My most expensive fuelling - ever

[TeePee]

Which is a crying shame, as turbines sound awesome starting up...
Tik-tik-tik-tik-tik-tik-tik-tiktiktiktiktiktiktikt-t-t-t-t-t-t-BWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

The tik is the spark plugs! Usually two per engine, but they only run at start and really low power settings when Auto-ignition is on to stop flame outs.

[Ttaskmaster]

And the 2017 HEXUS award for the most shameless bit of grovelling goes to...

Grovelling...???!!

Oh... yeah.... sure... why not... if you see yourself a a bit of a Mary Poppins, I guess, yeah.... sure... whatever makes you smile.... yes, I was 'grovelling'.... Mmm-hmm....

[Xlucine]

I want to see turbines in cars. They're crazy light and compact for their power, and give good efficiency under load (which is why they're used for power generation). They'd make a good range extender engine for a plug in hybrid, and since they can run on kerosene you don't need to worry about the fuel offgassing all the volatiles (like petrol does).

Autoignition shouldn't be an issue in a diesel, because there's no fuel in the cylinder until ~TDC. It could be there's something going on with the timing where they squirt some fuel in before TDC to improve the combustion dynamics and noise, as danceswithunix pointed out

Interestingly enough the first jet engines like the BMW 003 actually ran on petrol or diesel,unlike modern ones which seem to be more orientated towards keroscene.

Having said that I thought there were military engines in MBTs which could run different kinds of fuels fine??

You do get multifuel gas turbines and diesels (normally two-stroke, although I'm not sure about modern MBT's), but petrol isn't normally used by militaries - jet fuel, diesel and heavy fuel oil (for ships) are the normal fuels of choice, so those are the ones that multifuel engines ought to aim for

[Ttaskmaster]

The tik is the spark plugs! Usually two per engine, but they only run at start and really low power settings when Auto-ignition is on to stop flame outs.

Yeah, but based on what I've heard of the things, the BWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHH bit is loud enough to drown out a lot of the subtler sounds at that point... and the rest of it is moot when you actually get moving, with the best sounds only audible if you're standing still as the vehicle rockets past you anyway!!

It's not a growly 1970s Dodge V8 engine, but I wouldn't kick it out of bed either!!

[Gerrard]

I want to see turbines in cars. They're crazy light and compact for their power, and give good efficiency under load (which is why they're used for power generation). They'd make a good range extender engine for a plug in hybrid, and since they can run on kerosene you don't need to worry about the fuel offgassing all the volatiles (like petrol does).

The Jaguar C-X75 concept originally planned 2 turbines, but ended up with a 1.6l 500hp supercharged Cosworth in the end.

Yeah, but based on what I've heard of the things, the BWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHH bit is loud enough to drown out a lot of the subtler sounds at that point... and the rest of it is moot when you actually get moving, with the best sounds only audible if you're standing still as the vehicle rockets past you anyway!!

Having done many "see-offs" on the Eurofighter, if after a few seconds of clicking and the engines hadn't ignited yet, you started to step back because when it does go, you get a nice flame and "boom".

[Ttaskmaster]

Having done many "see-offs" on the Eurofighter, if after a few seconds of clicking and the engines hadn't ignited yet, you started to step back because when it does go, you get a nice flame and "boom".

I was thinking of something between an F-14 Tomcat and an MTT Y2K motorcycle... either of which I'd happily have for nipping down the shops in!!

[TeePee]

Yeah, but based on what I've heard of the things, the BWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHH bit is loud enough to drown out a lot of the subtler sounds at that point... and the rest of it is moot when you actually get moving, with the best sounds only audible if you're standing still as the vehicle rockets past you anyway!!

It's not a growly 1970s Dodge V8 engine, but I wouldn't kick it out of bed either!!

They also 'tik' when they are shut down on windy days. If the wind is strong enough, they will rotate the engine, and the loose fan blades make a ticking sound. It's pretty neat walking across a busy ramp listening to a bunch of jets that just can't wait to get going!

