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Fast Cars That Don’t Kill The Planet. RHS Senior Exhibition 2008 – Nick Blake. Essential Question. How can a gasoline automobile engine be fuel efficient and high performance?. http://www.dieselstation.com/wallpapers/albums/Audi/R8/Audi-R8-002.jpg. My Interest. Mechanical. Hands-On.
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Fast Cars That Don’t Kill The Planet RHS Senior Exhibition 2008 – Nick Blake
Essential Question • How can a gasoline automobile engine be fuel efficient and high performance? http://www.dieselstation.com/wallpapers/albums/Audi/R8/Audi-R8-002.jpg
My Interest • Mechanical. • Hands-On. • Fast Cars. • Reducing our carbon footprint. • A political issue that can be addressed with a mechanical solution. http://www.t-netzone.net/sti/dynorun/bluestihdr1.jpg
Why is this an issue? • Climate change. • Diminishing fossil fuels. • Air Pollution. • Increasing gas prices. • American automobiles have the largest displacement engines worldwide. http://gtresearchnews.gatech.edu/images/wwworld_b.jpg
Why focus on Gasoline? • Existing nationwide fueling infrastructure. • Gasoline is the lowest in quality to date. • New technologies are available. http://news.thomasnet.com/images/large/015/gascan.jpg
What’s wrong with alternative fuels? • Electric Cars: • Battery technology. • Insufficient electrical infrastructure. • Hydrogen Fuel Cells: • Not a burnable fuel. • Ethanol: • Insufficient supply to the nationwide demand. http://www2.dupont.com/Media_Center/en_US/ assets/images/Sustainability2015/solarpanels.jpg
Internal Combustion Engine • Commonly 4-Stroke. • Exothermic chemical reaction. • Ignition spark starts combustion. • Engine is essentially a mechanical air pump. 1 Intake 2 Compression 3 Power 4 Exhaust Intake Air Charge Exhaust Gasses http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ commons/a/a6/4-Stroke-Engine.gif
How can both performance and efficiency be increased? • Available Engine Technologies: • Adjustable Ignition Timing • Higher Compression • Direct Injection • Forced-Induction: • Supercharging • Turbocharging • Intercooling • Water Injection http://www.compcams.com/information/whatsnew/Files/finalHemiCams.jpg
Adjustable Ignition Timing • Adjusting spark closer to the top of the compression stroke lowers cylinder temperatures and pressure. • Lower cylinder temperatures reduce production of Nitrogen Oxide pollutants. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a3/Sparkplug_super.jpg
Higher Compression • Stroked Displacement Vs. Combustion Chamber Volume. • Air molecules closer to spark plug. • Increases thermal efficiency. • Thermal efficiency increases mechanical energy output. http://www.bmwblog.com/wp-content/uploads/thumb-History_M3_E30_14.jpg
Direct Injection • Most recent engine development. • Fuel is introduced directly into the combustion chamber. • Fuel droplets disperse evenly and are less likely to group together. • Air and fuel mix and are ignited immediately. http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/corporate/about_us/ technology/environment/e/images/gdi_ilst01.gif
Forced-Induction • Forces compressed air into the engine rather than suck in air with vacuum. • Intake air charge increases in temperature when the air molecules are compressed. • 14.7 psi of boost produces the power of an engine with double the displacement. http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/super-charger-12.jpg
Supercharging • Compressor powered by a belt and pulley on the crankshaft. • Energy is used to spin the supercharger. • Commonly operate on lower boost pressures (approx 6-8psi). http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/super-charger-fix.jpg
