Would wind tubine on moving automobile pomote inlet efficiency?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the feasibility of using a wind turbine mounted on a moving automobile to enhance the inlet efficiency of the engine by compressing air, similar to how exhaust-driven turbines function in turbocharging systems. Participants explore various aspects of this concept, including efficiency, drag, and alternative methods of air intake.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question whether a wind turbine could be used to compress air into the engine cylinder, suggesting that wind turbines are not compressors.
  • Others propose that if a wind turbine could drive a compressor, it might compress inlet air, but emphasize that the energy for this would ultimately come from the engine, making direct energy extraction more efficient.
  • A participant suggests that using a ram air intake could be a more effective method for increasing air pressure without adding significant drag, as it would utilize air from the front grill area.
  • Concerns are raised about the overall efficiency of using a wind turbine, with some arguing that the drag and parasitic losses would outweigh any benefits.
  • Another participant mentions the concept of a Tesla turbine and questions the implications of drag when air is sourced from specific areas of the vehicle.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the practicality and efficiency of using a wind turbine for air compression in automobiles. There is no consensus on the effectiveness of this approach, with multiple competing ideas presented regarding air intake methods and efficiency considerations.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the importance of energy sources and efficiency in the context of using turbines versus direct methods of air compression. The discussion highlights assumptions about drag and energy transfer that remain unresolved.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in automotive engineering, aerodynamics, and alternative energy applications may find this discussion relevant.

kandyho
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Question as the title above !
Could we use the wind turbine to compress the air into engine cylinder as the exhaust compression tubine does ?
Thanks all for replying !
 
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No, you couldn't. Wind turbines are not compressors.
 
SteamKing said:
No, you couldn't. Wind turbines are not compressors.

I read the question as asking whether a wind turbine in the slipstream could be used to drive a compressor, in the same way that a turbocharger uses a turbine in the exhaust to drive a compressor. If so, the answer would be yes, but of course the efficiency would be pathetic and the drag-induced parasitic loss would be far worse than that of a belt-driven compressor.
 
Assuming the turbine drives a compressor, that would indeed compress the inlet air. However, ultimately the energy driving the turbine comes from the engine, and you could tap into that energy more directly, thus having greater efficiency overall. The latter is very frequently done and is known as supercharging.
 
Hi,
First I am new, and have deep interest of wind turbine.
Second, pardon my broken English.
What about compressed wind to drive tesla turbine. and as far as the drag issue, what about if the wind are taking from the front grill area only. This way it shouldn't add additional drag then it already have.
 
There is no free lunch. The energy has to come from the engine and it is more efficient to draw it directly than to use a Rube Goldberg contraption.
 
Booyah said:
the wind are taken from the front grill area only. This way it shouldn't add additional drag.
In this case, don't bother with the turbine and instead just use a ram air intake that feeds the slightly higher pressure air into the engine. This will allow the engine to produce a bit more power at high speeds, but it's unlikely to improve efficiency, since the effect of ram air is to get more air into the engine, and assuming air to fuel ratio remains the same, then more fuel is going into the engine as well, in order to produce more power.

For efficiency, the goal should be looking for ways to reduce drag on a car, not to increase the air flow into the engine.
 

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