The one page add in the current copy of BRN piqued my interest some. No, I
am not planning on using hydrogen as a fuel in my car. But the ad did
trigger my curiosity about the rules of using hydrogen as a fuel. So I
looked it up in the rule book and sure enough there it is: hydrogen powered
cars will run for time only. That same paragraph (II-2 Fuels) say to contact
Roy Creel for additional information because of special considerations. Now
my curiosity is really up! So what are the "special considerations" for
using gaseous fuels? Now don't get me wrong about safety, safety is number 1
in my book. So is safety a or the major consideration in using hydrogen as
fuel? Is it gas bottle protection? Jeeze the way RV ers carry their propane
bottles on the back of their RV scares me plenty. Is there a fear that the
neck from a pressurized bottle can be broken off during an upset condition?
Or the tank punctured? Or the bottle being damaged during a fire? I certaily
understand the safety aspect of using hydrogen. But in reality it is being
considered as a motor fuel for both cars and trucks and there are a lot of
them on city streets (I think). So if protection of the storage system is
paramount then shouldn't the rules specify them? Heck, make them tough. Oh,
hydrogen as a fuel is rather inefficient because it takes as much energy to
release the hydrogen from the water molecule as it makes in recombining with
oxygen. I prefer a more efficient fuel. Given that there are ehicles which
use hydrogen as fuels, why the angst inusing it at B'ville? I certainly
think it would be safer there than anywhere else.
What kind of provisions have to be made for LNG, Propane, or Butane? While
in storage they are liquid but flash to gas when pressure is released. Many
diesel trucks have propane systems as a fuel additive for more power and
there are many natural gas and propane fueled vehivles out there running
around. Sowhat are the special considerations here? No I am not converting
to either of these, however, I might want to spray propane after my
intercooler right intot he main air duct: cooler air charge plus increases
octane. What kind of consideations need to be done for something like this?
And if I used a supplemental fuel like propane on top of my normal gasoline
would I only get to run time only? Actually, I need to ge trunning first
before even considering something like this. What about a vehicle powered
only by a gaseous fuel? I see what it says in the rule book, but what are
the special considerations?
Lastly, the ad mentioned the Turbinator as having an external combustion
engine. Hmmmm. Drug out several of my old texts and nowhere do they ever
mention the Brayton Cycle as an external combustion process. If fact, the
only reference to external combustion is the Sterling cycle engine. And some
indicate that it is a modification of the diesel cycle. So how was such a
determination made? Not that it matters to me but my curiosity is tweaked a
bit. I would think that the Brayton cycle requires a compressor, a
combustion chamber and a turbine in order to be an engine at all. All parts
are included in a jet engine and it is not an engine unless are all there
and working. Boat anchor otherwise. So I am curious about this as well.
Can any one share the rationale for the above things with me. As I said, I
am curious as to how these rules came about and how they cold affect future
cars and racing. I am not building a gaseous fueled car, just curious..
mayf, the ignorant red necked desert rat in PAHrump.
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