Re: Open-Source Armchair Critics At It Again

On 2026-07-29 19:17, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> On 29/07/2026 18:13, Carlos E. R. wrote:
>> On 2026-07-28 17:22, Rich wrote:
>>> c186282 <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>> On 7/27/26 00:42, rbowman wrote:
>>>>> On Sun, 26 Jul 2026 21:23:57 -0400, c186282 wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>      They DID promise atomic-powered cars back when I was a little 
>>>>>> kid.
>>>>>>      Wonder what happened ?
>>>>>
>>>>> Ford didn't make any promises with the Nucleon. It was a concept 
>>>>> based on
>>>>> small, lightweight reactors becoming available in the future. Never
>>>>> happened.
>>>>>
>>>>> I do remember Chrysler's turbine car from the '64 World's Fair. 
>>>>> There were
>>>>> working prototypes but that didn't prove out either.
>>>>
>>>>    Turbines aren't great for automobiles.
>>>>
>>>>    We CAN make 'em cheap enough now - but they are not very fuel
>>>>    efficient and take too long to wind up and down.
>>>>
>>>>    So, no "Batmobiles".
>>>>
>>>>    "Hybrids", using a small constant-speed diesel as the recharge
>>>>    generator ...  those can be very efficient.
>>>
>>> Which is also a "usage point" for "turbines".  Run them at
>>> constant-speed spinning a generator, then use the resulting electricity
>>> for battery recharge.
>>>
>>> But you still have to deal with the "not terribly efficient" factor for
>>> a car sized model, plus the heat generated by the turbine combustion
>>> process.
>>>
>>
>> In theory, you could run a second turbine on those hot gases of the 
>> exhaust.
>>
> Its called a turbocharger.
> 

On piston motors, yes. I have never seen a turbine powered car, so I 
don't know what they actually do.

I understand a turbocharger generates compressed clean air to feed the 
motor intake; this is not needed for a turbine car plant.

What a car would do is use the exhaust hot gases to generate more 
electricity instead.

-- 
Cheers,
        Carlos E.R.
        ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;