Breakthrough promises $1.50 per gallon synthetic gasoline with no carbon emissions - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

rscurtis · #16 01-31-2011, 10:13 AM

Years ago, one of Car & Driver's technical writers did a story on a car that ran on "soap". It was actually some type of hydride that contained H2, and as others have suggested, required a lot of fresh and waste storage. It still doesn't solve the main problem with H2, a small amount of energy requires a tremendous amount of space.

As far as claims of high mileage inventions that were bought up by the oil companies, I am very skeptical of them, espescially when they approach or even exceed what is thermodynamically possible. I would also put some of the outrageous MPG claims of plug-in hybrids like the Chevy Volt in the same category.

75Sv1 · #17 01-31-2011, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmckechnie

I have a book (hand made, not published) on one of the Somkey Yunick cars. It details the trip to Washington, DC to get EPA approval. He was told when he got there that he was wasting his time, that it would not get approval. He got a congressman behind him and finally got the EPA to do the testing on it. It failed. He got more polititions behind him and finally got EPA approval to build 10,000 cars before the end of the year. That was in November so there was only time to build a couple of cars. They were using a Mecury capris (Mustang) with a modifyed Perkins turbo diesel. After more fights he gave up. The cars were tested by some university and got over 90 mpg on the road. The EPA rating was 40 mpg. That is our government. Big oil wins again.

Paul

I don't know the time frame of that book. The Popular Science was around '82, I think. Then I read something around '88, that GM was coming out with one of these engines in an S-10. Form what I remember, Somkey had sold his interest in the engine to a concern to promote and handle the legal interests etc. They had a deal with GM for a few years. When GM wanted to release the engine, they wanted more money from GM. GM told them to take a hike.
I read in the early 90's, that Smokey was trying legal action to get control of the engine rights to him. I think he died a bit latter. There are some other endevoirs to preheat the fuel for better fuel economy. I think there was one from Austrailia about 5 years back, with fuel injection.
One of the lores of the Pogue carburator was that it worked with 'white' gas. The modern gasolive had additives that foul it up.
Tom

MS Fowler · #18 01-31-2011, 02:33 PM

If I am not mistaken, "White gas" is nothing more than unleaded gas--then stuff we all use now.

75Sv1 · #19 01-31-2011, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MS Fowler

If I am not mistaken, "White gas" is nothing more than unleaded gas--then stuff we all use now.

I understand it is very different. I think it is the same as the Coleman camp stove gas. Yes, it doesn't have any lead in it. But there are other additives in gas, that replaced the lead.
To some extent, the lead in gas gave the US an advantage in WW2. It resulted in higher HP ratings.
Tom

Botnst · #20 01-31-2011, 02:46 PM

Is there any proof (as opposed to folklore) that any fuel efficiency patents have been suppressed to protect current technology?

MS Fowler · #21 01-31-2011, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 75Sv1

I understand it is very different. I think it is the same as the Coleman camp stove gas. Yes, it doesn't have any lead in it. But there are other additives in gas, that replaced the lead.
To some extent, the lead in gas gave the US an advantage in WW2. It resulted in higher HP ratings.
Tom

The lead in gas slowed the combustion process ( as well as lubricated the valve seats). Slowing the combustion allowed higher compression raios (or compression pressure) without the detrimentalneffects of preignition. And THAT yielded higher HP.

Pooka · #22 01-31-2011, 04:22 PM

Once there was a fellow named Frank Phillips that ran Phillips 66. He thought aircraft would someday be a big deal and everyone else thought he was nuts.

About 20 miles away from Frank was a company called Barnsdall Chemical and Refining that also did a lot of work on aircraft fuels and everyone though they were nuts, too.

Frank backed an aircraft in the Dole race from LA to Honolulu in 1927 and won. The aircraft is still on display at Frank's ranch near Bartlesville, OK.

When WW II broke out neither company looked so dumb anymore as everyone had to buy into their Patents on avgas. Phillips used the money to do more research and the US Patent office finally opened a branch in Bartlesville just to deal with Phillips patents.

Barnsdall stopped researching and when their patents expired they went into decline and I think totally out of business.

Anyway... Phillips is currently looking for Chemical types with a Phd. to work at their research lab in Bartlesville. If you know anyone that wants to do basic research and maybe come up with $1.50 gallon fuel themselves... Phillips (now Conoco-Phillips) is hiring!

JamesDean · #23 01-31-2011, 05:06 PM

http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/engine/hrdp_1009_what_ever_happened_to_smokeys_hot_vapor_engine/smokeys_original_pontiac_fiero.html