Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (November 2005, week 1)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:   Tue, 1 Nov 2005 09:36:42 -0600
Reply-To:   John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender:   Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:   John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject:   Fuel ponderings
Content-Type:   text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Given that the engines in use today in vehicles are heat engines, and the fuels that are used to provide that heat have specific values of BTU's per pound, how does one increase fuel efficiency, i.e., increase the miles per gallon on fuel?

Reduce vehicle weight is one way. Reduce friction. Streamlining for the vehicle. Better fuel metering. Congress legislating that it be so??

What else???

Is it really possible to get more BTU's from a pound of fuel than a pound of fuel has?? What good does better mixture control and vaporization actually do? Given better mixture control and vaporization, can fuel efficiency actually be increased beyond where it is now, just on that basis?

The whole business about fuels and fuel efficiencies is about energy exchange without energy loss. Is it possible??

Given E = MC2, - the potential for large energy release from a tiny bit of matter - we have so much "potential" energy in the form of solid matter that it is mindboggling, yet even with Einstein's equation we cannot tap that energy in a truly controllable way The rock simply sits there or there is a big "Bang". Doesn't seem to be any "In between" point where we can meter off a bit of all that energy as we need it. I suppose one might consider an atomic pile as a controlled metering, but it is really a a controlling of natural radiation being emitted from a radio active substance. Not quite the same as deliberately "cracking" an atom of inert solid matter in a controlled way to siphon off a specific amount of it's energy.

I really would like to be able to stick my banana peel and a beer - can and all - into the power generator on my Vanagon and fire up the "Flux Capacitor".

There it is............this mornings pondering at coffee!

Regards,

John Rodgers 88 GL driver


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.