*This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate(tm) Pro*
I don't know if anyone has been able to create a conventional internal combustion
vehicle gas engine that is close to 30-40% efficient with a conventional
mechanical drive. Efficiency rises with compression ratio given everything else
being equal. That's why diesels are so much more efficient. Gas engines would
also be much more efficient if you could raise the compression ratios to 13 or
14:1, but you'd have to run them on racing type gas and the emissions would be
awful. That's one reason why race engines use high compression ratios. NOx
(Nitrous oxides ) creation is a function of compression ratio. That's one reason
why race engines use high compression ratios. Engines can be tuned for maximum
efficiency at a given rpm, that's why hybrid vehicles run the engine at a fixed
rpm to charge the batteries. Maximum efficiency.
I personally think that hybrid vehicles are the way to go for passenger vehicles
until fuel cell technology catches up. Fuel cells convert fuel directly into
electricity. Most space vehicles use them. Most passenger vehicles only need max
power for short duration's. Highway cruising takes much less power than
accelerating away from a light. Diesel locomotives use engines that run
generators to power traction motors. Advantage - no or few heavy gear boxes. DC
motors, brushless servo motors and AC motors can produce tremendous torques over a
broad rpm range. Couple a few of those with an efficient generating system and
electric storage system and perhaps a Mil vehicle could go 1000 miles on a tank of
diesel. Talk about a tactical advantage!! Refueling logistics become much more
easier to accomplish.
Dave
Ex - GM Mechanical/Electrical engineer
M51 with 4 mpg under load. 6:1 compression ratio, 602 cu in engine. OPEC
approved!
John Hutterer wrote:
> *This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate(tm) Pro*
> Jim,
>
> I didn't have time to read the entire website, but what I saw of it left me
> with the impression that they are working mainly on hybrid vehicles. Their
> power source would be some form of Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) that would be
> used to generate the electricity that would actually drive the tracks or
> wheels.
>
> I'm not an automotive engineer, but I wonder if our current internal
> combustion engine technology is even 50% efficient (like the batteries you
> mentioned). It seems to me that internal combustion engines produce an awful
> lot of waste heat during operation. Maybe one of our list members who is an
> engineer, and qualified to answer this question, would care to comment?
>
> I didn't actually see the word "stealth" mentioned on the website, but a
> vehicle that is significantly quieter because of its power source; moves
> more quietly due to improved tracks; and fires a noiseless main gun that
> uses electricity as its energy source would probably qualify for this
> terminology.
>
> My $.02 worth.
>
> John
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jim/Julia [mailto:w7ls@blarg.net]
> Sent: Monday, April 17, 2000 9:02 PM
> To: mil-veh@uller.skylee.com
> Subject: Re: [MV] Electric Hum-V
>
> *This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate(tm) Pro*
> Well, let's not forget the source of the energy for the 'electric Humvee'.
> If it
> was electricity from a coal fired electric plant that was charging a battery
> (by
> the way, this is WAY less than 100% efficient), then it doesn't reduce any
> polution at all. It merely changes the local where the pollution is spewed.
> If the
> battery charging process is 50% efficient (remember, waste heat is generated
> in
> the charging process), then it takes twice as much pollution bearing energy
> to run
> the car as it does to use fossil fuels directly, in the vehicle.
> However, the big payoff is in being able to hornswaggle people who don't
> know
> anything about science. Forgot to comment, that this argument is general,
> not
> specific. For instance, if the energy were to be stored in a fuel cell
> onboard the
> vehicle, then that stored chemical energy must have been generated by other
> energy
> sources, most typically fossil fuels (85% odds, actually).
> One bennefit would be stealth, but that is not what was claimed.
> Jim
>
> JOHN SEIDTS wrote:
>
> > *This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate(tm) Pro*
> > http://www.marcav.ctc.com/
> >
> > The above is a link for one of the companies involved in this technology.
> > The technology is advanced beyond what it was, and it probably will be
> > implemented into DOD vehicle production. Current prototypes get 100 mpg
> and
> > more.
> >
> > I guess those sneezing at it are qualified engineers familiar with all the
> > work? If you are, I'd like to hear your critiques alongside a synopsis of
> > the project....
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: CERANTHIA@aol.com <CERANTHIA@aol.com>
> > To: Military Vehicles List <mil-veh@uller.skylee.com>
> > Date: Monday, April 17, 2000 8:52 PM
> > Subject: [MV] Electric Hum-V
> >
> > >*This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate(tm)
> Pro*
> > > Yes,believe it or not,the DOD has been ordered to spend huge ammounts of
> > >money to produce a "Zero Polution" military vehicle by the head
> > environmental
> > >nazi--Al Gore. What a fool !!! It'll never happen. Hey guys,time to go
> > into
> > >battle,anybody got the 5000 mile long extention cord??? Are they high???
> > >
> > >
> > >Mike in Plymouth
> > >1970 M-35A2C
> > >
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon May 01 2000 - 05:30:06 PDT