How to build super-efficient Dodge cars....
RichardEParson
01-30-2006, 10:46 PM
Visit this site... http://ghlin2.greenhills.net/~apatter/steamfaq.html (http://ghlin2.greenhills.net/~apatter/steamfaq.html)
I sent this to FORD,GM and DODGE, so they have been told. This proves they want our fuel consumption to stay they way it is!
How do you build such a car? The fact of the matter is that internal combustion cars are only about 25% thermally efficient. 75% of the heat energy goes into the radiator. That is a terrible waste. How would a car company use this energy more efficiently?
1)External combustion
a)Using a modern flash boiler system means that a larger boiler carrying many gallons of water is not needed.
I. Modern mono-tube boilers need only about 3-5 gallons of water. Only a small percentage of this is actaul steam. They are less likely to explode as they use less volatile fuels. Modern steam generators for automotive use are constructed in such a way that in case of a rupture they have vary little water at the saturation point, preventing an explosion.
II.The boiler could pick up as much as 1200 degrees of heat coming off the exhaust manifold. That would be more than 800 lbs of pressure. Very useful
III. The boiler could be wrapped by the exhaust header(s) soaking up the heat and help catalytic converter light-off by being heated up by use of a electric element.
IV. If a steam engine is used in combination with a diesal the transmission could be deleted or switched to a centrifugal clutch allowing direct drive. Direct drive and lock up clutching allow for better fuel economy and less weight which helps economy also.
The engine without a transmission could sit low and back for excellent handling. If combined further with an electric motor the gasoline engine could be throttled back to the point that it merely generates heat and the air/fuel ratio is leaned out quite a bit further improving economy. Another idea is to include a small transmission. And have each component able to couple/decouple. That would allow a electric motor to drive the car until the batteries where depleted
I sent this to FORD,GM and DODGE, so they have been told. This proves they want our fuel consumption to stay they way it is!
How do you build such a car? The fact of the matter is that internal combustion cars are only about 25% thermally efficient. 75% of the heat energy goes into the radiator. That is a terrible waste. How would a car company use this energy more efficiently?
1)External combustion
a)Using a modern flash boiler system means that a larger boiler carrying many gallons of water is not needed.
I. Modern mono-tube boilers need only about 3-5 gallons of water. Only a small percentage of this is actaul steam. They are less likely to explode as they use less volatile fuels. Modern steam generators for automotive use are constructed in such a way that in case of a rupture they have vary little water at the saturation point, preventing an explosion.
II.The boiler could pick up as much as 1200 degrees of heat coming off the exhaust manifold. That would be more than 800 lbs of pressure. Very useful
III. The boiler could be wrapped by the exhaust header(s) soaking up the heat and help catalytic converter light-off by being heated up by use of a electric element.
IV. If a steam engine is used in combination with a diesal the transmission could be deleted or switched to a centrifugal clutch allowing direct drive. Direct drive and lock up clutching allow for better fuel economy and less weight which helps economy also.
The engine without a transmission could sit low and back for excellent handling. If combined further with an electric motor the gasoline engine could be throttled back to the point that it merely generates heat and the air/fuel ratio is leaned out quite a bit further improving economy. Another idea is to include a small transmission. And have each component able to couple/decouple. That would allow a electric motor to drive the car until the batteries where depleted
neon_rt
01-31-2006, 10:27 AM
This is an old idea, AMC tried it in the '70's. The problem that they had was that it took 20 sec from the time you "started" the engine until you could drive (at 75*F).
If it was cold it could takes 2-3 minutes for the system to be driveable. B/C of the water (steam) system, freezing was a problem. Until the technology becomes good enough to alllow instant start and is not vulnerable to freezing conditions, I would say that there is no mass market for this technology, even if gas mileage was doubled. That is not to say that there would not be a small market of individuals that don't mind the differences and be willing to cope with it's drawbacks. I might even be inclined to use such technology in 3 seasons. I think that if such technology makes it to market, it will be in conversion packages rather than OE.
If it was cold it could takes 2-3 minutes for the system to be driveable. B/C of the water (steam) system, freezing was a problem. Until the technology becomes good enough to alllow instant start and is not vulnerable to freezing conditions, I would say that there is no mass market for this technology, even if gas mileage was doubled. That is not to say that there would not be a small market of individuals that don't mind the differences and be willing to cope with it's drawbacks. I might even be inclined to use such technology in 3 seasons. I think that if such technology makes it to market, it will be in conversion packages rather than OE.
RichardEParson
02-01-2006, 03:07 PM
Thanks for the input..but technology has allowed this to become a plausible reality. Even in cold weather there is no freezing since water will not be used. Average times for start-up are less than 10 seconds. I know this forever for the impatient American consumer, but would you wait 10 seconds for 120 mpg? I would.
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