CVT (was:Intake manifold construction, intercoolers)

[Bernd Felsche]

Erik Quackenbush tapped away at the keyboard with:

> At 09:42 AM 12/6/2001 +0800, Bernd Felsche wrote:
> 
> >You can get CVTs to transmit that amount of troque, but not in a
> >car you'd want to put on the road.

> You will be able to buy one next year. Audi will be offering a new
> CVT on the A4 that can handle the full torque of their standard
> engine. They have a new design that uses what looks like a

But not yet their more-powerful engines. Multitronic has been
available for a year or so. But only for the less-torquey engines.

> 2-dimensional drive chain. There are sideways links so the chain
> can crawl up and down a sort of  "gear cone" towithout slipping.
> My vague description is based on a non-technical article I read in
> one of the mainstream US car magazines.

It's a variation on the van Doorne (sp?) design; it uses a link-belt
instead of a vee belt. I remember DAF cars from the 1960's; basic
idea is the same but execution is vastly different.

The new Mini gets CVT as an option as well.

> Combine the CVT with one of the forthcoming 42 volt engine designs
> and you'll have a car with no gears, no timing belt (or chain), no
> camshaft, and no alternator. The valves will be solenoid operated
> which allows infinitely adjustable cam timing. The starter motor
> windings will double as the alternator. Imagine changing your
> "virtual" camshaft profile by plugging your laptop into the OBD
> port and dialing in a longer duration. It makes me feel old. ;{)

The other advantage of the 42V electric and some of the new
supercaps is that you can eliminate torque variations throughout the
revolution, so a four can idle as smoothly as a turbine and flywheel
mass will be no more than the windings of the alternator/motor.

There's also fully-electric electric power steering and brakes
waiting for 42V, as are airconditioning compressors. BMW's producing
some cars with gasoline-fueled SOFC APU to run auxiliaries without
having to turn the engine.

Other than that; not much is changing. :-)
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