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Non-Tech : Alternative energy -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: A.J. Mullen who wrote (4345)	2/25/2008 9:47:19 PM
From: Sweet Ol	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 16955

Another way to think of it is that the windmill in front of the radiator will slow down the air going through the radiator therefore you must increase the size of the radiator, or run the radiator fan more to get sufficient cooling for the gas engine. Thus it will increase either the drag (larger radiator) or energy use (electric fan). There is another factor to consider and that is the Reynolds Number of turbulent air versus laminar flow air as it affects the coefficient of drag. Cleaver ductwork around the windmill fan could reduce some of the drag. This is not a simple problem and in actual practice it might be possible to extract some energy from the passing air at no cost. Certainly not enough to offset the need for power to propel the vehicle, but perhaps enough to extend the range a bit. But that extended range will probably not be economically feasible. Best to all, JRH