EA exec punts 96,000rpm e-car engine -- Miniature jet drives generator

[FarCenter]

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/12/01/cmt_380_microturbine/

One of the highlights of the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show, which opens on 4 December, will be a jet-powered electric car.

Called the CMT-380, the vehicle has been developed by microturbine specialist Capstone with help from Electronic Arts' Chief Creative Director, Richard Hilleman, who presumably is tired of only driving far-out cars virtually.

Essentially a range-extended hybrid, the CMT-380 is electrically driven in much the same way as the Chevrolet Volt. When the charge in the car's Li-ion battery pack is exhausted, an engine fires up to power the electric motors and replenish the battery pack.

The main difference is that while the Volt has a 1.4l four-pot, the CMT-380 has a biodiesel-powered C30 microturbine that can spin at up to 96,000rpm and produces 30kW.

<SNIP>

See also http://www.capstoneturbine.com/_docs/C30%20Liquid%20Fuel.pdf

[mike_c]

1. want!-- and I'll bet it SOUNDS bitchin'

:bounce:

[TheWraith]

2. 30 kilowatts? Holy shit that's some power.

Even assuming that's measured prior to the conversion into electrical energy, you're talking about more than enough power to drive all the car's systems and still recharge the battery at lightning speed. I want.

[FarCenter]

5. It is about 40 horsepower -- of course that is true horsepower, not SAE

And electric motors can be designed to develop tremendous torque at all speeds.

[TheWraith]

21. For an electric vehicle, it's a lot of power.

Internal combustion engines are grotesquely inefficient when it comes to taking advantage of their power. 40 horsepower here would probably be the equivalent of getting 180 out of a standard engine.

[nykym]

3. Oh yea!

And during a blackout with the optional household power pack you can run all of your appliances. LOL

[hunter]

4. Forget the car, I want that 30kw turbine for my mad scientist lab.

Nothing quite like the sound of a turbine spinning up.

:woohoo:

[A HERETIC I AM]

8. Here ya go...

Turbine on a bench top.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EA2a1-wxhU

[cherokeeprogressive]

12. Better come up with some really good sound attenuation. That youtube video

through my cheap computer speakers nearly shook my fillings loose.

I've worked around turbojet engines, and man oh man are they loud.

Other than that, excellent idea is what I think.

[A HERETIC I AM]

16. Have you seen these?

http://www.amtjets.com/

[Turbineguy]

15. You'll hear it start

you won't hear it run.

[Confusious]

17. I hope you have a Telsa coil for that lab

The union of mad scientists has standards you know :)

[hunter]

23. A 30 kilowatt biodiesel turbine powered Tesla coil...

...biodiesel made from fat my assistant Igor collects from the liposuction clinic and cheap tequila.

How's that for mad scientist?

[Xithras]

6. Nice, but there's a reason why turbine powered cars never went past the experimental stage.

High RPM turbines require regular maintenance to operate reliably, and have much shorter operational lives than conventional autos. If we all drove turbine powered cars, we'd be paying for tuneups every other month, replacing major components every year, and replacing the entire engine every five years or so. They operate at much higher temperatures and pressures than combustion engines, and suffer from equally high wear and failure rates. This problem CAN be addressed, but doing so requires the use of high strength materials that would drive the cost through the roof.

It's a cool technology demonstration, and makes a neat niche toy, but it's completely impractical for the real world.

[FarCenter]

9. That was then -- and this doesn't require the reducing gear or variable rpm operation

http://www.capstoneturbine.com/news/story.asp?id=536

Photo Release -- Hybrid Electric Supercar With Microturbine Technology to Debut at LA Auto Show

"The diesel fueled C30 microturbine requires less maintenance than traditional combustion engines and produces ultra-low exhaust emissions."

After all, it doesn't have 4 or more pistons changing direction of travel 4000 times per minute at 2000 rpm. To say nothing of the valve train mechanics.

Also: http://www.capstoneturbine.com/company/faq.asp

Question: What is the required maintenance on the Capstone MicroTurbine?
Answer: The Capstone MicroTurbine is designed to run for extended periods of time with minimal maintenance. An air filter change is recommended after the first 8000 hours of operation, with routine maintenance typically following every 8000 hours. Factory engine servicing is recommended after 40,000 hours of intermittent or continuous use.

[Gold Metal Flake]

11. Did you read the story?

An axillary generator is powered by a small turbine which is run only after the battery is exhausted. The generator powers the electric drive motors and charges the exhausted battery pack. The turbine does NOT, as you incorrectly assumed, drive the wheels through a transmission like the Chrysler turbine cars made way the fuck back in 1965. Also, not sure if you know this, but all of the technology surrounding turbines including materials and things like bearings has grown since 1965.

This is the exact direction that electric cars must proceed toward to become real-life 250 mile-plus range cars that Americans want. It will work with existing battery tech. Beautiful thing.

Edited to remove unnecessary snarkyness.

[Gravel Democrat]

19. Chrysler built 55 turbine cars. When the Feds loaned them money the terms

required termination of the entire program.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Turbine_Car



The fourth-generation Chrysler turbine engine ran at up to 60,000 rpm and could use diesel fuel, unleaded gasoline, kerosene, JP-4 jet fuel, and even vegetable oil. The engine would run on virtually anything and the president of Mexico tested this theory by running one of the first cars — successfully — on tequila. Air/fuel adjustments were required to switch from one to another, and the only evidence of what fuel was being used was the odor of the exhaust.

The engine had a fifth as many moving parts as a piston unit (60 rather than 300). The turbine was spinning on simple sleeve bearings for vibration-free running. Its simplicity offered the potential for long life, and because no combustion contaminants enter engine oil, no oil changes were considered necessary. The 1963 Turbine's engine generated 130 brake horsepower (97 kW) and an instant 425 pound-feet (576 N·m) of torque at stall speed, making it good for 0-60 mph in 12 seconds at an ambient temperature of 85 °F (29 °C) — it would sprint quicker if the air was cooler and denser.

The absence of a distributor and points, the solitary start-up spark plug and the lack of coolant eased maintenance, while the exhaust did not contain carbon monoxide (CO), unburned carbon, or raw hydrocarbons. Nevertheless, the turbine generated nitrogen oxides (NO) and the challenge of limiting them helped to kill the program
========

Todays hybrid tech could eliminate the turbine spool up lag. I'm guessing the NO could be dealt with also.

More history of this fascinating car here
http://www.turbinecar.com/introduction.htm

[MineralMan]

7. Kohler has a gas turbine APU for auxiliary power in trucks.

Pricey, but...

gas turbines are wonderful. If costs could be reduced...

[yurbud]

10. cool

[madrchsod]

13. a turbine will burn just about any fuel you feed it

i always thought a turbine would be the answer for generating electricity in a automobile. maybe the car industry will move away from internal combustion in the electric cars

[FarCenter]

14. The problem is that the 4-banger is about the only part of the Volt drive train made by GM

With a turbogenerator, they will be just doing the structural parts of the body -- since the drive train, accessories, trim, seating, electronics, etc. all come from suppliers.

[PJPhreak]

18. But,But,But,Can we get it to do this?

PJPhreak,President,Treasurer and only surviving member of the Deadhead Drivers Association a.k.a The D.D.A.

(From my Motor City Online Days...Thanks EA)

[FarCenter]

20. Well, it does 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds

Which should let you merge nicely on the freeway ramps.

[PJPhreak]

22. After seeing this thing.....

All I can say is....

I HAVE GOT ME ONE OF THESE!!!!!!