Here is a link to an interesting article about Johnathan Goodwin who has come up with ways to double mileage and horsepower while reducing emmissions and using biodiesel etc. How about a Hummer that gets 0-60 in 5 seconds and 60 mpg.
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/120/motorhead-messiah.html
Here's a CNN clip on the same guy.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2007/11/20/callebs.pimp.my.hybrid.cnn
While the turbine is novel, you can't beat the efficiency of a Diesel. I've always said that a Diesel Hybrid would be unbelieveably fuel efficient. If he can get 60mpg with the turbine, then 70mpg could be seen with a diesel. Good Luck, TomC
"With a $5,000 bolt-on kit he co-engineered--the poor man's version of a Goodwin conversion--he can immediately transform any diesel vehicle to burn 50% less fuel and produce 80% fewer emissions"
"He'd filled it up with grease from a Chinese restaurant the day before and was worried that the cold morning might have solidified the fuel. But it started up on the first try and ran so quietly that at first they didn't believe it was really on."
Truly amazing.
The H3 is just a pickup truck with a different body. If this guy were 120% serious, he would have used a H1, which is a totally different vehicle----one WITH an attitude. My brother has a H1. We took it to Vegas at maximum warp (72mph!) and we got-----8 mpg!!! He he he. And....we did not need to run over or crush ANYONE!! (Really!!) :) :) :)
hmmmm do you really buy double MPG and double HP? generally do not go hand in hand......unless he is talking Dino Fuel/Bio Blend at 50/50 thus doubleing his MPG on Dino?
sure you can take any standard diesel Truck engine and make it make that kind of HP....but engine life is the exact opposite performance curve.....take your 300+k life Diesel anging and soup it up so it needs rebuilt at 50K.
Also like the Hypocracy in the Green Compnay with Green technology, burning off a set of 120.00+ each tires......they made out of Dino you know.
That guy deserves perks, government funding, and a medal!!! Hell, even IF it is over exagerated a bit, NOBODY else is doing stuff like this. Detroit ought to fund the hell out of him and give him a big kiss on the lips. His ideas could put them out front again. (if they get their quality to come around. I worked in Chevy in Flint MI.) But NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO they are too stuck in their old way for "whatever reason" you want to choose. It's sad, really.
I commend the guy.
Chaz
This is absolutely amazing! It is truly the wave of the future. It is almost like ...like ... like magic.
I am going to write Santa Claus right now and ask him to bring me one for Christmas.
If I don't get it, I am writing the tooth fairy AND the Easter Bunny.
Ed Roelle
Flint, MI
I found this to be quite enlightening. Although I applaud his effort, it will get little help from the oil giants, they just want to collect before the oil is gone forever.
There have been numerous folk with high milage gadgets for many years only to be bought out by guess who.
I hope his effort is well recognized by folk who can afford it.
Paul
So far the most efficient engine is a gasoline engine run with one of the 100 MPG carburetors from the 1930s and using water for fuel that was recently touted!!!
There is a rumor that the oil companies are buying up all the water rights in the world.
Apparently Mr. Goodwin has never seen a 600 HP DC motor. They are used on oilwell drill rigs and in train engines. Also, he has never started his turbine if he thinks it will roar to life and run for a few seconds charging his super capacitors and then shut off.
Home inventors and company engineers have spent over 100 years improving the internal combustion engine. The chances of making a drastic improvement are slim, but possible.
I think there is a better chance of someone solving the problems of the rotary engine than fighting with all the inherent problems (pistons that accelerate from stop to high speed, come to a stop, and then accelerate in the opposite direction, only to stop and start the cycle over again) of the reciprocating engine. Who would have guessed that manufacturers would get it working as well as it does?
Sounds good but I am just going to stick with Don Fairchild's tried and proven parts for efficient running diesels that meet modern emissions requirements. Of course, I won't double my mileage but it will run better and cleaner and I don't have exhaust that smells like french fries! haha
Ed Roelle,
OK Ed! I have read between your lines and it turns out to be a middle finger. I also agree with you.
Stan has a point about the "Fish" carburator that allowed a gas engine to run on water.
Do any of you remember that GW sent GM a "thank you" letter with 150 million smackers of "Pure Research" contract dollars enclosed? It was to determin the feasibility of "Hydrogen" as a fuel for autos. That might sound good on the surface of it but read on.... I watched one of those GREEN engineers with a DR. in engineering being interviewed about that contract. He said "GM has received 500 million "in grants for that purpose through the years and only the Japanese seem to be closing on the problem. That program didn't bring this out but I know what a "Pure Research" is and what it means. Try this....your only obligation as the performer in that contract is to provide the Gummint with a notification of WHEN the money is completely SPENT. There is no requirement to produce any PRODUCT or report. Nothing! Only...ALL GONE TODAY. These vehicles exist for the sole purpose of funding University departments that work in the public interest. Ever wonder why a University would NOT pattent an invention? It was made with Gummint funded research so it belongs to all of us. If they did it independent of research grants it IS patented. My conservative blood boils.
