SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Technology Stocks : Ballard Power -world leader zero-emission PEM fuel cells -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: Gerald Thomas who wrote (1439)12/16/1997 11:10:00 PM
From: Bill Jackson  Respond to of 5827
 
Gerald. Not so. Any electric car will be as fusiform as possible for lowest drag. If you have no drag you have no high pressure area at the front to act as a source of pressurised air. Similarly no low pressure exhaust areas. SInce no car is perfect you will have some drag and some low pressures area and high pressure areas, however the amount of power you can extract will be minimal as wind turbines are very low efficiency. If you make a big opening at the front to get more wind you get more drag than the power you get back from the turbine. Think of a solar powered boat with a flashlight shining on the solar cell allowing it to run at night, and the power from the flashlight comes from the solar cell(15% efficient) Might work in daylight, but there is no way the car would work with a net gain. No system like that can extract more than 100% of the energy from the wind through the turbine. If you get 100% and then use it with 100% efficiency to move the car you break even. With turbines at 15% and motors and 85% there is no hope.

Bill