Your premise is quite correct, but I'm not so sure about your conclusion.
Yes, a gallon of fuel contains a fixed amount of energy, but an internal combustion engine can't get 100% of that energy to the wheels. So what all the pipe dreams are about is trying to squeeze as much of that available energy from that gallon of gas as possible.
While preposterous ideas and claims abound, it would be wrong to imply that there is no possibility of mechanical improvements that would increase efficiency.
It is only when you introduce another variable, like a more efficient Hummer, that ignoring efficiency becomes a factor. My Hummer was a constant. When I stated: " Now, there are stupid ways to DO the work, such as heating up all the air around you in the process of doing the work, or dragging a parachute behind your plane for no reason...but you will NOT get more from your gallon than what ultimately is stored in that gallon."
--- I think that dealt with the issue of efficiency.
r
I think the confusion sets in when you state:
"X amount of fuel = X amount of work" as if it were a constant. It is not.
X amount of fuel = X amount of energy would be accurate, but the amount of *work* is going to be determined by efficiency.
As you looked at it in that light, you are correct. Stated as an absolute that 'formula' would be incomplete, to say the least. Even with the Hummer as a constant. I'll be more careful next time. *G*
Or the market is created.
Wayne
heh...heh... Yeah, just imagine the good fortune of Pfizer looking for new blood pressure medications, and realizing that one had a very fortuitous side effect.. a side effect that lots of guys would be willing to pay dearly for!
Not if you had two different kinds of carburetor on it it wasn't.
All internal combustion engines "heat up the air around you to do the work" so I guess that they're all "stupid ways to DO the work". But this doesn't alter the fact that if they can be made to get more work out of a given quantity of heat then they become more efficient. That is what one presumes that the magic carburetor is supposed to do.
...
One wonders how, precisely, on its own, it does so with so much flair, however... :)
Particularly since fully-injected, metered per cylinder systems don't come close...
--
Apparently 74%.....and to their credit a higher ratio than most other major cities however the capital costs (state funds etc.) to build the system, buy vehicles etc. are not included in these numbers......Akin to ignoring ones house or car payment when considering operating costs.
In spite of being a reasonably well run efficient system they are presently dealing with major funding issues and presently cutting routes, deferring maintenance , planned expansion etc....
Due to congestion.....in the city proper parking cost alone is a deal breaker.....in a heavily populated city mass transit in some form is pretty much required.
TriMet...Portland Oregon
Ctran....Vancouver, Wa (Bus only).....My wife is on the citizen advisory commision..... Rod
"Charlie M. 1958" wrote
Haven't seen it, but I don't think so ... ;)
I don't know how you've missed it. Here is the link:
"Charlie M. 1958" < wrote
I liked the banned viagra commercial.
The key people would quit the company and create a startup to market the miracle product.
WHICH old wives' tale?
FoggyTown
What conspiracy theory? If I invent a compound that can be made into tires that will last 100,000 miles and I sell it to, say, Firestone who buys it just to keep it from some other manufacturer - that isn't a conspiracy. It may be a shame but it isn't a conspiracy. It's called protecting your market. Firestone can't use it because either they will have to sell each new-compound tire for 5 times more than the present ones OR they will have to sell five times more tires than they do now - maybe more.
Like I say, we have no way of knowing what's been invented but withheld for economic or safety reasons.
FoggyTown
Or they sell 3 times as many tires (since they would corner the market for the term of the patent) at twice the price (since the tires last 5 times as long) and make many times more profit while driving all competitors into bankruptcy. Yet another reason these silly stories have no legs.
Then get slammed for operating a monopoly?
FoggyTown
Salt water to me will always equal lead sinkers, about 8 hooks on the line (which looked a bit like wrapping twine), and just drop the sucker over the side of a the boat. Wait a bit. Haul it in. Anywhere from 1 to 5 flounders.
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