OPOC engines

[GPChief]

http://www.ecomotors.com/

Pretty interesting reading.  Must have some potential or Bill Gates would not have pledged them 23.5M for venture.  I didnt see how it reacts to boost though :icon_eek:

[manifoldsrme]

Thats the future. We already have the infrastructure to support gasoline engines. Electric is a hundred years away minimum. Especially with advancements like this........... Pretty cool.

[Jonpro03]

I 100 billion % disagree with that statement.

I can't believe anybody is investing money into gasoline motor development. Just because you create a exceptionally efficient combustion engine doesn't change the FACT that there is no future for fossil fueled combustion engines. Now ethanol, I can see. Do I think it's an amazing technological advancement for combustion engines? Yes. Do I think it's a colossal waste of time, energy and money? Absolutely. The future of automotive is biodisel, ethanol and electricity.

On the topic of electric cars, everybody agrees that the downfall of electric cars is that they require batteries. Believe it or not, this is not the future.

Source: Fuji-Keizai USA Inc

Wireless power is inevitable in the evolution of wireless technology. Sending electricity from a power source to an electrical load without needing a plug or cord is in a true sense a 21st century technology, enabled by the meeting of science and high-power digital electronics. Expectations are running high that wireless power can become a new industry with vigorous growth prospects in the coming decade.

As the wireless power technology increases in efficiency, and as power consumption of applications comes down owing to other design efficiencies and trends (such as smart grid), at some time the two will cross and create new and compelling applications, in the home, in the car, and in industry. There will be hundreds of watts of power per household up for grabs. And there will be megawatts of wireless power applications industry wide, including consumer charging pads and far-more ambitious laser power beaming applications and everything in between.

Wireless power is already a reality today ?? with limitations. Solutions commercially available now are solely about power distribution, under the assumption that the ?power? is still coming from the wall outlet (or a generator).

While this technology is still in its infancy, it is under heavy development. It's already starting to show up in the US market as charging pads for portable devices. Samsung, Duracell, Energizer, Sanyo and Nokia are all working on developing this technology. The Wireless Power Consortium has already released a standard called Qi to keep everybody on the same page. There are still many obstacles holding this technology back, such as efficiency over distances. It is only a matter of time before this technology is applied to automotive technology. NASA has used this technology to fly an unmanned aircraft. (http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/FactSheets/FS-087-DFRC.html) Canada did it back in the '80s: http://www.friendsofcrc.ca/Projects/SHARP/sharp.html

I personally see the future being electric transmission highways with wireless electric vehicles. While it's just a dream at this point, I share the same dream with many others. Hopefully, the technology will be developed and America will be released of its dependency on fossil fuels.

[manifoldsrme]

Not going to argue with you but.......... My dad has been in the oil fields for 40 years and laughs at what is preached by the "greens". Did you know that peak oil theory assumed that oil deeper than 1000 feet would never be reached because at the time it was impossible to drill that far down? We now drill 20 miles deep into the earth with no problems. There is enough KNOWN oil reserves to last 1000 years even with consumption doubling tomorrow, which it will not.

A gallon of gasoline is still cheaper than a gallon of water at the gas station. If the oil companies really believed their product was about to run out or in short supply, trust me, they would be raising the price in a panic like we have never seen. They know as it is oil is about 700% overvalued. It is speculators and Goldman Sachs that have kept it artificially high. There is no real reason it should be more than $20 a barrel, at the most. It was in 1992 during the first gulf war, we have 4 times the stockpiles now worldwide, and the capacity to oversupply the market on a whim. Remember, OPEC has CUT BACK to keep the prices where they are now. Oil pricing is manipulated.

The internal combustion engine is only about 15% efficient with most of the efficiency wasted in heat that is radiated off. Ceramics, lighter parts, and better designs will be around and AFFORDABLE for a long time before some other system comes along. The infrastructure needed alone to go "electric" is a pipe dream. Even in my 11 mpg Grand Cherokee I would need to use 250,000 miles worth of gas before I broke even after spending $40,000 + on a new Chevy Volt to replace it. That's retarded and of no interest to me.

I agree that fossil fuels will one day be replaced. But I belive that day is HUNDREDS of years off, not decades. And we will not run out of fossil fuels either. Thats a scare tactic used by the radical left and their TAXPAYER SUBSIDIZED base. When they try and compete in the free capitalist market they fail (so far). If the technology is so great then it should be privately funded and compete on its own merits. Like this company is doing. I believe there is still a strong place in the automotive market for an engine like this. As well as air powered, and other different designs. Just my 2 cents.

And Ethanol? NEVER IN MY ENGINES! That stuff is like poison to older engines. I would never put that stuff in my TGP, where high octane is required.

http://www2.highlandstoday.com/content/2008/jun/22/problem-ethanol/

http://www.fueltestkit.com/ethanol_problems_damage.html

All I am saying I believe the death of the internal combustion engine is GREATLY exagerated.

[killinprixs]

correct me if im wrong but as long as your fuel lines arent rotting and you have new head gaskets, running your tgp properly tuned on ethanol would increase performance, the octane is high enough to run higher timing/boost without detonation.   Someone should come up with a tune strictly for ethanol/racing.  The price of it compared to race gas is so cheap i think its such a waste to not use.   

[Jonpro03]

I agree with that. I know the GTP guys like to put 1/2 E85 and 1/2 Premium when they go to the track. I think they turn up the fuel pressure a little though. I think you have to run something like 40% more fuel when using ethanol.

[maxlap21]

Combustion engines will be around for a while... 

With that said, the OPOC engine sounds promising for efficiency, I'm not so sure for performance though. It has more potential with diesel fuel as it can achieve much higher compression ratio, but for gasoline I'm not even convinced it would reduce emission as all properties would remain the same. Nonetheless, I'm intrigued to see what they can do!

Now something much more interesting :icon_biggrin: : http://www.ecomotors.com/mechatronik-division

[Fred931]

Now something much more interesting :icon_biggrin: : http://www.ecomotors.com/mechatronik-division

:willy_nilly: