of mechanical parts for low carbon.

To promote the sustainability of mechanical production process, this study proposes an emergy-based sustainability evaluation method to evaluate the resource utilization and environmental pollution of the mechanical production process. Firstly, this study constructs the sustainability evaluation index system of the mechanical production process from the perspectives of economy and environment. Secondly, an emergy analysis method-based sustainable evaluation of the mechanical production process is constructed. Finally, taking the gear manufacturing process as an example, the method is tested. The results show that this method can effectively quantify and identify the sustainability of the gear manufacturing process and provide effective feedback to improve the process. The resulting improvements can aid in reconsidering the economic and environmental factors, improving the production efficiency and the sustainability of the production process, and reducing the difficulty of operating the lathe in the production process. This study provides method support for the sustainability evaluation of mechanical production process and decision support for its improvement.

A rapid development in regional economy is often accompanied by an increase in energy consumption and the intensification of environmental pollution, which brings great pressure to the social economy and the natural environment. In order to solve the integrated problem of economic, social, and natural factors, we propose an evaluation method for the sustainable development of the regional economy, based on emergy. By analyzing the statistical data of Henan’s economic development from 2010 to 2018, an evaluation index system of regional eco-economic sustainable development was constructed based on four aspects: natural subsystem, economic subsystem, social subsystem, and sustainable development index. The index system was then used to measure and comprehensively evaluate the sustainable development of the ecological economy and the environmental friendliness of Henan Province. The assessment results showed that the emergy self-sufficiency rate decreased, indicating decreased self-sufficiency. Moreover, the environmental load rate was high, indicating high environmental pressure. The emergy currency rate declined with a rise in the emergy investment rate, indicating economic growth. Additionally, the population carrying capacity was consistently > 1, indicating that the population was overloaded. Collectively, the emergy-based evaluation method of regional economic sustainable development in this study provides a comprehensive and scientific evaluation framework, which can help decision makers and researchers better understand and evaluate the problems brought about by the rapid development of regional economy, and provide targeted decision making suggestions. It includes four sub-systems: natural, economic, social, and sustainable, which have important theoretical and practical significances, while also serving as a useful reference for the evaluation of the sustainable economic development of similar regions.

It is an inevitable trend of enterprise development to optimize the low-carbon machining process and reduce the carbon emissions generated by this system. The traditional quality-based manufacturing method is no longer suitable for today’s concept of sustainable development. Therefore, a data-driven method based on uncertainty evaluation for low-carbon control in machining processes is proposed. Firstly, the framework for the data-driven method was established, then the data collection for the input and output in the machining process was carried out. Secondly, by establishing the carbon emission data model and analyzing data with carbon emission uncertainty evaluation indicators during processing, the carbon emission optimization strategy was proposed. Finally, axle processing technology was applied to the experimental verification, exploring the uncertainty of emissions finishing machining steps and other work sequences, while carrying out targeted strategy optimization, which verifies the feasibility and effectiveness of the method. The results show that the uncertainty of each process is reduced after optimization. This study provides theoretical and methodological support for promoting low-carbon emissions for manufacturing enterprises.