[V8] Diesels, hybrids, continued!

[Scott Justusson]

 Interesting discussion, one I have had for years with the Automotive Engineers in my family, friends and track buddies.  As a hobby, I've watched, driven and listened to many presentations on the 'future of fuels'.  Here's my .02 FWIW department

Biodiesel
First off, I think biodiesel advantage has a limited lifespan.  Currently, most of the large users of bio-fuel potential (restaurant waste), already have recycling of these oils.  Mickey D's in fact, has an 'after-hours' fryer oil recycling exchange that is external to the restaurant.  The current advantage of biofuels is the recycled price compared to fossil fuel diesel, but the primary price of biodiesel has a much higher carbon footprint, from cost of manufacture to primary/recycled emissions.  As GT points out as well, eurea (clean diesel) vehicles puke on biofuels (10% is considered max, but <2% reduces lifespan of these systems)

Hybrids - Electric
I just don't buy it.  Electric motor technology is really good and getting better, but battery technology is hovering at close to 100%, even assuming Li-ion.  A major breakthrough in battery tech might change this, but again we need to look at overall carbon footprint.  There, in manufacture and consumption, electric has great 'potential', but it lags way behind a lot of other technologies.  

Hybrids - regenerative HHV (Hydrualic Hybrid Vehicles) - 
Personally, and surprisingly co-initiated by the EPA, I think this has the best immediate potential with the lowest technology.  UPS and fleet trucks have seen increases in the 30%range, higher in the city cycle, which is the war right now.  And with ideal chassis/transmission tuning, almost double the mileage of a conventional diesel appears theoretically possible. Heavy beasts need their heavy butts pushed from the light.  They work by storing braking energy in a hydraulic cylinder, and using that stored hydraulic power to give accelerative power from a stop.   For more on this see:
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~hpeng/VSD_from_AVEC_HHV.pdf

Hybrids - Propane injected diesel
This is a very grass-roots internet driven hybrid that many 18wheelers use quite often.  Conventional diesel fueled engines are about 75% efficient to engine efficiency.  That is to say 75% of the fuel is burned for Flywheel Torque energy, 25% is wasted as emissions.  Propane injection of diesel fuel increases the octane and the fuel burn rate of diesel to a theoretical 100% (in reality, likely 96% or so).  The real world increase in fuel mileage using propane injected diesel is somewhere around 20% over non propane. That said, the cost per mile decreases significantly, as propane 'pump' prices have been much more stable at about half the price of diesel pump fuel.  For more on the advantages see:
http://www.dieselperformanceproducts.com/faq.html

Long Term vs Short Term Strategies
Right now, our lowest carbon footprint per energy unit is fossil fuels, by a large margin.  Diesel by itself being the most efficient energy unit per fossil fuel unit and lowest carbon footprint to produce.  Even the low sulpher fuels are much higher (lower amounts of refining) in the processing stack (in the Crude Oil>Unleaded Base-Stock refining funnel).  Energy Policy in Washington can immediately change the common arguments about diesel: Availability and Price.  While all the kids make great motions of throwing sand around in the playlot with 'electric' hybrids, Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes are ready to hit us with some pretty incredible diesel engines.  Yes, GM put a bad taste in the American public, but there is no doubt diesel/diesel hybrids are in our 'immediate' future.  Battery technology, driven by our insatiable demand for more power in a smaller package, might someday work, but we are almost at the limit.  Micro engines (power on a chip see:  http://thefutureofthings.com/articles/49/engine-on-a-chip.html) and micro energy cells might move the Hybrid Electric Vehicle to a more efficient state, but that's a longer term strategy.  

Summary
With immediate changes in our Energy Policy, and tax incentive programs for Diesel Hybrids, we can certainly reduce fuel consumption significantly and immediately.  Right now, a propane injected diesel hydraulic hybrid can easily double the mileage of the highest consumers of fossil fuels (light, med, heavy duty trucks).  While reducing processing footprint, consumption, and increasing performance and efficiency.  Put this hydraulic hybrid technology onto a current Jetta diesel, a massive increase in mileage awaits.  

For savings many have calculated vs upfront diesel option cost, it assumes a constant fuel price.  If you look at the historic rates of fuel prices, it's better to pay the upfront pop for diesel, as the long run, it will recoup faster.  To the argument for prius and volt and shock and all other hybrid electrics, the carbon footprint is just ugly right now.  Recharge that thing in a coal fired 'plug' source, it's uglier.  We have the technology to make a huge cut in our fossil fuel usage.  Without a sound energy policy, and dragging the GM kids kicking and screaming out of the sandbox, we are doomed to miss the boat.

My .02 arbitraged thru the peso

Scott J
no hybrids, no diesels...  Yet

 


 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Professor GT gmail <CavalloGT at gmail.com>
To: v8 at audifans.com <v8 at audifans.com>
Sent: Sat, Aug 6, 2011 7:49 am
Subject: [V8] Diesels, hybrids, continued!


The concept that holds real promise is the plug-in electric, at least until the 
utility companies figure out how to rape us on the charging rates!