In car oil refinery, run by EFI.

[Danny Barrett]

Yes, I see your point about the energy in/out bit. However, somewhere (I
can't remember where) I've heard of heat pumps that are 300% efficient. Of
course, the efficiency depends mainly on the refrigerant used, and so does
the the temperature difference. Ie. get the right refrigerant, and get the
desired results. The biggest problem is: is there a refrigerant that will do
the job...



>      I would look a little closer at the heat-pump idea the 110 % 
>efficancy only means for every 100 watts in electical-mecanical energy put in 
>you get 110 watts of heat out, not a big differance. Electric heaters
>are 100% efficant at turning electical energy to heat, but then so is a 
>light bulb. I am not sure what temps you need in the "refinery" but heat
>pumps work real well for small delta T's  ie. 0 to 30 degrees, but 
>are less attractive at higher delta T's. Good luck, refine your proposal 
>stick with a how this will help the envirorment theme, and start asking
>for grants, with luck you might get a career out of it.   
> 
>Mike D.
>
>
>> From diy_efi-owner at esl.eng.ohio-state.edu Tue May  5 00:34 CDT 1998
>> From: danny_tb at postoffice.utas.edu.au (Danny Barrett)
>> 
>> Just so that the guesses can stop coming in (even though it has been
>> discovered what I am intending)...
>> 
>> I intend to build an in car "oil refinery." This may sound like a heap of BS
>> to many, but others have researched the possibility, and found it might be
>> viable IF it can be controled somehow.
>> 
>> The basic principal behind it is to catalytically crack the fuel molecules,
>> in the presence of hydrogen, and form methane. This reaction is an
>> ENDOthermic reaction - ie. it requires energy (in the form of heat) to be
>> put IN, and thereby, the products of the reaction are at a higher energy
>> state than the fuel that was put in. Thus, otherwise wasted heat energy is
>> stored CHEMICALLY, to be used within the engine. Because of this "recycling"
>> effect, less fuel should be required for the same power output, and hence,
>> greater efficiency.
>> 
>> The main problem with methane as a fuel (from what I am told) is that it
>> burns with a lower temperature than gasoline (this means it is more
>> "explosive" in its reaction, but changes in ignition timing will cure this
>> problem). Since it burns with a lower temperature, it might not produce
>> exhaust gases hot enough to keep the catalytic cracking reaction going. This
>> is where the refrigerants come in.
>> 
>> Everyone knows about heat pumps... They use a little bit of energy to
>> TRANSFER a large amount of energy from one place to another. This is how a
>> home heat pump can have an efficiency of say 110% - The energy it TRANSFERS
>> is FAR GREATER than the energy it uses. For those who can't grasp this -
>> consider a fuel pump on an engine. It uses a small amount of energy, but it
>> pumps fuel, which has a very large amount of energy stored in it
>> (chemically). The heat pump is just the same. Also, a heat pump can take
>> heat energy from a cold place, and put it into a warm place, making the cold
>> place colder, and the warm place warmer. This is how you can sit in your
>> cosy room at 30 deg C, when it is 0 deg C outside, simply by using a heat
pump.
>> 
>> How does the heat pump apply to the fuel system? Remember I said that the
>> exhaust gases of the methane powered engine may be too cold to keep the
>> reaction going? I intend to use a heat pump (using a little bit of energy)
>> to TRANSFER a very large amount of energy from the exhaust (making it yet
>> cooler), to the little oil refinery mounted on the engine (keeping it at the
>> desired temperature). Hence, I have stipulated the refrigerant to be able to
>> cope with temperatures of (at least) between 20 deg C, and 500 to 600 deg C.
>> In actual fact, it would be better if it were to work at a larger temp
>> range. This is also why I said that some kind of head cooling system would
>> help my little project, although it isn't my project, per-say. However, I
>> had thought of it before. If all of the wasted heat could be collected from
>> the oil, the coolant system, and the exhaust (bearing in mind that both the
>> coolant system, and the oil should be kept at their most efficient
>> temperatures), then the system should (not saying it will) be more efficient
>> still. In fact, it might be possible for such a system to replace the
>> radiator, and recirculate the energy, instead of throwing it away by
>> increasing the ambient air temperature.
>> 
>> However, such a system would have a maximum efficiency, where the attempt to
>> recycle any more energy would result in the system using more extra energy
>> than it gains. I do not know where this point is, but I would like to
find out.
>> 
>> As for where EFI fits in, obviously, an EFI system can meter just the right
>> amount of fuel (and water that is thermally cracked, and electrostatically
>> separated into H(+) and O(2-) ions, then made into H2 and O2 inseparate
>> chambers) needed more accurately than any carburettor will ever be able to.
>> Also, it may be possible to have another EFI computer controling the heat
>> pump, so that the little oil refinery can stay at its most efficient
>> temperature.
>> 
>> Any comments/ideas???
>> 
>> Danny Barrett.
>> 
>> 
>> 
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