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Tony1M -> RE: To all of you chemists... MPG Product (6/3/2008 11:32:54 AM)
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In short, that device will not increase your gas mlieage. If you think it will, you'll probably be helped by one of these, too: http://www.qray.com/
But here's an idea that will lead to real energy savings.
First, get some aftermarket brake/electic generators (you know, they're in those hybrid cars) and install them on your car's wheels. Then pile a few hundred pounds of storage batteries in your trunk and "hook up" the electric output from the brakes to the batteries. (The batteries are a completely separate circuit from the regular automotive battery in the front of the car, of course). Install a 120v inverter on the storage battery arrary's 12V output. Whenever you hit the brakes, you'll be charging the array of batteries. Do you have to endure stop and go traffic to and from work? Good. The more, the better!
Second, remove the rear seat(s) and install in its place an insulated tank that will hold 400 or 500 lbs of antifreeze solution. "Install" in the tank a coil of copper tubing that will carry engine coolant to and from the engine. "Hook up" the cars cooling system so that hot engine coolant will pass through the coil in the tank. The engine will heat the water in the tank - "for free"! (You decide on how hot you want to let the water in the tank get. You'll probably have to keep the windows rolled down, even during the winter.)
Third, remove one of the walls of your living room and install in its place a well-insulated garage door.
Now you're ready for some energy savings!
During the home-heating months, after that long trip from work, drive the car right into your living room (don't block your view of the TV). The engine and other hot metal on the car, as well as the hot water in the tank, will put into the home a remarkable amount of heat, and therefore reduce the amount of energy necessary to heat the house.
At all times of the year, you can connect any electically-powered device to the inverter connection on the car and use the power generated by stopping the vehicle that is stored in those batteries. The longer you drive to and from work, and the more batteries you stick in the car, the more power you'll have stored for use at home!
There! Let me know how it turns out.[;)]
Seriously, though, during Energy Crisis I, I beleive it was Volvo that made a stand-alone, diesel-engine-based "energy unit" that would sit in the basement of a home or business. The engine drove a high-quality electric generator that would power any electical device in use at the time, but also charge an array of storage batteries.
The engine's "cooling system" included a large heat-sink. I think it was a 600 gal plastic tank filled with water.
The engine was either 2 or 3 cylinders and was extemely efficient so the conversion of the energy in the diesel fuel to electrical energy was as good as it gets.
The system was supposed to run for just enough time to charge the batteries and heat the water in the tank. Then the home would use the electricity in the batteries to run things, and the hot water in the tank would be used to heat the house. The heated engine block itself would also radiate heat into the living space.
Of course how often the engine would run would be determined by how fast the batteries ran down and the water cooled, so the more efficient the use of the electricty and water, the less frequently the engine would run. During the winter, if the water cooled off faster than the batteries would discharge, one could connect an electric heater and the batteries would drain much more quickly. Etc.
The thing that makes the Volvo system more attractive nowadays is those added exhorbitant fees that electricity and natural gas providers tack onto monthy bills. If one can disconnect from those services, those exhorbitant extra fees go bye bye.
Of course if you live in a windy or sunny place, wind turbines and solar cells and solar heaters can reduce the need to be connected to a service provider.
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