[narby]

Ok, you don't want to talk about anything but original designs, but I just have to add this one.

Do the "Turbo Compound" thing, like on the Lockheed Constellation airplane. Uses a turbine in the exaust to capture wasted energy and directly powers the drive shaft. This uses up the wasted expansion ratio.

I'm familiar enough with patents that I can say that even though this has been done, there are still zillions of opportunities to patent little necessary pieces of such things that adapt such technology to cars.

[John Jamieson]

Worked very well. It was a great idea and I do think that it might have automotive applications. Extends the exhaust expansion ratio nicely. Excellant point.

[boris]

"Do the "Turbo Compound" thing, like on the Lockheed Constellation airplane. Uses a turbine in the exaust to capture wasted energy and directly powers the drive shaft. This uses up the wasted expansion ratio."

In automobiles, this is called a 'supercharger'. You may have heard of it.

--Boris