Turbocharging • Compressor powered by the flow of exhaust gasses. • Uses minimal power from engine to operate the turbocharger unit. • Produces a small amount of back-pressure in exhaust. http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/turbo-flow.gif http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/turbo-parts.gif
Intercooling • Heat exchanger. • Heat is exchanged over small metal fins. • Combined Gas Law. • Compressing air raises its temperature. • Heat lowers the intake air charge density. • More dense = more air molecules present. • 140 to 100 = 7% density increase, 7% more air, 7% more HP. http://www.procharger.com/images/artwork/chevy_intercoolers.jpg
Water-Injection • Cools intake air charge. • Unlike Nitrous Oxide, doesn’t add oxygen. • Water becomes a gas after sprayed. • Evaporation occurs due to high intake air charge temps. http://www.aquam ist.co.uk/press/806-009/sys2d.JPG
So what technology should be used? Why? • A hybrid consisting of: • Advanced Ignition Timing. • More efficient combustion. • Turbocharging. • Variable 200% HP Increase • Water-Injection. • Cools Cylinders + Air Charge • Direct Injection. • Most efficient fuel injection. http://www.rbracing-rsr.com/turbo/red-turbo.jpg
How do we persuade auto makers to utilize these technologies in new cars? • Drivers need to publicly accept these technologies and show enthusiasm to promote their deployment in the marketplace. • Consumers need to inform auto makers that these technologies should be deployed in future cars. http://www.alexneihaus.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/realitycheck.jpg
Service Learning • Install Water-Injection system on a Turbocharged, Higher Compression engine with advanced ignition timing. • Goal: • Document the installation process and present data in a DIY guide for the public. http://autodrum.com/img/media/wallpapers/subaru_legacy_spec_b_2007_01.jpg
Bibliography • Addison, Keith. "Ethanol Fuel." Journey to Forever. 13 Jan. 2008 <http://journeytoforever.org/ethanol.html>. • Bell, Corky. Maximum Boost Designing, Testing, and Installing Turbocharger Systems. • Cambridge, MA: Robert Bentley Automotive Publishers, 1997. • Davis, Earl, and Diane Perkins-Davis. Supercharging, Turbocharging, & Nitrous Oxide • Performance Handbook. Powerpro series. St. Paul, Minn: MBI, 2001. • Estill, John. "Heat Exchanger Theory and Intercoolers." Turbo Regal Web Site. 13 Dec. 2007. 6 • Mar. 2008 <http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/turbo/intercooler.html>. • "General FAQs for Aquamist." Aquamist. 2 Apr. 2008 <http://www.aquamist.co.uk/rescr/rescr.html>. • Hunnicutt, Bob. "History of Mustang Performance." Hunnicutt. 29 Jan. 2008. 7 Feb. 2008 <http://home.pon.net/hunnicutt/history.htm>. • Kitman, Jamie L. "The Secret History of Lead." The Nation. 2 Mar. 2000. 16 Dec. 2007 <http://www.thenation.com/doc/20000320/kitman>. • Kovarik, William, and Matthew E. Hermes. "Fuels and Society: 5. High Compression Engines." ChemCases.Com. 2005. Kennesaw State University. 4 Mar. 2008 <http://www.chemcases.com/fuels/fuels-05.htm>. • "Modifications Encyclopedia: Forced Induction Guide." FirebirdV6.Com. 2007. 6 Feb. 2008 <http://mods.firebirdv6.com/forcedinduction.html>. • Nice, Karim. "How Turbochargers Work." HowStuffWorks. 4 Dec. 2000. 13 Feb. 2008 <http://auto.howstuffworks.com/turbo.htm>. • Smith, Ron. "Corn-Based Ethanol Not Enough to Meet U.S. Renewable Energy Requirements." Western Farm Press. 5 May 2007. 20 Dec. 2007 <http://westernfarmpress.com/mag/farming_cornbased_ethanol_not_2/>. • "Stoichiometric Combustion." Taftan Data. 1998. 26 Jan. 2008 <http://www.taftan.com/thermodynamics/COMBUST.HTM>. • "The Electric Super Car Race Heats Up." BusinessWeek 1 Apr. 2008. 3 Apr. 2008 <http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/ • apr2008/bw2008041_141671.htm?chan=autos_autos+--+lifestyle+subindex+page_top+stories>. • Wise, Jeff. "The Truth About Hydrogen." Popular Mechanics Nov. 2006.