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New York, 8:09 PM
Wed Nov 11
57 posts in the last 24 hours

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  • posts about #engines more →

    Gates, Myhrvold To Patent Crazy Electromagnetic Combustion Engine

    Jet Works Engine Inspires Tomorrow's Rocket Scientists

    12 Jet Engine Test Videos Will Have You Yelling "More Power!"

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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of goaliegeek goaliegeek
    Image of Wilson Rothman Wilson Rothman
    04/09/09

    In reply to Gates, Myhrvold To Patent Crazy Electromagnetic Combustion Engine
    So, nobody's gonna take a stab at the reference in that top image that I worked so hard on?
     Reply
    Wilson Rothman was starred Wilson Rothman was unstarred
    Image of bosskev bosskev
    04/09/09

    @Wilson Rothman: Could it be...



    Oh, and nice job on the pic!

     Reply
    bosskev was starred bosskev was unstarred
    Image of Hip Nihilist Hip Nihilist
    04/09/09

    @Wilson Rothman: You're growing on me, Rothman.
     Reply
    Hip Nihilist was starred Hip Nihilist was unstarred
    Image of Wilson Rothman Wilson Rothman
    04/09/09

    @bosskev: NOPE!
     Reply
    Wilson Rothman was starred Wilson Rothman was unstarred
    Image of Wilson Rothman Wilson Rothman
    04/09/09

    @Hip Nihilist: Glad to hear it—I hope that doesn't get in the way of your lack of beliefs.
     Reply
    Wilson Rothman was starred Wilson Rothman was unstarred
    Image of bosskev bosskev
    04/09/09

    @Wilson Rothman: Ah, my bad! HERE it is...


     Reply
    bosskev was starred bosskev was unstarred
    Image of bosskev bosskev
    04/09/09

    @bosskev:


    * and through gritted teeth he said *


    Let me try that again.



    Uh...WHEN are we gonna get PREVIEWS back?

     Reply
    bosskev was starred bosskev was unstarred
    Image of blackrider23 blackrider23
    04/09/09

    In reply to Gates, Myhrvold To Patent Crazy Electromagnetic Combustion Engine
    That has some great potential! Now we will just have to wait 4 decades for car companies to actually manufacture them.


    P.S. kudos for the photochop using City of Lost Children :)

     Reply
    blackrider23 was starred blackrider23 was unstarred
    Image of Wilson Rothman Wilson Rothman
    04/09/09

    @blackrider23: Nicely done.
     Reply
    Wilson Rothman was starred Wilson Rothman was unstarred
    Image of stopcrazypp stopcrazypp
    04/09/09

    In reply to Gates, Myhrvold To Patent Crazy Electromagnetic Combustion Engine
    You can't much more efficient than a electric motor (80-90%), and since this uses electricity anyways I don't see why we don't just use electric motors instead.
     Reply
    stopcrazypp was starred stopcrazypp was unstarred
    Image of Daniel Grinton Daniel Grinton
    04/09/09

    @stopcrazypp: Because as efficient as they are, electric motors are kinda shit at providing decent amounts of torque. This supplements a piston based design so that it may even run WITHOUT fuel.
     Reply
    Daniel Grinton was starred Daniel Grinton was unstarred
    Image of ripfire ripfire
    04/09/09

    @Daniel Grinton: You do realize that high speed train engines run on electric motors, right?
     Reply
    ripfire was starred ripfire was unstarred
    Image of YankBoffin YankBoffin
    04/10/09

    @Daniel Grinton: wrong. Electric motors produces gobs of torque, starting at zero rpm. The problem with using them in cars is storing the electric energy for use. Pound for pound, gas and diesel fuels have an energy density that is nigh unequaled. Batteries are very heavy and expensive and just don't hold nearly as much energy as a few gallons of diesel.


    Hence, hydrogen fuel cells are seen by many in the industry as a solution to make electric motors more applicable to powering cars.

     Reply
    YankBoffin was starred YankBoffin was unstarred
    Image of ripfire ripfire
    04/10/09

    @YankBoffin: Not only that, but it's portable. Otherwise you wouldn't get very far where there isn't a power plug to recharge.
     Reply
    ripfire was starred ripfire was unstarred
    Image of William_III_Earl_of_Dastardshire William_III_Earl_of_Dastardshire
    04/09/09

    In reply to Gates, Myhrvold To Patent Crazy Electromagnetic Combustion Engine
    Do I simple not get the idea, or is this really as stupid as it sounds. They want to use electromagnetism for the compression/exhaust steps in the otto engine cycle? If all cylinders fire in sync you won't end up with an engine that produces much more vibration? And if they don't fire in sync why not let the crankshaft take care of it, i.e. leave it as it is?

