combustion technology and the environment

[DrDNA]

Although I do love volcanoes, esp hot lava like all kids, there are also other threats to the environment. For example here is a link to a story about the new Tata Nano... "Tata Nano, world's cheapest new car, is unveiled in India"

 

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/article3164205.ece

 

Just what the world needs.....a billion more people driving cars.....and in this case they are powered by 2 cycle engines. I do admit feeling torn about this because I already have mine (x2 cars). And I know 2 cycle is cheaper, but couldn't they have made it a 4 cycle? Great strides have been made in small 4 cycle engine technology recently...including weight, size, cost, power, etc..

[SkepticLance]

To DrDNA

 

Great strides have also been made in 2 cycle technology. I don't know how much fuel that car will use, but there is no need to assume it will be excessive. I also think, that if westerners are to be permitted to drive cars, so should everyone else. Anything else is hypocracy.

 

The solution to ths problem is to find alternative fuels. There are lots of choices. Battery power. Biofuels. Synthetic fuels. Hydrogen.

[iNow]

Open your own thread, fellas. Let's stay on topic (whatever that is...)

[DrDNA]

To DrDNA

 

Great strides have also been made in 2 cycle technology. I don't know how much fuel that car will use, but there is no need to assume it will be excessive.

 

I agree about the hypocracy, that's why I volunteered (embarassingly) that I have 2 fuel guzzeling vehicles.

Regarding the alt fuels, of course I agree with that too, but I doubt Tata was going to lose revenue waiting for us to invent the next viable alt fuel system.

The issue I was refering to was not as much about fuel consumption as much as it is about pollution. But for that matter 4 strokes are generally twice as fuel efficient as 2 strokes.

I love a 2 cycle for its simplicity (there's nothing to them!) and power to weight ratio...especially on something like an off road motorcyle. But those things really are awful polluting machines. I've owned 2 stroke weedeaters, lawnmowers, motorcycles, outboard and inboard-outboard boat engines, and various other pieces of machinery and can tell you with some degree of certainty that a "clean" 2 cycle engine has yet to be developed (to my knowledge, but please free to correct me if there is something out there that I have not seen). Just watch one run sometime. They pollute much more than a 4 stroke ( at least over 2x more from what I have read, but if you watch one run, it looks like 100 times more) much of which is unburned fuel and oil, and fuel additives, like MTBE and benzene, and partial combustion products that are quite frankly VERY nasty. Not to mention the particulates.

The choice to go with the 2 stroke here was most certainly initial cost and inital cost alone. The 2 stroke engine is an antiquated filthy technology that needs to go away.

[swansont]

Open your own thread, fellas. Let's stay on topic (whatever that is...)

 

yep.

 

Moved from the environmental debate thread.