The things are more efficient and thank God as the cost of fuel has gone up commensurately so there are no real savings to us, the consumer and Bus Nuts.
John
The Germans seem to be doing pretty good. BMW plans on having their hydrogen/gasoline series 7 on the road in three years. Runs on hydrogen but can run on gasoline when no hydrogen is available.
I see a lot of nay sayers and negativity, and all from the usual people. This guy is a genius and a pioneer and is doing something about a problem we need fixed and doing it in a cool way. I for one would let this guy have his way with my bus and not be scared. (if I could afford it). You guys are like bench racers (you know "the guys without race cars") but race through there mouths. ANYTHING is possible if your willing to take a chance. My new motto is "Play inside the box, Think outside of it"
wa wa wa......typical liberal press touting green this.green that the sky is falling we don't have any oil...bla bla bla.
here from the green indistry themselves.
http://puregreencars.com/Green-Cars-News/Biodiesel/Green-Biodiesel-Hummer.html
this is more believable......note with the 40 mpg then don't mention any performance figures.
http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/article-print.jsp?article_id=1710
http://www.hockey-fights.com/forum/printpost.php?tid/505644/fbb_session_id/7a18c7adb93b5b17c3595d4903e5b76296d154b3be272394566629f9153b89d2/
Question:
WHAT DOES "It gets the equivalent of 40 miles a gallon" mean??????????????????????????????????/
It means the same as ::)
John,
Relative to your comment
"Ed Roelle,
OK Ed! I have read between your lines and it turns out to be a middle finger. I also agree with you. ... "
There is absolutely no criticism about others thoughts. If anyone took-it that way, I apologize.
However, if you read skepticism in my comments, you are absolutely right.
I would like to believe that we will have massively better economy, lower costs, etc. The laws of physics still prevail though. Unfortunately, that is why most improvements are just, relatively small improvements in efficiency.
Are politics involved in decision making at the auto companies? yes
But business decisions are made daily, based on costs, timing, reliability, durability, manufacturability, and other factors.
A true break-through would survive the scrutiny at reviews. Engineers have their personal interest of promoting their inventions. They would pursue their beliefs.
The auto companies try to eke out a 0.1 MPG Is it reasonable to believe that there is a massive fuel economy improvement that is being withheld? The auto companies are very competitive with each other such that they would want to have an advantage over the others.
When these type of claims are published, their is an assignment made, within the auto company, to investigate the claim's credibility.
Not critical, but very skeptical.
Ed Roelle
Flint, MI
You may be right, but I have my doubts. The "big three" auto manufacturers are huge bureaucracies. Even if they did function with positive intent, it is unlikely they would be at the forefront of innovation. Aside from GM's radical exterior design changes of 1959, I don't remember anything mind-blowing that they have hit us with. Sure, some of the article may be over-hyped, but I find it hard to believe that Goodwin's wealthy, private customers would accept much less than what was promised for their 30 to 50 thousand dollars. Not to mention my belief that those companies at the top of the chain (oil and otherwise) are generally opposed to serious change. It may be interesting to remember that Xerox was innovative with photocopying, but most companies at the beginning did not see any reason that carbon paper wasn't good enough. Then Xerox teams developed much of the original computer and network technology that we use today, but the company did not see any value in it; they allowed Steve Jobs and others to tour and appropriate it all saying, "What do we care? We are a copy machine company."
The notion that the "big 3" would welcome innovation has been repeatedly dis-proven throughout history. If you want an interesting case study in why the "big 3" struggle to compete with the Asian companies, look into the story of W Edwards Deming. He went to the "big 3" in the late 40's with his innovative concepts on quality manufacturing and they gave him the finger because they were too hung up on "planned obsolescence" as the key to their future. He turned next to Japan and they embraced him with open arms (his portrait hangs in the lobby of Toyota). It took almost two decades before the "big 3" realized their mistake and they are still playing catch-up.
OK, OK, you guys are right about the conspiracies.
Ed Roelle
The National Transportation Safety Board recently
Divulged they had covertly Funded a project with the U.S.
Auto makers for the Past 5 years,
Whereby the Auto makers were installing black-box voice recorders
In 4-wheel drive pickup Trucks and SUV's in an effort to determine in fatal Accidents,
The circumstances in the last 15 seconds before the Crash.
They were surprised to find in 48 of the 50 states,
the recorded last words of drivers in 61.2 percent of fatal crashes were, "Oh S**t!"
Only Minnesota and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
were different, where 89.3 percent of the final words were: "Hold my beer,
I'm gonna try Somethin."
Ed,
That reminds me of a rednecks last words "Hey, Ya'll hold my beer and watch this!" Jack