[Gasification] ...a question about hybrids

[Michael Redler]

Hi Harmon,
   
  You wrote: "I don't know where you'd even get one that small"
   
  Ah..good. That was a guess. I was hoping that the typical size was above that.
   
  Re: horsepower
   
  My question was related more toward work and average power. Since a non-hybrid requires an engine capable of delivering loads for hill climbing (for example) at any given moment, the engine needs to be a certain size, irrespective of the average load.
   
  The same is true of the electric motor in a hybrid. However, because energy is stored in batteries, the generator only has to match the average power, allowing the shaft horsepower at the generator to be smaller. I haven't done a lot of calculations for sizing the generator motor but, I'd imagine it would be similar to the following example:
   
  This is what I've been speculating. A Honda Civic (for example) gets 40 mpg.
   
  Convert 40 miles per gallon to Km per Liter
  Determine Kw hours per Liter of gasoline and approximate thermal efficiency of the IC engine (approximately 20/25%?).
   
  This can give you an approximation of work done per Km
  If one assumes that the average speed is 50 Km per hour, one can calculate work done per hour or average power. You should then have the necessary information to arrive at a number in Kw and select an engine size for your generator.
   
  I'd bet it's smaller than the non-hybrid engine. In addition, the controls for a gassifier and the rpm of the generator can run continuously at its ideal running conditions. Of course, we would also need to consider your comment about running that 100hp hybrid engine on producer gas.
   
  This post may be a little premature because I didn't crunch the numbers in advance but, maybe I can get a little feedback, pointing me in the right direction before I really get into it. Of course, if someone can show me previous attempts at this calculation, it could save me some research time and would be appreciated.
   
  Mike
   
         

Harmon Seaver <hseaver at gmail.com> wrote:
  On 6/11/06, Michael Redler wrote:
> Jeff's question (re: better yield) reminded me of another thread.
>
>
> If the yield from gassification is enough to effectively power a car with variations in load/power, could the mileage of the same car be taken further if the producer gas were feeding a Lister/Listeroid generator which fed a bank of batteries?
>
> So, it would be a producer gas, electric hybrid using a trailer to carry the gassifier and generator. I guess the next question would be...could you match the average kW hours of a 100+ hp engine usually used in a car, with a 900 Watt Lister (for example)?
>
100hp = about 75kw so a 900 watt lister powered generator (I
don't know where you'd even get one that small) wouldn't even come
close. And don't forget that if you run that 100hp hybrid engine on
producer gas, it's only going to put out 50hp or so.



-- 
Harmon Seaver
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