Oil industry suppressed plans for 200-mpg car

TimesOnline ^ | March 31, 2003 | Simon de Bruxelles

[Diddley]

LOL

Thus, the day that patent issued, is was no longer a supressible secret.
Funny how these things work, isn't it?

I think the publication date is a day early.
Yup. Mar 31 date.

[Onelifetogive]

“You can get fantastic mileage if you’re prepared to de-rate the vehicle to a point where, for example, it might take you ten minutes to accelerate from 0 to 30 miles an hour.”

Then why don't Chevrolets get better mileage???

[jae471]

Quite right. Almost *everything* is radioactive, just not very radioactive...Coleman lantern mantles have thorium in them and set off the G-M counters nicely. You get a small dose from your significant other when you sleep next to him/her from the potassium-40 in the bloodstream.

Don't forget about the Carbon-14 present in just about everything you eat.

[Diddley]

It alpha decays with a half life of something like a billion years , , ,I wouldn't want to breath it.

Something that decays to half its radioactivity in a billion years is incredibly non-harmful.

[Boston Capitalist]

More like a jelly.

[Nov3]

Something that decays to half its radioactivity in a billion years is incredibly non-harmful.

Maybe so, but as a matter of general principle I try not to ingest alpha emmiters. That is just a quirk I have.

[AbsoluteJustice]

Anyone find my damned Flux Capacitor??

[Born to Conserve]

You need a lesson in thermodynamics. :)
A perpetual motion machine of the first kind, is indeed impossible, because it breaks the first law of thermodynamics. A perpetual motion machine of the second kind, is not impossible, because it breaks the second law of thermodynamics, WHICH IS ONLY TO BE APPLIED TO SYSTEMS THAT FOLLOW THE LAWS OF STATISTICS. On a molecular scale, perpetual motion machines of the second kind are theoretically possible, and could be ganged to produce larger machines.

200 mpg carburators are bunk, but moving heat from a colder body to a warmer body, without investing energy, is theoretically possible.

If you need more of an authority than me, go check with Enrico Fermi in his book 'Thermodynamics'.

[Calvin Locke]

I miss Art Bell. He could draw out these conspiracy gigs in to a decent form of entertainment. He could be the soaps writers to shame.

Pogue? Must be the high performance variation of the Fish (phish? fiche? phiche?) carburator.

[mil-vet]

There have actually been several (suppressed) examples of vapor-based gasoline fuel delivery (carburation) systems which do, in fact, increase fuel economy four or five times. Economy of 90 to 110 MPG for a 2500-3000 pound car is relatively straightforward, not requiring alteration of driving conventions or habits in the slightest (no slow acceleration or any such).

It is because so much of the gas which goes into the current gasoline engine is actually NOT burned in the energy-delivery combustion process that catalytic converters are currently required. The fuel NOT burned delivers no energy, and comes out of the engine as environmentally unfriendly chemical products.

Vapor, unlike the droplets of liquid currently ingested by the typical automotive engine cylinder, burns very efficiently, releasing much more of the energy "stored" in the petroleum, which is why increased fuel economy occurs. Additionally, the products of efficient combustion/burning are water and carbon dioxide, not all the "environmentally unfriendly" junk currently resulting from the INefficient burning of droplets of liquid.

This is actually not junk science; unlike that promulgated by enviro-terrorists, this can be demonstrated on a reliable, repetitive basis. Development of such engine fuel delivery systems is not allowed and individuals who do build such are bought out by (supossedly) the petroleum companies who have SO much to lose if vehicle fuel consumption were to drop to 20 - 25% of current levels!!

[Blue Screen of Death]

That's nothing. I have invented a car that will get 400 miles per gallon. If you want to invest you can contact my associate, the Finance Minister of Nigeria. He will be sending you an e-mail soon.

[org.whodat]

This is actually not junk science; unlike that promulgated by enviro-terrorists, this can be demonstrated on a reliable, repetitive basis. Development of such engine fuel delivery systems is not allowed and individuals who do build such are bought out by (supossedly) the petroleum companies who have SO much to lose if vehicle fuel consumption were to drop to 20 - 25% of current levels

You have the problem of operation temp. as someone pointed out. Ford tried for several years to built a moter using glass to operate in the needed high temp range, but couldn't get it to live(operate for any serviceable lenghth of time), however they did get it to operate at over 12,000 rpm.

[Nov3]

I am already invested in the tesla generators to the tune of 20,000. They were supposed to install one at my house to make me energy independent. They have missed the install dates. Should I worry?

[NavyCaptain]

I think this classifies as an "urban legend!"

[Dog Gone]

This is a true story. The oil company I work for is the one who bought the carburetor, and we keep it under glass in the lobby of our world headquarters. It's guarded 24 hours a day, of course.

Every morning, when I walk past it, I laugh an evil laugh as I think of how sinister we are.

[Revolting cat!]

"it might take you ten minutes to accelerate from 0 to 30 miles an hour.”

With gas prices being what they are today, I'd have no problem with that!

[DannyTN]

Here is the Federal Trade Commission's response to fuel deliver / carburation systems. They say most they have investigated do not show any savings or so marginal savings that they are not worth it.

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/autos/gasave.htm

[Beck_isright]

I don't really use my SUV that much. My great grandfather was Mr. Scott and he left me plans for a transporter. Beam me up!

[sharktrager]

So, what was the half-life of my ex?