[peterb]

I want to see turbines in cars. They're crazy light and compact for their power, and give good efficiency under load (which is why they're used for power generation). They'd make a good range extender engine for a plug in hybrid, and since they can run on kerosene you don't need to worry about the fuel offgassing all the volatiles (like petrol does).

Rover made a gas turbine powered car in the 1950s based on the P1 chassis.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rover_JET1

The car didn’t go into production, but the engine went on to be a successful industrial small turbine, with a range of uses from a firefighting/ damage control pump mounted in a four man lift space chassis, to the APU in the nimrod aircraft.

There was also a Rover/BRM gas turbine powered racing car

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rover-BRM

And according to that Wikipedia article, Chrysler also experimented with GT powered cars.

[DanceswithUnix]

The Jaguar C-X75 concept originally planned 2 turbines, but ended up with a 1.6l 500hp supercharged Cosworth in the end.

ISTR that range extender is a home power generator which Jaguar re-purposed, so if you are really into turbines you could have one at home (well two, I think they come in pairs )

[TeePee]

Rover made a gas turbine powered car in the 1950s based on the P1 chassis.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rover_JET1

The car didn’t go into production, but the engine went on to be a successful industrial small turbine, with a range of uses from a firefighting/ damage control pump mounted in a four man lift space chassis, to the APU in the nimrod aircraft.

There was also a Rover/BRM gas turbine powered racing car

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rover-BRM

And according to that Wikipedia article, Chrysler also experimented with GT powered cars.

This car is also gas turbine powered, and has been very successful!

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

This car is also gas turbine powered, and has been very successful!

As were some Russian MBTs like the T80,but the main problem is that the exhaust is so hot that it can cause issues for Infantry standing near the tank for extended periods.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

ISTR that range extender is a home power generator which Jaguar re-purposed, so if you are really into turbines you could have one at home (well two, I think they come in pairs )

http://www.bladonjets.com/

That is the UK company which supplies the microturbine for the range extender.

The Bladon brothers were microturbine enthusiasts who took 20 years to engineer quite an innovative axial flow microturbine:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyLvrRB-snM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUf_NFOM1L4

Turbines (eg jet engines, tanks, odd-ball cars/bikes, generators etc.) can indeed run on almost any old junk. But they're a bit pricey for mainstream cars.

Interestingly enough one of the reasons the Germans pushed forward with jet engine development during WW2 was because the jet engines needed much lower man hours to build,and had an overall lower production cost than the piston engines of the day!! However,this came at the expense of greater fuel consumption.

You do get multifuel gas turbines and diesels (normally two-stroke, although I'm not sure about modern MBT's), but petrol isn't normally used by militaries - jet fuel, diesel and heavy fuel oil (for ships) are the normal fuels of choice, so those are the ones that multifuel engines ought to aim for

I think they are - I wonder if it would be viable to make a Stirling Engine based car?? All you would need is a heating element which could use any normal liquid fuel,and it could be use to generate electricity to run an electric motor.

[ik9000]

As were some Russian MBTs like the T80,but the main problem is that the exhaust is so hot that it can cause issues for Infantry standing near the tank for extended periods.

Da, but in Siberian winter, comrade infantry glad of heat.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Da, but in Siberian winter, comrade infantry glad of heat.

Actually there are some comments from US infantry who said they would stand briefly behind the exhuast of the M1 to warm up!!

[peterb]

The exhaust temperature of a gas turbine is a significant problem for military use - a nice infra-red beacon advertising your presence and loved by an IR homing missile.

Considerable thought goes into cooling the exhaust gases in naval propulsion systems to reduce the IR signature.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

The exhaust temperature of a gas turbine is a significant problem for military use - a nice infr red beacon advertising your presence and loved by an IR homing missile.

Considerable thought goes into cooling the exhaust gases in naval propulsion systems to reduce the IR signature.

Another issue,is that for MBTs,the turbines also consume more fuel,and apparently the M1 has to carry far more fuel than say a Challenger 2 or a Leopard 2.