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Title: Jet Plane on Wheels: The History of the Chrysler Turbine Car Program
Source:
Ed's Auto Reviews
URL Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4QVMYPy5co
Published: Feb 1, 2023
Author: Ed's Auto Reviews
Post Date: 2023-02-01 18:19:39 by Esso
Keywords: None
Views: 902
Comments: 22
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#1. To: Pinguinite, Straitgate, 4um (#0)
Speaking of turbines...
I saw a clip like this before, maybe even this one. Interesting and perhaps sad. Seems like if enough engineering was put into turbines they could have become a mainstay and even beat out pistons. Reminds me of VHS vs Beta. Beta was better quality but VHS beat them out simply due to marketing or what not. Goes to show that the best product doesn't always win.
The problem with the Chrysler Turbine was that it was direct drive, the main turbine shaft was mechanically geared to the driveshaft, like a conventional ICE. That resulted in horrible fuel efficiency, about 10mpg, and they weren't especially fast. A turbine powered car was run in Indy500 in 1968, it ran the race without refueling but crashed 8 miles shy of the requisite 500. Turbines are only efficient running at very high rpm, they have a sweet spot. Union Pacific had some turbine electric locomotives in the 50's, they were great for long distance high speed runs, but were very costly to maintain, something I think could have been overcome by bringing in some more experienced jet engine experts. If I recall, they just sort of slapped some leftover WWII crap together, typical of GE. I think a hybrid using very small turbine to spin an alternator(/or DC generator, whatever), would be ideal.
Indy 500? This car was on display in the lobby sometimes where I used to work. I knew the guy who fixed it after a careless forklift driver ran the forks through its side trying to move it.
STP-Paxton Turbocar Jones qualified the car at Indianapolis in sixth place at 166.075 mph (267.272 km/h). At the start of the race, he quickly took the lead and rarely relinquished it. However, with just 8 miles (13 km) left to go, he coasted into the pits with a transmission bearing failure. ... The engine drove a Ferguson four-wheel drive system, which transmitted the power to the wheels. A torque converter eliminated the need for a clutch pedal and gearshift. The engine idled at 54% of full throttle, which meant that the driver didn't even have to press the accelerator pedal to pull away; all he had to do was ease his foot off the brake pedal.
1968 Lotus turbine 1967 STP Paxton
I always wondered if the gyro effect from the turbine affected handling. It seems like there would be a lot more rotating mass than an ICE would have.
#21. To: Dakmar (#11)
To: Esso I always wondered if the gyro effect from the turbine affected handling. It seems like there would be a lot more rotating mass than an ICE would have. Good thought but on most race tracks the cars are only turning left anyway so that would be a bonus.
If the turbine's axis of rotation is longitudinal and on the center line of the car, then in a turn the turbine's gyroscopic torque will cause a load transfer from the back wheels to the front wheels, or vice versa, depending on the turbine's direction of rotation and the direction of the turn. The wheels' gyroscopic torque in a turn will cause a load transfer from the inside wheels to the outside wheels. That's all according to some seemingly authoritative posters on this racing forum:
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#2. To: Esso (#1)
#3. To: Pinguinite, Esso (#2)
(Edited)
#6. To: Dakmar (#3)
#8. To: StraitGate (#6)
#9. To: Dakmar (#8)
#11. To: Esso (#9)
(Edited)
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#22. To: Dakmar (#11)
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