efficient engine Archives – The Green Optimistic

New Waissi Engine Simpler and More Efficient, Arizona State University

Benji Jerew — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 12:12:08 +0000

The Waissi Engine is of an opposed-piston design, much like that being developed by Achates Power or EcoMotors, with one important difference: Waissi’s engine has fewer parts. The idea behind Waissi’s design is weight and mass reduction. Mass in motion that isn’t directly tied with power transmission actually wastes energy. As the internal combustion engine […]

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Honeywell’s Shroud Turbochargers Improving Fuel Economy

Benji Jerew — Wed, 29 May 2013 17:03:55 +0000

Legislators are pushing for higher fuel economy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, but this typically means smaller engines with less power. For most Americans, less power isn’t an acceptable form of transportation, which keeps sales of vehicles with better fuel economy lower than it should be. Automakers are working hard to develop engines that are […]

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A More Efficient Mazda Rotary Engine Could be Back in Five Years

Benji Jerew — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:09:41 +0000

The Wankel Rotary Engine, of unique design and origins, is the only mass-produced engine to have been conceived in the 20th century, while piston-crankshaft engines can trace their roots back at least 150 years. What makes the rotary engine so desirable is in its simplicity. The rotary engine contains far fewer moving parts than a […]

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Turbocharged Engines Have Low MPG Performance – Consumer Reports

Benji Jerew — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:00:57 +0000

Marketing and reality may often be two very different things, thus the ubiquitous “Your mileage may vary.” when it comes to automobile performance, handling, durability, and fuel economy. Thanks to various independent testing agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] and Consumer Reports [CR], consumers can get a better idea of vehicle performance and […]

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NASA’s “Flying Wing” Aircraft Prototype Twice as Efficient

Benji Jerew — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 18:20:16 +0000

While aviation engineers have long known that a “flying wing” aircraft would be more efficient than the traditional tubular fuselage aircraft we see today, the ability to control them in flight has prevented them from making any progress in commercialization. Since aircraft need to take off and land, requiring control at both low speed and […]

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30 MPG 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Has Some Calling “Bulls**t”

Benji Jerew — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 21:21:11 +0000

I’ve been reading up on the news, a little, and it seems odd that while some makers garner rave reviews when they release a 47 mpg hybrid, such as the Ford C-Max, other makers get dumped on when they release a 30 mpg SUV, such as the just-revealed 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. 18 days into […]

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Achates Power’s Diesel Engine Could be Twice as Efficient

Benji Jerew — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 18:02:09 +0000

The Achates Power engine could be twice as efficient than today’s best engines, and could be used for the Army. A few months ago, we discussed a radical new engine design from Achates Power in San Diego, CA. Well, the design isn’t radical, but based on a German engine from the 1930s, and with significant design […]

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Startup Elio Motors to Buy GM Plant for Building 60 mpg Car

Leigh Hutchens — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 21:13:59 +0000

Elio Motors in Shreveport, Louisiana wants to by a former General Motors plant in order to manufacture and sell their low-cost, high MPH car. One green automaker, Bright Automotive, has already gone under in Shreveport while waiting for Federal funding. Bright Automotive had hoped to build a green, high MPG van, but could not hold […]

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Ultrasound Looks Inside Engines to Improve Efficiency

Benji Jerew — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 18:25:40 +0000

We have long been using ultrasound to look deep into the ground for mineral deposits or even archaeological remnants, and even to lake a look inside the human body to see our vital components functioning. University of Sheffield’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rob Dwyer-Joyce, Professor of Lubrication Engineering, is the first to apply ultrasound technology […]

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Fiat 500 Proves Efficient Internal Combustion Engine Not Dead

Benji Jerew — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 06:24:41 +0000

Many manufacturers have been turning to electrification in order to reduce emissions, from the Toyota Prius and Nissan Leaf to high end cars like the BMW i-series and Fisker Karma. Other manufacturers have followed their lead, leading to the introduction of the Ford C-MAX and Chevy Volt, among other hybrid converted models. Fiat, on the […]

