Toyota MR2 Message Board - View Single Post

Kerry Phillips · 07-14-2009, 08:03 AM

One of the reasons our car engine's efficiency is relatively low....Is a lot of the power is being totally wasted in the form of heat. Not only are we failing to capitalize from this heat generation, we are taking some mechanical power to engergize the waterpump to get rid of this excessive heat.

If U want to increase this efficiency, I suggest U figure out a way to use this surplus heat.

Back to hydrogen. Again this is just theory/speculation on my behalf....

IF U could produce a large quantity of hydrogen and introduce this gas into the intake manifold, and reduce the fuel injectors output to compensate for the added fuel, U might get a small reduction in fuel consumptions. Now how would this effect exhaust emissions? And again U would be displacing some air for the added hydrogen, so the "air" going into the engine would have lower oxygen content, would be less able to support combustion, so U would have to reduce your incoming fuel slightly to compensate, again reducing engine output. To compensate for this air being slightly degraded, U could simply add more of it-now we are talking about forced induction, a turbocharger. Now we are talking about a massive increase in the complexity of operation, huge increase in hardware costs, the mass and space required by all of this, and at best, a slight increase if any.

Now lets take a quick look at Hybrid technology.

The economic payoff is still questionable.

Also the only real benefit is in city driving where engine idling unnecessarily has been eliminated and some of the energy is recaptured in regenerative braking. BUT and this is a big BUT.

How much increase in MPG is due to Hybrid technology and how much due to conventional technology and hardware?
Here is what I mean. The hybrid cars tend to be lighter, more aerodynamic, lower performance/rolling resistance tires, and slower acceleration.

If the original Honda Insight was stripped of its hybrid hardware, it would be lighter, cheaper, and its HWY mpg might actually improve-slightly while its city MPG would drop.
Kerry

07-14-2009, 08:03 AM	#116 (permalink)
Kerry Phillips Some Skills Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 88 Thanks: 0 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Efficiency One of the reasons our car engine's efficiency is relatively low....Is a lot of the power is being totally wasted in the form of heat. Not only are we failing to capitalize from this heat generation, we are taking some mechanical power to engergize the waterpump to get rid of this excessive heat. If U want to increase this efficiency, I suggest U figure out a way to use this surplus heat. Back to hydrogen. Again this is just theory/speculation on my behalf.... IF U could produce a large quantity of hydrogen and introduce this gas into the intake manifold, and reduce the fuel injectors output to compensate for the added fuel, U might get a small reduction in fuel consumptions. Now how would this effect exhaust emissions? And again U would be displacing some air for the added hydrogen, so the "air" going into the engine would have lower oxygen content, would be less able to support combustion, so U would have to reduce your incoming fuel slightly to compensate, again reducing engine output. To compensate for this air being slightly degraded, U could simply add more of it-now we are talking about forced induction, a turbocharger. Now we are talking about a massive increase in the complexity of operation, huge increase in hardware costs, the mass and space required by all of this, and at best, a slight increase if any. Now lets take a quick look at Hybrid technology. The economic payoff is still questionable. Also the only real benefit is in city driving where engine idling unnecessarily has been eliminated and some of the energy is recaptured in regenerative braking. BUT and this is a big BUT. How much increase in MPG is due to Hybrid technology and how much due to conventional technology and hardware? Here is what I mean. The hybrid cars tend to be lighter, more aerodynamic, lower performance/rolling resistance tires, and slower acceleration. If the original Honda Insight was stripped of its hybrid hardware, it would be lighter, cheaper, and its HWY mpg might actually improve-slightly while its city MPG would drop. Kerry