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Old 03-21-2008, 07:21 PM   #25 (permalink)
roflwaffle
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AmpEater View Post
I really only intend to use the generator for perhaps 30min a day, split into 2 sessions. And then occasionally for 2-3hours. And I don't really expect to use it to "charge the batteries" so much as I want the generator to augment their output just as much as is necessary to get me where I'm going at a reasonable dod. I plan to recharge at school, and work, in addition to home and therefore still be running the car on 80% recharged stored electrons and 20% diesel electrons at any given time.
The reason why I've shied away from similar in the past has been that a diesel generator tends to only weigh a hundred pounds or so less than a small diesel engine and transmission and puts out far less peak power with similar or less efficiency. That being said, since ya got it already, am efficiency hit really won't matter much on WVO.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AmpEater View Post
Converting a gasoline engine to run of propane is not too complex it seems, with the possiblity of even leaving the gasoline equipment functional should it be necessary. Since I expect the generator to be running at constant speed, constant load finding the optimal amount of propane to inject for a good burn should be simple with a wideband O2 sensor (which I happen to have). I will have to explore this option.
I think this would be your best bet IMO from the POV of emissions.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AmpEater View Post
Any ideas on how the emissions of a propane injected diesel compare? If the presence of lpg in the combustion chamber really creates a faster, more effecient burn with drastically reduced particulate emissions then I suspect a diesel may be comparably "green". I will have to find a way to test this.
I know on straight propane they're pretty good, something like 1g/hp-hr for NOx+NMHC, which is similar to what gasoline passenger cars are at AFAIK. This is w/o any emissions systems that I know of. Since most emissions for a gasoline powered vehicle are during startup when cold, I imagine a LPG/CNG diesel or gasoline engine would be cleaner if tuned properly. As for propane injection, if it's anything like Hydrogen injection it's supposed to result in a larger drop in emissions, although I don't think it would be better than just LPG/CNG.
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