Quote:
Originally Posted by serialk11r
t vago, not all theory heavy people are like him :P
|
I know. Not all engineering types come across as dicks, either. However, as jerky as my posts come across, they're gentle love pats compared to how the real world would act. I'm not interested in gentle persuasion or cajoling, because the real world doesn't gently persuade or cajole people who engage in wishful thinking.
Quote:
Originally Posted by serialk11r
you can see why people are turning to the exhaust for waste heat recovery.
|
There are, to my knowledge, only three proven effective methods of reclaiming exhaust heat energy to do something useful. The first method involves shaping exhaust piping in such a way that the exhaust gases themselves generate a partial vacuum to help evacuate the cylinders so as to provide less dilution to charge air inside the engine. Devices that do this are popularly known as headers.
The second method involves passing hot exhaust gas under pressure through a nozzle to convert thermal energy into mechanical energy, and then recover the mechanical energy by use of a turbine wheel. Turbochargers are the best known device that uses this principle.
The third method is really only useful on engines that require a throttle valve to begin with. Exhaust heat energy is used in this case to heat up the intake air such that the throttle plate is forced more open than what would otherwise be needed, in order to lower pumping losses associated with that throttle valve.
Thermal piles are not considered because it's currently not practical to use them in real-world applications, given the state of the art.