    Many say that Otto engines are far from perfect due to that "slamming back", but this sounds seriously stupid with all the hybrid drivetrains being around that incorporate the perfectly efficient conventional electric engines.

    However, I'm sure someone here knows a lot more about the mechanics of car engines than me, so maybe someone can come up with some arguments for why this is a reasonable idea after all. Guess Gates can afford to hire some competent engineers..
     Reply
    William_III_Earl_of_Dastardshire was starred William_III_Earl_of_Dastardshire was unstarred
    Image of bosskev bosskev
    04/09/09

    @William_III_Earl_of_Dastardshire: "...so maybe someone can come up with some arguments for why this is a reasonable idea after all."


    It matters not a whit if this is a reasonable idea, as long as that guy wearing the brainiac colander in the photo is behind it. Instant venture capital.

     Reply
    bosskev was starred bosskev was unstarred
    Image of William_III_Earl_of_Dastardshire William_III_Earl_of_Dastardshire
    04/09/09

    @bosskev: Even without the support of the richest person in the world, if the idea has some merit, and fuel efficiency, which isn't the least important of a car's specs in the buyers' view, is improved, it would likely find a lot of capital. After all, there still are some car manufacturers that have some money.
     Reply
    William_III_Earl_of_Dastardshire was starred William_III_Earl_of_Dastardshire was unstarred
    Image of bosskev bosskev
    04/09/09

    @William_III_Earl_of_Dastardshire: "After all, there still are some car manufacturers that have some money."


    Not any more. Tilt-A-Whirl junkies--they blew what money was left last weekend on a Coney Island bender.

     Reply
    bosskev was starred bosskev was unstarred
    Image of Gann Gann
    04/09/09

    @William_III_Earl_of_Dastardshire: Hybrids are a joke. They add large amount of complexity to a car's system without addressing the real problem - dependence on fossil fuels. The genius behind this is that it allows the combustion process to act as a fuel cell. This is one important step towards a vehicle that can take power from more than one source.


    As a side note, there's no reason this tech would only be restricted to auto use. If it could be scaled down enough, it could possibly be used for a laptop.

     Reply
    Gann was starred Gann was unstarred
    Image of Hello Mister Walrus Hello Mister Walrus
    04/09/09

    In reply to Gates, Myhrvold To Patent Crazy Electromagnetic Combustion Engine
    In this economy, how is he going to get venture capital funding for this idea? Oh wait...
     Reply
    Hello Mister Walrus was starred Hello Mister Walrus was unstarred
    Image of AmityCachinga AmityCachinga
    04/09/09

    In reply to Gates, Myhrvold To Patent Crazy Electromagnetic Combustion Engine
    The second image is the most intriguing to me since the "piston" looks to be free floating inside the cylinder walls. With combustion chambers on both sides (and no connecting rod) the power is actually transmitted to the wheels through electicity. The electricity is generated from the piston passing through the coils of magnets (I can't remember the scientific name for that). Basically its a linear induction motor in reverse. I'm not sure this would be more efficient that mechanically sending the power to the wheels, but it would allow for the car to be entirely driven by electric motors (perhaps in the wheel hubs) but you could still run it on fuel?
     Reply
    AmityCachinga was starred AmityCachinga was unstarred
    Image of ripfire ripfire
    04/09/09

    @AmityCachinga: It's not efficient. You would have a gas electric generator running continously to power an electric motor for the wheels. Too much conversion, lots of energy lost especially on a stop&go situation.


    Unless they could put in an "energy buffer" (ie ultracapacitor)a lot of energy could be saved while putting a lot of power on the drive even if it has a low power generator.

     Reply
    ripfire was starred ripfire was unstarred
    Image of bosskev bosskev
    04/09/09

    In reply to Gates, Myhrvold To Patent Crazy Electromagnetic Combustion Engine

    "Theoretically, the piston could operate entirely without fuel, using magnetism on both ends to rapidly repel and attract."


    Uhh...haven't we already kind of dispelled the notion of a perpetual motion machine?

     Reply
    bosskev was starred bosskev was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_IsSlacking GitEmSteveDave_IsSlacking
    04/09/09

    @bosskev: Yeah, I have a bunch of em'.