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“Transonic” Engine – New Injection System, No Ignition System

Benji Jerew — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 19:48:41 +0000

Transonic Combustion, a start-up company is developing a more efficient ICE technology that could lead to further increases in efficiency. The gasoline-powered internal combustion engine [ICE] has seen more improvement in the last five years than in the last twenty, Quieter timing chain technology, direct fuel injection, and variable intake and exhaust valve timing, among others, […]

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Rotating Detonation Engines Could Replace Turbines in US Navy

Benji Jerew — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 18:46:23 +0000

The gas-turbine engine, or jet engine, isn’t only found on jets, but in other applications as well. The US Navy doesn’t only use turbines for their fighter jets, but also as generators on their ships. As the Navy moves to all-electric propulsion, they still need some kind of electrical generator. Turbines are well-suited for development […]

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LiquidPiston’s Prototype Proves ICE Technology Can Save Gas

Benji Jerew — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 21:11:55 +0000

The typical internal-combustion engine [ICE] is no more than 30% thermodynamically efficient, that is, only about 30% of the energy in the fuel actually does any work propelling the vehicle. The rest is lost to heat and friction, which seems to make ICEs a poor choice when it comes to energy-efficient transportation. Electrified vehicles might […]

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New Ultra-Efficient Engine Promises 100 MPG

Benji Jerew — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 21:21:34 +0000

Today’s internal combustion engines [ICE] are almost nothing like the engines found in cars of years gone by, with the exception of the basic mechanical aspects. Otherwise, a multitude of new technologies takes the place of mechanical controls and has increased the performance and efficiency of a modern I-4 ICE beyond the capabilities of older […]

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Honda to Revive 40 Year-Old CVCC Engine as a Hybrid Version

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 18:46:06 +0000

Once the main innovator in the field of motoring, Honda is now hoping to catch up with fuel efficiency measures from all over the world. Takanubo Ito, CEO, now proposes a new (but conceptually old) CVCC engine as their next move. They want it revamped as a hybrid, but want it to work as a […]

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Ciatti's Gasoline-Burning Diesel Engine Emits Less Soot and Nitrous Oxides

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 06 May 2011 13:16:40 +0000

Diesel and gasoline engines have been the only way to move around since the 19th century (maybe with some small, electric exceptions for a short while). Though having low efficiency numbers (20 percent) when compared to their counterparts, gasoline engines still found their place on the market, mostly because in the first hundred years they had the advantage of being quicker, more responsive and now for not emitting soot and nitrous oxides.

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Shock Wave Motor Design 20% Lighter and Much More Efficient

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:13:25 +0000

An engine that uses shock waves has been invented by Norbert MÃƒÆ’¼ller at Michigan State University in East Lansing. He presented his baby at a DARPA-E meeting last week and showed how it can reduce fuel consumption and the car's total weight.

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New OCN Jet Engine Sips 25% Less Fuel and Outputs 75% Less Greenhouse Gases

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 08:00:25 +0000

An Israeli firm called R-Jet Engineering has designed a new jet engine that could lower the fuel consumption by 25%. Just like current jet engines are twice as efficient compared to those built in the 1960s, this one, if applied on commercial airplanes, could offer significant savings in fuel and greenhouse gases.

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OPOC: The Two-Stroke Engine Revived by Michigan Company Is Cleaner and More Efficient

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 13:00:35 +0000

EcoMotors, a Troy, Michigan startup company revitalizes the two-stroke engine, making it 50 percent more efficient than currently-used four-stroke engines and less polluting. Even Bill Gates and Khosla Ventures invested a total of $23.5 million in them.

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Fiat's MultiAir Engine Technology Applied to Future Chrysler Models

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 04:54:33 +0000

The Italian car manufacturer Fiat has acquired Chrysler and now remakes its name through much more efficient engines they had already applied in Europe for some time. For example, Chrysler will adopt Fiat's MultiAir engine, which can get their fleet to acquire an average of 35.5 mpg by 2016, thus obeying federal standards in force.

