Khosla Ventures Increases Stake in Transonic Combustion; 100 MPG Demonstrator Targeted for Q3 2008

Greencarcongress.com ^ | 01/18/2008 | Staff

[Red Badger]

Khosla Ventures has increased its investment in fuel-injection company Transonic Combustion, Inc. to become the company’s largest preferred shareholder. Transonic is an R&D-phase company developing an advanced fuel injection system for automobiles which promises to dramatically increase fuel efficiency. This fuel injection system allows engines to run on gasoline, diesel and a wide range of bio-renewables.

Transonic says that a unique aspect of its technology is that it can precisely control fuel heat release during the combustion process without using spark ignition or relying on compression ignition.

Although it is holding details on the technology close, Transonic says that the technology achieves ultra-high efficiency by operating conventional gasoline engines at ultra-high compression ratios and incorporates very precise ignition timing and carefully minimized waste heat generation.

A key aspect of the technology is a new type of fuel injector. This injector can be supplemented by advanced thermal management, EGR, electronic valves, and advanced combustion chamber geometries.

Along with operating conventional engines with high efficiency on gasoline, this technology can utilize fuels on the basis of their chemical heat capacity largely independent of their octane or cetane ratings. Economical, highly functional mixtures of renewable plant products can be utilized which are not practical in either spark ignition or conventional compression ignition engines, according to the company.

The 18-month-old company has progressed from single cylinder research to current full size car engine testing. Transonic is in the process of developing a 100 mpg technology demonstrator in a sports car which is targeted to be on the road by the third quarter of 2008.

The company is moving towards commercialization plans and has started to recruit experts in the automotive, combustion science, materials science and ultra-precision manufacturing areas. Recent additions to the Transonic team include:

*

Mike Frick, formerly chief engineer for direct injection systems at Delphi with prior positions as strategic planner and chief engineer for injection systems at Siemens. *

Dr. Dan Flowers, an advanced combustion researcher from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. *

Dr. Feng Bin, a lubrication and seals expert, from Ford Motor Company and then Visteon, following its spinout from Ford.

With the additional investment, Vinod Khosla has joined the board of directors. Khosla Ventures participated in the first and second rounds of funding, in conjunction with Venrock and Rustic Canyon. The size of the investment was not disclosed, but was at a substantially higher valuation than the Transonic’s second round of funding which closed July 2007.

Transonic was founded by Mike Cheiky, a serial inventor/entrepreneur with expertise in batteries, fuel cells and computer architecture. Cheiky was the founder of Ohio Scientific, Zinc Matrix Power and V-Star.

Transonic’s innovative fuel injection system is an important building block in developing the next generation of fuel-efficient engines. Our commitment to growing Transonic’s business complements our firm’s additional investments in the engine space. Credit should be given to these firms for their work toward developing the 100 mile per gallon car in the coming years. —Vinod Khosla

Last week, Khosla Ventures announced an investment in EcoMotors, a company that is developing a new family of compact, modular, efficient diesel engines.

[Red Badger]

Rest In Peace, old friend, your work is finished.....

If you want ON or OFF the DIESEL ”KnOcK” LIST just FReepmail me.....

This is a fairly HIGH VOLUME ping list on some days.....

Is this the 21st Century version of the "100 MPG CARBURETOR"?...........

[Red Badger]

100 MPG Fuel injector KnOcK!........

[davisfh]

"Is this the 21st Century version of the "100 MPG CARBURETOR"?..........."

I fear that this is true.

[CommerceComet]

Question for the engineers and physicists out there: Is a 100 mpg car theoretically possible using normal combustion techniques?

I've heard that automobiles convert only a small fraction of the energy available in the fuel into locomotion. Is that correct?

[toast]

Is this the 21st Century version of the "100 MPG CARBURETOR"?...........

If it doesn't actually get to market a whole new conspiracy story will be born.

[Red Badger]

“I’ve heard that automobiles convert only a small fraction of the energy available in the fuel into locomotion. Is that correct?”

Spark ignition, the predominant method used in modern internal combustion gasoline engines, is not the most efficient at converting the fuel to mechanical energy.

