Fuel Savings and Lower Emissions - Hold the Snake Oil
A 30% increase in fuel savings, while reducing emissions by about the same percentage. And achieve this for less than $100 in new car manufacturing. Sounds like fancy right? Not according to a website, I highly respect, the EETimes. The simplified version of what technology they are reporting goes like this.
By heating the air, along with vaporization of the fuel, several desirable factors are achieved. They are:
The hot air already mixed with the energy source is closer to spontaneous combustion. This makes the required chemical reaction to be closer to its 'tipping point', giving more energy.
Hot air fills the combustion chamber using less air than cold air, so the tailpipe has less NOX (pollutant). Of course, the fact that you are using 30% or more less fuel to accomplish the same result also helps with lower emissions.
The second point has been tried before, according to the report from the EETimes. However, the slightly technical report has revealed the shortcomings of the 'lean burn' strategies of the past, revealing the Catch-22 of less while fuel in, to often means more pollutants out.
The Devil Is in the Details
The report continues with a brief visit to the technology of 50 years ago. That would be the idea of using carburetor choke heating on startup so it could burn a leaner mixture of fuel/air at normal operating temperature. However doing this with today's microprocessor centric vehicles is a whole different ballgame.
Several firms in Oregon are handling the areas of design, new car installation, retro-fit, etc. The drawbacks from ultimate include, no 'magic bullet' for existing cars at under $100 price point. And a 30% reduction of any rig that is already 'carbon-lite', starts seeing diminishing returns for the effort.
Still, I think we call it progress.
I'm sure both D.C and the Oregon southern border shared by California will be happy to take the 2 for 1 offered. For the full report, see
Source: http://www.eetimes.com
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