Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:21:13 -0500
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: Air Engine... the ultimate Vanagon Engine Conversion!
In-Reply-To: <13a801c8a570$93a4cb30$6401a8c0@DJZL7KF1>
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Yeah, $4/gal fuel is beginning to has it's effect. So far as efficient
emmission free fuel goes - I have seen a power plant that makes no
emissions to speak of. Small, efficient, produces enough electrical
power to power a home plus have a lot left over - will run for 24 years
non stop. Of course we have idiots in the world that will prevent this
from ever reaching the market. It's a small, compact, sealed, atomic
power plant. Size is like a big block v-8 with tranny attached.
Advancing technology could reduce that to a smaller unit. An article
about it appeared in Popular Science Magazine between 1986 and 1988. It
was mentioned a few other places, then completely disappeared. I can't
even find a copy of the article in the library. Like someone didn't want
us to know about it.
A lot could be done to reduce fuel consumption. I would drive a very
small, lightweight, almost bicycle frame type vehicle to and fro in the
area, using a 5 hp engine, were it not for the SUV's, big trucks, and
other huge stuff flying down the road. Very high mpg, but the big stuff
would squash me flat. Can't risk it.
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
Scott Daniel - Shazam wrote:
There are a lot of great things about steam power.
> On of them is no need for a transmission with a reverse gear,
> They just route steam pressure 'the other way' to make the vhehilce go in
> reverse.
> But what always 'gets' steam powered vehicles..........in terms of daily
> practical use for individuals, is the time it takes to build up steam
> pressure.
> If every house had regular steam pressure continuously, like your mine
> does......then it could work.
> I suspect a lot of non-sustainable fuel can be burned making steam, like
> it's not that efficient to produce, and the emissions - imagine the
> emissions from an early wood or coal burning steam ship. Not good.
> And you'd think if there was a modern way to make steam efficiently with
> low emissions too.....there would be more of it around.
>
> The age of oil and burning fossil fuels including wood and coal isn't over
> yet, not by a long shot , unfortunately in terms of planetary health.
> Oil consumption is going to be going up for a while yet.
>
> Interestingly, I was just reading that in China they can't get people to buy
> hybrid cars very much. Toyota was only able to sell 400 Prius cars in a year
> there recently. The taxes China puts on imported cars doubles the price of
> a hybrid there - making a Prius a $ 40K car, or close to that.
> And if rich Chinese have that kind of money to spend, they'll get a big fuel
> burning domestic car instead for roughly the same price. Very little
> incentive to go 'high mileage' - heck, we have that here even !
> Though it's slowly shifting, glacially slowly.
> And when the glaciers are all gone ........then maybe the behemoths will be
> parked.
> Persoally...........i'd like to see everyone have 'an allotment' of fuel
> they get to burn every month. And if they want to burn it at 15 mpg, or at
> 60 mpg, that's their choice. Or something that is in that direction.
> Cause right now, if you have the bux, you can drive a hummer 6,000 miles a
> month at 15 mpg if you want.
> Very American minded to think 'hey, if I can afford it, it's my right to
> burn al the gas I want." That mindset is just beginning to shift a teeny
> bit, I hope.
> Scott
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> John Rodgers
> Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2008 9:45 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Air Engine... the ultimate Vanagon Engine Conversion!
>
> Just down the road from me is a private collection of Railroad engines,
> cabooses, rail cars, etc. All are antiques of one sort or another, and
> they all work. However only one is in service - it is used to pull a
> couple of car loads of tourists down 5 miles or so of privately owned
> track. There is still a track out to the active rail systems, but it is
> never used, though it could be.
>
> In that eclectic collection is a mining yard engine - an engine that
> does not burn any fuel at all to drive it. No wood, no coal, no oil, no
> diesel-electric. This thing has got on the front of it where the
> standard boiler mounts on a typical steam engine, an enormous high
> pressure steam vessel. This engine can run most of a day hauling tons of
> rock and coal utilizing high pressure steam injected into the steam
> vessel from a filling point at the mine/plant. Not sure why the
> mine/plant was using steam, but steam from the system was injected under
> very high pressure into the steam vessel on the train, and that steam
> was used to power the drive wheels on the train.
>
> Steam power anyone??
>
> John Rodgers
> 88 GL Driver
>
> Paul Guzyk wrote:
>
>> This has gotta be BS.
>>
>> Think about air tools in a shop. Your compressor is cycling on all
>> the time just to unscrew bolts.
>>
>> How the heck will you propel a Vanagon that weighs thousand of pounds
>> for many miles using compressed air?
>>
>> Call my cynical but I don't believe it...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> Saw this on the History Channel last night (or was it Discovery)
>>> either way.
>>> what a great concept, and a perfect solution to high oil prices!
>>>
>>
>
>
>
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