POLL: What fuel would you like to see cars/trucks run on?

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Disregard the costs, production or availability for the moment. For the best interest of an IC engine, what would you like to see an IC engine run on?? My choices are in no particular order are biodiesel, propane and for some strange reason, I'm starting to question torch fuel. Like the bottles you can buy at the store. Please keep it real and no bashing of others. Thank you,,,,,AR
 
quote:

Originally posted by Airborne Ranger:
Disregard the costs, production or availability for the moment. For the best interest of an IC engine, what would you like to see an IC engine run on?? My choices are in no particular order are biodiesel, propane and for some strange reason, I'm starting to question torch fuel. Like the bottles you can buy at the store. Please keep it real and no bashing of others. Thank you,,,,,AR

torch fuel... are you talking about Propane, MAPP (MethylaAcetylene-Propadiene/Propane)or acetylene?

propane is already used, MAPP could be used as it's much higher energy than LPG (2400BTU per CF, or about twice the energy as LPG, 2.5x CNG). it's neutral flame temp of 5300deg may be too hot to deal with in a IC motor.
acetylene is just waaaaay too dangerous to be used in an IC motor. it will violently decompose if compressed beyond 15psi, and the typical motor will see almost 10X that on the compression stroke.
-Bret
 
non-nutritious carbohydrate, reformed to H and CO. nah, in reality, Id like to seeULSD everywhere, and high efficiency diesels with particle traps and catalysts, giving clean burning gassers a run for the money.

JMH
 
I would like to see the real soon now break through in batterys and go electric. We've got the coal, uranium too, wind, water, solar, etc. It may never happen.
 
Blue sky thinking?

If you limit me to IC engines: Hydrogen, preferably from hydro, solar, wind or some other "clean" source (nuke would be OK, just have to figure out how to handle the waste). Oh, and for hydrogen storage a low pressure storage vessel filled with some sort of molecular sponge material so you don't have to deal with hydrogen at high pressure.

Ultimately? Super efficient, long life, electrical storage cell (i.e. super battery). Super efficient solar cells incorporated in the hood/roof/trunk surfaces of the car to do the bulk of the charging. Super efficient electric drive w/near 100% regenerative braking. Let's heat it and cool it with a super efficient heatpump (maybe a little, just little, IC motor for when it's cloudy, too cold, etc).

And, no I'm not an environmental freak. It's just that after 30 years of driving, you start to think about all those small quantities of gas that you use to get yourself to work, get the kids to school, go get a loaf of bread... it adds up, then you think about the gazillion other people doing the same thing (and China's now comming on-line) and you say to yourself "How long can this last?"
 
Thanks guys,

LOts of good info and interesting sources for fuel. Seems like either electric/solar etc... biodiesel, and LPG's are the dominate ones.

I forgot to add too, seeing a car running on CNG's would be cool too. Keep em coming,,,,AR
 
Considering that this is about internal combustion engines only, I would have to answer with water. The technology that allows water to be broken down into hydrogen and oxygen would need to be refined for this process to be concievable for everyday transportation, but I'm sure it can be done.

IMHO, the IC engine is a very obsolete and wasteful design. Too much energy is wasted. We need to find an automotive power plant that can harness 95% or more of the energy produced.

I have always wondered about a way to place solar cells in the combustion chamber of an IC engine. The light produced in these chambers has to be enough to do something with. Currently, it is wasted energy. I won't even begin to discuss the amount of energy that is wasted in the form of heat.
 
nvm, I found my answer
grin.gif
Ethanol 85% blend,,,,,,,AR
 
quote:

Originally posted by mormit:
Biogas (methane) and biodiesel.

All domestic sourced - the biogas from organic waste.


In all honesty my opinion is there is alot to be said about methane because the setup for natural gas is like propane but with a higher pressure storage tank.The conversion would be as simple as something like this could be.
 
quote:

Originally posted by medic:

IMHO, the IC engine is a very obsolete and wasteful design. Too much energy is wasted. We need to find an automotive power plant that can harness 95% or more of the energy produced.

I have always wondered about a way to place solar cells in the combustion chamber of an IC engine. The light produced in these chambers has to be enough to do something with. Currently, it is wasted energy. I won't even begin to discuss the amount of energy that is wasted in the form of heat. [/QB]

Interesting about the solar don't know if it would get enough power to do anything. Remember we have to be able to afford the new car
 
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