Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumEngine Could Boost Fuel Economy by 50%
BY KEVIN BULLIS
Delphi, a major parts supplier to automakers, is developing an engine technology that could improve the fuel economy of gas-powered cars by 50 percent, potentially rivaling the performance of hybrid vehicles while costing less. A test engine based on the technology is similar in some ways to a highly efficient diesel engine, but runs on gasoline.
The company has demonstrated the technology in a single-piston test engine under a wide range of operating conditions. It is beginning tests on a multicylinder engine that will more closely approximate a production engine. Its fuel economy estimates suggest that engines based on the technology could be far more efficient than even diesel engines. Those estimates are based on simulations of how a midsized vehicle would perform with a multicylinder version of the new engine.
The Delphi technology is the latest attempt by researchers to combine the best qualities of diesel and gasoline engines. Diesel engines are 40 to 45 percent efficient in using the energy in fuel to propel a vehicle, compared to roughly 30 percent efficiency for gasoline engines. But diesel engines are dirty and require expensive exhaust-treatment technology to meet emissions regulations.
For decades, researchers have attempted to run diesel-like engines on gasoline to achieve high efficiency with low emissions. Such engines might be cheaper than hybrid technology, since they don't require a large battery and electric motor.
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http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/40422/?p1=MstRcnt
msongs
(67,193 posts)NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Unless that "fuel" is stored energy in batteries or in the form of hydrogen or other carrier that came, originally, from some renewable non-fuel based energy source such as wind or solar.
Gregorian
(23,867 posts)That's the phrase I heard as a child. And nearly 50 years later it still applies.
I spent a lot of time building engines. I even met with Ak Miller, the man who gave GM their turbocharging advice. Once upon a time it was the thing to do. It's over.
Of course, in an emergency anything is invited. But we don't need more lousy efficiency combustion engines.
If it's that big a deal (and I'm not kidding, and I'm not being facetious) ride a bike. People are infuriated by the thought, as if it's out of the question.
So the bottom line is-
Stop designing our lives around the automobile.
Do the battery research so that electric cars are feasible.
Move faster away from fossil fuel.
I just had to get that out. It's not really on topic. Neat engine. A few blasts of gasoline to keep the flame front from moving too quickly.
2on2u
(1,843 posts)They have been putting them in trikes for some time now.
http://www.revetec.com/
http://www.revetec.com/slideshow1.htm
kristopher
(29,798 posts)The bench-top efficiency of a gasoline engine is about 30%, but when put in an automobile where the machine is very seldom operating at it's optimum point of efficiency, the performance falls to about 15% on average.
FBaggins
(26,696 posts)... why say that it makes them comparable to a hybrid?
Is there any reason to believe that this design couldn't also be part of a hybrid solution?
On edit - The last paragraph appears to address this, without adding much clarity.