On TechRepublic: 10 cool USB flash drive tricks
BNET Business Network:
BNET
TechRepublic
ZDNet
TalkBack 8 of 41:
Next »
« Previous
thermal vs. mechanical efficiency
Shameless cut and paste:

"There are many different ways to find the efficiency of an engine, and many different parts of an engine that you can rate the efficiency (sic).

Thermal efficiency is the percentage of energy taken from the combustion which is actually converted to mechanical work. In a typical low compression engine, the thermal efficiency is only about 26%. In a highly modified engine, such as a race engine, the thermal efficiency is about 34%.

Mechanical efficiency is the percentage of energy that the engine puts out after subtracting mechanical losses such as friction, compared to what the engine would put out with no power loss. Most engines are about 94% mechanically efficient.

This means that for a stock engine, only 20% of the power in fuel combustion is effective."

That said, seems that any increase in thermal efficiency obtained from advances in carburetion tech could never begin to approach the increase gained by going to fuel injection for improved combustion. The carburetor story is likely myth, but for different reasons than you state.

Thermodynamics says 100% thermal efficency is impossible. But there is still plenty of room for improvement.

Problem is, what incentive is there to improve if it is less profitable than doing business as usual?

Bonus: gut environmental protections, and viola - more profit!

happy
Posted by: Jack-Booted EULA   Posted on: 12/16/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
Reply to Story Reply to Message

Alert moderator to an offensive message

Subscribe to this discussion via Email or RSS

Alarm bells ring to deaf ears in Bush administration  Prognosticator | 12/15/04
"invest in technologies to solve the problem"  Squawkbox | 12/15/04
I agree 100% with the point you make. Unfortunately,  bjbrock | 12/15/04
Greets bjbrock very thoughtful post  Squawkbox | 12/15/04
California  eb276 | 12/16/04
Not to mention  Jack-Booted EULA | 12/16/04
Pure urban myth...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/16/04
thermal vs. mechanical efficiency  Jack-Booted EULA | 12/16/04
Yes, no, and sort of.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/16/04
As I wrote above...  Jack-Booted EULA | 12/16/04
Message has been deleted?  Jack-Booted EULA | 12/16/04
RE: Myth  NoDogs | 12/16/04
So turn off YOUR computer and save energy.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/16/04
And this comes at a time when  Squawkbox | 12/15/04
There is nothing scientific about determining  bjbrock | 12/15/04
Global Warming  Squawkbox | 12/15/04
Global warming - facts  alainhenry | 12/16/04
Some facts, some speculation  rapson | 12/16/04
More facts  alainhenry | 01/03/05
Did someone say "Geologist?"  Roger Ramjet | 12/16/04
Not quite  rapson | 12/16/04
Sounds good ... but no  Pebkac Charlie | 12/16/04
I did say "Geologist" didn't I  Squawkbox | 12/16/04
Global warming is about money  voska | 12/16/04
Too little, too late  Pebkac Charlie | 12/16/04
Correction to your Correction  Jkirk3279 | 02/15/05
Opinions... opinions...  Nullifidian | 12/16/04
Alternative Energy Suggestion: Cold Fusion  JohnathanChan | 12/17/04
Cold Fusion  Jkirk3279 | 02/15/05
The truth is there is no such thing as a free lunch.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/16/04
no such thing as a free lunch  DEOSOL | 12/16/04
Sorry, you need to do your home work.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/16/04
Myth  Jkirk3279 | 02/15/05
Just some notes  Been_Done_Before | 12/16/04
wow i need to read things before i post them(grammer = bad ..hehe)  Been_Done_Before | 12/16/04
Wave generation  quietLee | 12/16/04
Until the first tsunami caomes along. Oops, all gone...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/16/04
Wave Power  Jkirk3279 | 02/15/05
Heres a chart that illustrates Oil Addiction  JohnathanChan | 12/17/04
That's the pessimistic view  Alternative Energy Blog | 12/18/04
Under reported Alternative  erich_z | 12/19/04

What do you think?

SponsoredWhite Papers, Webcasts, and Downloads

advertisement
advertisement

SmartPlanet

Click Here