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:1756 Comments:22
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.
Cool! That's pretty much what I was thinking...use each type of engine where it is most efficient. There is limited space in an automobile, of course, but given the right application, I think even something like a hit-and-miss could have a role, like supplementing wind turbines, which by their very nature are not going to run at constant speed.
Put a big flywheel on the hit-and-miss, and a few magnets, surround with a field coil just to keep it spinning, and some sort of governor to kick in a fuel charge as needed...
Ok, maybe hit-and-miss not the best example, but you get the idea :)