Compression Ignition, the method used in DIESEL engines, is more efficient for that purpose.

I’m not sure of the exact percentages, but they are explained:

http://www.ccds.charlotte.nc.us/mcgrail/stu0102/HP10/

[DUMBGRUNT]

Gasoline: US gallon = 115,000 Btu

1.0 watt = 1.0 joule/second = 3.413 Btu/hr 1.0 kilowatt (kW) = 3413 Btu/hr = 1.341 horsepower 1.0 kilowatt-hour (kWh) = 3.6 MJ = 3413 Btu 1.0 horsepower (hp) = 550 foot-pounds per second = 2545 Btu per hour = 745.7 watts = 0.746 kW

Approximately 60% waste heat, 15% at the wheels.

Inertia, rolling resistance, air resistance, go very light and very slow?

"100 mpg technology demonstrator in a sports car"

A large gokart down an open highway?

Add a few hundred pounds of safety equipment, Padded seats would be nice, air conditioning, heater... Now we have to upgrade the frame and suspension for the weight!

If there is little waste heat how many BTU's for the heater?

[Gritty]

Watch for Congress to soon increase CAFE standards to 140 MPG...

[Clioman]

“Although it is holding details on the technology close...”

Officials of the Lagos, Nigeria-based company promised to make “important announcements to future investment parters who SINCERELY want to be millionaires” via e-mail and internet marketing communications....

[ASA Vet]

Transonic Combustion Inc website

[TKDietz]

This technology may never go anywhere, but I doubt it’s a hoax or a scam. Super successful venture capitalists like Khosla don’t put money into things without checking them out and determining there is at least a pretty darned good chance of success.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The Technology:

*********************************From the Website*****************************

Transonic Combustion's core technology is highly proprietary and, thus, reviewable only under NDA Agreement, however, here are a few key points.

The technology achieves ultra-high efficiency by operating conventional reciprocating piston gasoline engines at ultra-high compression ratios and incorporates very precise ignition timing and carefully minimized waste heat generation. A key aspect of the technology is a revolutionary new type of fuel injector. This injector can be supplemented by advanced thermal management, EGR, electronic valves, and advanced combustion chamber geometries.

Along with operating conventional engines with high efficiency on gasoline, this technology can utilize fuels on the basis of their chemical heat capacity largely independent of their octane or cetane ratings. Thus, economical, highly functional mixtures of renewable plant products can be utilized which are not practical in either spark ignition or conventional compression ignition engines.

Transonic Combustion engine technology offers the promise of dramatically improving near term gasoline engine efficiencies for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and reduced dependence on foreign oil, with the long term promise of operating on renewable, zero net carbon bio-fuels at an attractive cost per mile.

[Red Badger]

I was really referring to the so-called “100 MPG Carburetor” that, according to urban legends, was invented in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s (take your pick), and was “bought out by: (Big Oil, the government, the Arabs, the Japanese, take your pick)” and so was never allowed on the market.......

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

EcoMotors promises 100 mpg engine

*************************************

EcoMotors is developing a diesel engine that it says will let cars travel 100 miles per gallon by 2011 -- a good fifty per cent better than the Toyota Prius, and double your bog-standard UK banger.

The company will be explaining its plans at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, later this week.

Khosla Ventures has invested in the company.

[logic]

Tag for investigation later...

[Don Carlos]

Officials of the Lagos, Nigeria-based company promised to make “important announcements

Dang! Just deleted that e-mail. Prolly lost my big chance to get in early...

[norraad]

100 mpg carb.

I grew up right next to one of the research facilities (which was owned by big oil, so they didn't buy it, they invented it so they could control it).

Bottom line is very high pressure makes very fine almost molecular sized drops so very clean burn.

They decreed cat. converters = same ( or close to) results but gasoline consumption still remain profitable.

[RightWhale]

Get the compression up to 40:1 or the combustion temperature up to 6000 degrees and we’ll possibly see some of this vast improvement. Might be tough on aluminum block engines, but worth it.