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TwinAir: The 0.9L, 85HP Engine Will Power the New Fiat 500

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:21:53 +0000

Now, along with the crisis, the purchase of Chrysler and the upcoming electric vehicle trend, Fiat is also focusing on making older technologies better. TwinAir is the name of their new engine project, it has 2 cylinders, 0.9 liters and an amazing 85 HP.

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German Engineers Develop Diesel Engine With Barely Detectable Emissions

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:36:54 +0000

Engineers from the Technische Universitaet Munchen (TUM) have shown an engine prototype whose emissions are very close to the Euro 6 standard, even though the Euro 5 norm has just been put into force three months ago for all new car models.

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EATR Robot Powered by Vegetation and a New, Efficient Steam Engine

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:20:55 +0000

Steam power is being revived as Robotic Technology Inc. develops the "EATR" as in Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot - basically a robot that can have a meal of gasoline, heavy fuel, kerosene, diesel, etc and biomass, thus never having to be recharged as long as it has some wood sticks around.

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HCCI Engine: No-Spark Gasoline Engine as Efficient as Diesel

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 25 May 2009 20:43:59 +0000

If you ever had a diesel car, you know that it's more fuel efficient than the gasoline counterpart. That's because diesel engines use compression to ignite the fuel, and gasoline engines use a spark to do that. Practically, diesel engines could work without any electricity - at all.

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Free Piston Engine: Worth Investing In It to Power Future Electric Cars?

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 08:29:17 +0000

Since the idea of economy started in humanity's mind, everybody wants to reduce the expenses, mostly on energy dependence. Nowadays, when hybrid cars and, generally, electric vehicles are starting to play a huge role in car industry, and electric technology is starting to get cheaper yearly, there still are scientists that get inspired by the old explosion engine principles, albeit they are being used for more than a hundred years and their power source is mainly based on fossil fuel.

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Fuel Vapors System Runs Car in Charlotte County

Ovidiu Sandru — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:48:27 +0000

Have your every drove your car on "fumes"? They're gas vapors that form when it evaporates. One man, John Weston, from Charlottle County, FL, has found these fumes useful and made a fueling system out of them so his car gets an incredible mileage: 463 miles per gallon! In European measurements (if I'm correct) this is 0.8L/100km!!! Wow! Not even VW's latest gadget car can't get this mileage!

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Revetec Controlled Combustion Engine: 50% less fuel, 100% power

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:49:27 +0000

A better combustion engine is the one recently patented by Revetec, a small company from Australia. Their engine has been tested by independent parties. It has the same power as an ordinary engine, but it consumes half the fuel and it weights 50% less. It's also smaller than the average car engine.

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Pratt & Whitney`s Geared Jet Engine Turbo-Fan to Burn 15% Less Fuel

Ovidiu Sandru — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:59:47 +0000

One of the biggest names in aviation, Pratt & Whitney, spent almost twenty years developing the geared turbofan engine that burns 12 to 15% less fuel than other jet engines. The new turbofan engine also cuts carbon dioxide emissions by 1,500 tons/plane yearly.

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Turbine Engine: a Different, 30% More Efficient Way to Move Trucks

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 07:24:55 +0000

The following is an excerpt from tt engines, a company who made a truck engine that does not have any pistons, valves, or any other elements from the conventional Otto engine. It works with 30% more efficiency, and exhausts less dangerous elements for our health and the environment. It can burn anything, from gasoline to […]

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MUSIC – A new, green, more efficient petrol engine

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 22:31:32 +0000

A simple redesign of the petrol engine could greatly increase its efficiency when idling or driving at low speeds, as well as reduce the harmful emissions it produces. UK researchers say the new design could even make petrol engines as efficient as diesel ones. In most petrol engines, fuel is ignited by spark plugs inside […]

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