From: jgd@dixie.com (John De Armond)
Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.tech,misc.consumers,sci.environment,talk.environment
Subject: Re: Carburetors, gasoline, and why I don't recycle
Date: 2 Sep 92 17:21:52 GMT
Organization: Dixie Communications Public Access.  The Mouth of the South.

ejhupper@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu (Eric Huppertz) writes:


>I refuse to recycle.  If I have an empty soda can, and there's a
>garbage can right next to a recycling bin, I'll throw it in
>the garbage can.  Same with newspapers, bottles, plastic jugs,
>you name it.  I say, into the trash with it.

I don't recycle either but for different reasons than your 
fantasy conspiracy.

>You see, carburetors have been the subject of much study for decades.
>And there have been several enterprising groups who have developed
>carburetors and engine systems which are hyper-efficient by 
>comparison to today's standards, but only par for the course where
>scientific development is concerned.  I once read an article which
>stated, as I recall, that one such fuel-injection system promised
>to double the effective power of its engine, while extending gas
>mileage to well over 130 (that's one hundred thirty) miles per
>gallon.  On a news program years ago, I saw a group of college
>students who had developed a carburetor that guaranteed at least
>100 miles per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline.

>So where are these miraculous systems?  Are they installed in our
>automobiles, reducing our fuel consumption and air pollution output?
>Of course not.  You know as well as I do where they are:  In the
>vaults of the world's major oil companies.  

No I don't know that.  The reason is I'm capable of a little basic math
and have a basic understanding of physics.  Instead of sitting around
lopeing your mule and getting off on hating the Evil Assault Oil 
Companies (TM), why don't you actually try a little physics experiment.
All you need is a stopwatch.

Go out on the road and measure your road horsepower, that is, the power
needed to propel your car at a constant speed on level
ground, using the coastdown method.  All you need to know is how much
your car weighs with you in it and how fast your car coasts from
one speed to another on either side of the speed of interest 
while free-wheeling.  I'll let you figure out the basic physics.

After you've figured that out, and using an unrealistic engine 
efficiency of 50%, compute how much gasoline is necessary to 
produce that amount of power.  This amount of gasoline will be the 
absolute minimum needed to keep the car rolling at the speed of 
interest.  Then compute the needed miles per gallon using the 
speed of interest.

Assuming you drive a typical modern car, 
I can assure you that the resultant theoretical BEST mpg for that car
will be no where near what you're claiming is possible.  This theoretical
calculation does not account for hills, for acceleration, for energy
lost in braking, cornering loss and a myrid of other factors.

Your post reminds me of the old saying about "Better to remain silent
and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all
doubt."

John
-- 
John De Armond, WD4OQC               |Interested in high performance mobility?  
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