Quote:
Originally Posted by Student 07
I know that every time energy is converted a large portion of energy is lost. Maybe a more efficient engine would change things. Maybe a turbocharged 8hp motor that puts out 12hp? If I remember right, forced induction motors are more than 100% efficient. To be fair I also don’t think the generator would always be at full load, so fuel usage would be proportionately lower.
What am I missing?
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Forced induction engines are not even close to 100% efficient, more like 30% while a standard gasoline engine is around 23% sometimes as high as 25% but that jump from 25% to 30% is a big jump! like a 20% increase.
You also have to remember that not all of the wasted energy is leaving the engine in the form of heat from the water jacket, around 50% of the wasted energy is leaving from the exhaust pipe in the form of heat as well, then you have the outside of the engine block, vibration (energy), the generator has losses in the form of heat as well as the energy that is extracted from the fuel and turned in to work, that energy is not turned in to heat so figure that 20% or so of your fuel is not turned to heat but is instead turned in to motion and then turned in to electricity and I would guess that with a home built generator that you could capture 50% or so of that total heat if you insulated the engine well and had a heat exchanger on the exhaust after you figure your energy that is being turned in to electricity.