Re: 18 wheeler

From: Spike Jones (spike66@ibm.net)
Date: Sat Aug 19 2000 - 21:41:25 MDT


> >Does anyone know about fire engines? Those arent diesel, surely.
> >
> Everitt Mickey wrote: yup...they are....almost everything other than
> passenger vehickles are diesel.

That surprises me. A fire engine must be ready to make peak power within
seconds of being fired up, which I woulda thought incompatible with
warming up glow plugs and gallons of oil. Thanks for the info, tho.
Now I wanna find out how a fire engine manages to do its thing.

> >I have a notion about hybrid technology for an 18 wheeler...
>
> you sound like me....the difference being you know what youre talking about

You are too kind. Im surprised it doesnt already exist. I need to do
a search on the web. Ill get back with you on that.

> I LOVE the idea of hybrid electric.

Me too, ever since I first learned how little power it takes to
cruise the average family car at freeway speeds and how much
expensive fuel is wasted sitting in traffic.

> It seems so unweildy to carry a trany, drive shaft..a
> differential...another drive shaft ...ANOTHER differential...

Especially a tranny capable of carrying the amount of torque
your rig makes. That piece of equipment alone would be
(I think) heavier than the batteries needed for a hybid truck.

> And then there's the brakes...THREE braking systems....and what does it
> do?....it changes kinetic energy to heat....HEAT...

Well, two of em make heat. Your Jacobs system converts money
directly into noise... {8^D

> gotta burn more (increasingly expensive) fuel. With a Hybrid electric rig
> it would seem possible to use regenerative braking ....

Possible yes, even encouraged.

> My rig isn't all that quick to accelerate....0 to 60 in fifteen minutes is
> appropriate...

Again its because the trucker must churn thru all those gears.

> .it's claim to fame is continuous, long term
> pulling......running a diesel for days at a time without ever shutting it
> off is common...

Sure but electric motors would do the same, would they not?

> Have you considered a fuel cell? Will a fuel cell run off ethanol?

Current ones will if you have access to liquid oxygen. You can
be sure tho, smart guys are working like madmen trying to get
a alcohol/air burner.

> Good plan....but it ain't gonna work.
> AlGore and Shrub are both politicians.....all theyre looking for is to GET
> elected...then all of a sudden their priorities change...

Everett, you're more cynical that even *I* am. {8^D But think it over.
Algore or Ralphy-boy could sell the notion like viagra: "Citizens! Lets
heeeeeelp the hard working professional drivers clean up all those
smoke belching trucks, these sturdy machines that bring foooood to our
taaables. Lets improooove the air that weee and our children breeeathe..."

Cant ya just see one of our illustrious politicos speechifying this? Hell,
even *I* would vote for something like that, even if it costs me money.
spike



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