Nic Manns Ford turbo/helicopter turbine combination
Discussion
Nic Mann built Ford 1.7 litre BDA turbo linked to helicopter turbine which compresses air so that there is no turbo lag.It produced 400 odd BHP last time I checked. This power output was restricted by the gearbox, which broke if he went any higher.
Given that this was a self built design in a specially adapted Beattie Clubmans hillclimb car I was wondering if you technical wizards out there in PH land thought that a manufacturer could develop such a design to create a small engined supercar that at normal road speeds gave a low Co2 emission, but when pushed in a higher rev band or even throttle position would give the car hyper car performance?
Given that this was a self built design in a specially adapted Beattie Clubmans hillclimb car I was wondering if you technical wizards out there in PH land thought that a manufacturer could develop such a design to create a small engined supercar that at normal road speeds gave a low Co2 emission, but when pushed in a higher rev band or even throttle position would give the car hyper car performance?
The turbine engine blows directly into a turbo. It means that the turbo is at full boost even at low revs.
The problem with CO2 etc is that you are running two engines.
It can be overcome these days by sequential turbos (ie: one small for low revs and one big for higher revs) or a supercharger/turbocharger combination.
It is a nice idea and works well on a budget for doing hillclimbs, but it is not a realistic proposition for a roadcar especially with all the emissions hoops that you have to jump through these days.
The problem with CO2 etc is that you are running two engines.
It can be overcome these days by sequential turbos (ie: one small for low revs and one big for higher revs) or a supercharger/turbocharger combination.
It is a nice idea and works well on a budget for doing hillclimbs, but it is not a realistic proposition for a roadcar especially with all the emissions hoops that you have to jump through these days.
philoldsmobile said:
very interesting though....
Undoubtedly, but with reference to the original question, it is the wrong application for the technology.It has limited usefulness (ie: providing boost below where the turbo would kick in on a normal turbo car.
As I said above, there are far easier ways of overcoming this problem without strapping a helicopter engine into the engine bay.
In a road-going supercar the need is not there. In a hillclimb racer where every hundredth of a second counts, it makes it worthwhile.
Interesting, but limited usefulness.
Nice, but I still prefer his Minor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUu5eJPEigw
He passed me in it on a little B road on the way to Gurston back in the day when it was still road legal.
Amazing!
M.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUu5eJPEigw
He passed me in it on a little B road on the way to Gurston back in the day when it was still road legal.
Amazing!
M.
And you don't even need an extra engine (or turbine) to do it! If you place a suitably designed combuster can before the turbine, bypass intake air past the engine and inject it directly into that combustor, run the engine rich to supply a nice hot vapourised fuel flow to the combustor, then retard the ignition to light it off. Bingo, one gas turbine cycle turbocharger. Much lighter and less hassle than sticking bits of a helicopter in there!
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