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Heard this on the road last Saturday

The jet's output shaft mates directly to the Ford torque-tube (no transmission.)
Click to expand...

What? So the turbine is capable of running down to 0 RPM and then starting back up again? I could understand if there were a torque converter like an auto transmission, but from my understanding of the torque-tube, it is pretty much just a beefed-up driveshaft.
 
They had the grand opening of the Lemay Museum in Tacoma.
It is in the collection but from the first link, they have to keep it up and running. I was fortunate enough to see it on the street that one day a year it comes out to play.
http://www.lemaymuseum.org/
 
I saw saw one of these drive down my street when I was a kid. Yes, the sound is what caught your attention. Sounded like a big vacuum cleaner.

250px-Chrysler_027.jpg
 
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slashbinslashbash said:
What? So the turbine is capable of running down to 0 RPM and then starting back up again? I could understand if there were a torque converter like an auto transmission, but from my understanding of the torque-tube, it is pretty much just a beefed-up driveshaft.
Click to expand...

The turbine cannot go to 0 RPM, but the output shaft can:
Turboshaft_operation.png


Think of it as a higher-Reynolds-number torque converter.
 
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jagec said:
The turbine cannot go to 0 RPM, but the output shaft can:
Turboshaft_operation.png


Think of it as a higher-Reynolds-number torque converter.
Click to expand...

Ah, I see. Thanks for the diagram. I guess I had never seen a diagram for a non-aircraft turbine before. So it basically has a built-in torque converter that runs on air instead of transmission fluid.
 
Actually, turbines are often better when you're looking for a constant output over a long period of time. So, steam turbines in power plants and navy ships, turbofans in commercial jets, etc. Idling KILLS turbine efficiency.

But generally driving around town isn't like that. You have widely varying power demands as you speed up, cruise, and slow down.

I could see a turbine-electric hybrid making sense, but a straight turbine would get piss-poor mileage and have lots of annoying throttle lag in an automotive application.
 
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Compressor turbine keeps the engine self sustaining. 1500+ HP comes from a single second stage freewheeling power turbine/shaft that just sits in the exhaust stream. It can be stopped completely and spin at any rpm independently of engine RPM making a torque converter or transmission completely unnecessary
 
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Didnt the US government make these illegal, somehow, -influenced by big oil lobbying of the '60's and '70's?

Do you think that with todays technology, that this kind of engine could have potential to be competitive with current reciprocating engines?
 
no, it has rotten fuel economy as I stated above. Recips use between .35 and .45 pounds of fuel per hp/hr.
Typical light turbine numbers are .55 to .75
Work great when you want a high horsepower lightweight super reliable engine to hang on a wing, not so good for something that rolls.
 
FuzzyDunlop said:
Didnt the US government make these illegal, somehow, -influenced by big oil lobbying of the '60's and '70's?

Do you think that with todays technology, that this kind of engine could have potential to be competitive with current reciprocating engines?
Click to expand...
Big oil would love turbine cars, just like they love SUVs today.
 
there used to be a guy that would take his turbine crotch rocket bike down to mill ave on the weekends. would be impressive when he was able to open it up.
 
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