Maths Question

[RABBITT_Andrew at mv8.orbeng.com.au]

>>
>> If we were able to utilize a third of the waste heat, wouldn't that 
>> make a big difference?  Instead of raising CAFE with smaller and
>> lighter cars, we would raise it by being more efficient.  I doubt 
>> that all the EFI software in the world will make much more MPG than 
>> we see right now.  I would like to see something intelligent about 
>> using the waste heat.
>
>
>In a relatively old textbook that I have on heat engines (40's or 
>50's era) there's a discussion of the idea of following an IC with a 
>gas-turbine.
>The context wasn't like that of a turbocharger, but rather with the 
>turbine shaft connected though a mechanical drive to the driveshaft, 
>hence combining the output of the two for useful work.

Curtis-Wright did this on their Turbo-Compund aero engines of the 40's 
and 50's.  It gave more power, better power-weight, but not sure about 
thermal efficiency though.  

Now they use gas turbines made by GE, Pratt&Whittney and RR :)