     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_IsSlacking was starred GitEmSteveDave_IsSlacking was unstarred
    Image of Nick Nick
    04/09/09

    In reply to Gates, Myhrvold To Patent Crazy Electromagnetic Combustion Engine
    i wonder the strength of those magnets and if any shielding will be necessary to avoid disruption with other electronic processes and thinga-ma-bobs.
     Reply
    Nick was starred Nick was unstarred
    Image of Pope John Peeps II Pope John Peeps II
    04/09/09

    @Nick: magnets generally don't have an enormous range. The decrease in force happens extremely quickly as you back away from the magnet.
     Reply
    Pope John Peeps II was starred Pope John Peeps II was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_IsSlacking GitEmSteveDave_IsSlacking
    04/09/09

    In reply to Gates, Myhrvold To Patent Crazy Electromagnetic Combustion Engine
    A state of the art bus to transport children to school in an engine powered by magnets!


     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_IsSlacking was starred GitEmSteveDave_IsSlacking was unstarred
    Image of Kaiser-Machead Kaiser-Machead
    12/10/08

    In reply to Jet Works Engine Inspires Tomorrow's Rocket Scientists
    We're gonna need another Timmy!
     Reply
    Kaiser-Machead was starred Kaiser-Machead was unstarred
    Image of Discofunk Discofunk
    12/09/08

    In reply to Jet Works Engine Inspires Tomorrow's Rocket Scientists
    I still remember being given a model of a simulated combustion engine - one of the best gifts I ever had as a kid. I think this is a great idea.
     Reply
    Discofunk was starred Discofunk was unstarred
    Image of Curves Curves
    12/10/08

    @Discofunk: I recall that model, and even understanding the basics of internal combustion, but my parents wouldnt buy me one. They said I should play with dolls. I am SO glad times have changed. (I did manage to get a set of lincoln logs, but only casue my parents thought Lincoln was a good guy.)
     Reply
    Curves was starred Curves was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_IsSlacking GitEmSteveDave_IsSlacking
    12/09/08

    In reply to Jet Works Engine Inspires Tomorrow's Rocket Scientists
    But it really generates power. It's lighting this room right now!
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_IsSlacking was starred GitEmSteveDave_IsSlacking was unstarred
    Image of OddManOut OddManOut
    12/09/08

    In reply to Jet Works Engine Inspires Tomorrow's Rocket Scientists
    I made a jet engine while I was snowed in one day. Since I was in Japan at the time I happened to have an 8oz aluminum soda bottle lying around (Coffee soda...it's an acquired taste...). For whatever reason I ended up boring a few holes in the sides, pouring some 100 proof whiskey in it, and lighting it on fire. I was momentarily amused watching the flames flickering and lapping around out the vent holes. I left it on an overturned metal pot so it could eventually burn itself out without scorching anything. I went back to browsing the web.


    A few minutes later I notice a weird hissing noise...


    I looked around puzzled, and then I noticed that the occasional orange flames that had been lapping around the aluminum bottle had been replaced by a foot long jet of blue flame shooting out of the bottle. Apparently as the whiskey heated up the fuel air mixture got richer, and the fire started drawing more air in...hence the hissing. And since this bottle of course narrowed towards the top, the exhaust gasses were compressed until the emerged as a rather substantial jet, which burned for a surprisingly long time.


    I've never been able to reproduce the effect so well, but I eventually found that people have been building little camp stoves like this for years our of various tin and alumim cans and such.


    It's a fun little experiment...if you can manage to resist the temptation to chase the doldrums away by simply by drinking the whiskey...

     Reply
    OddManOut was starred OddManOut was unstarred
    Image of ripfire ripfire
    12/09/08

    @OddManOut: Maybe you can substitute the whiskey with kerosene.
     Reply
    ripfire was starred ripfire was unstarred
    Image of shaka999 shaka999
    12/09/08

    In reply to Jet Works Engine Inspires Tomorrow's Rocket Scientists
    I'm an engineer. Almost all my friends are engineers. Guess what, nobody is pushing engineering as a career for their kids.


    Better off buying something on human anatomy. Its pretty hard to outsource a doctor and I'm not seeing many of them lose their jobs.

     Reply
    shaka999 was starred shaka999 was unstarred
    Image of BeautifulAgony BeautifulAgony
    12/09/08

    @shaka999: Just wait until those little tele-robotic operation gizmos become popular. Then all the Indian doctors can skip the part where they come to America and just tele-operate.


    With enough gizmos and gadgets, no job is safe!


    I'm sad now. =(

     Reply
    BeautifulAgony was starred BeautifulAgony was unstarred
    Image of Jrsy Devil's Advocate® Jrsy Devil's Advocate®
    12/09/08

    @BeautifulAgony: "Then all the Indian doctors can skip the part where they come to America and just tele-operate."


    I wonder if the gadgets will have the similar accents and be difficult to understand as well?

     Reply
    Jrsy Devil's Advocate® was starred Jrsy Devil's Advocate® was unstarred
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