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I can imagine now the eco threads of HoP if these were really into production
.. makes me think that for some reason certain failures like this one made our world slightly better than it could have been 50/60 years ago, if the markets were full of cars like these...
ozone layer?... they have taught us about that in History lessons
should try and mount one of those engines in my Vespa
God those Chryslers were ugly!!
MikeGinnyGOLD Member HOP Mad Doctor 13,925 posts Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Posted: Actually, gas turbine engines can be very efficient. They power commercial aircraft and produce much more thrust per weight with much better fuel efficiency than a similarly-powered piston engine.
A few problems: Gas turbine engines are most efficient at high power, as in a flight. They are not efficient with frequent changes in power and they change power much more slowly than an internal combustion engine. So they are ideal for marine and aviation applications, but for automotive applications, they just aren't very good.
I doubt it would have been the ecologic disaster you think, though. There's a reason they never caught on, and it's nothing to do with ecology.
-Mike
Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella
Posted: back 'then' small turbines were far from efficient. even when spooled up to optimum speed. it would have been a awful lot of pollution untill they developed the turbines untill they were even efficient under ideal circumstances.
I think someday soon you might see a remergence of turbines. A turbine/electric hybrid car has potential for being extreamly efficient with todays modern micro turbines.
polaritySILVER Member veteran 1,228 posts Location: on the wrong planet, United Kingdom
Posted: They're really waiting for the development of good continuously variable transmissions. A piston engine can change it's speed pretty quickly, just by letting off the gas, so a gearbox with 5 ratios is fine. The engine can use the first ratio until it is running at it's maximum speed, then drop in speed enough to switch to the next ratio.
With a continuously variable transmission the engine runs at one speed (the one that gives the best power/fuel economy) and the gear ratio of the transmission is changed to give different speeds.
This kind of transmission would make all kinds of combustion engines more efficient, as when you change gear in a car the engine rpms change from the most fuel efficient to a lower speed (you can see the smoke come out the exhaust when it happens).
Gas turbines are already used in tanks and trains, where fuel efficiency is a concern. The difference there is that they are much larger than in cars. Making all the parts smaller and keeping efficiency is a problem.
One of the biggest benefits of this kind of engine is the range of fuels it can burn. Pretty much any flammable liquid or gas. They may be run on petrol or diesel now, but could very easily be switched to hydrogen or alcohol.
You aren't thinking or really existing unless you're willing to risk even your own sanity in the judgment of your existence.
Green peppers, lime pickle and whole-grain mustard = best sandwich filling.
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