NASA builds a co-gen inline 6

[mike90045]

This forum is not obsolete !       Sorry about a little lie in the title

http://jalopnik.com/a-nascar-team-is-building-the-first-internal-combustion-1783198912?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=website&utm_content=link

Those people building the engine are the team at Roush Fenway Racing, and they're building the engine as part of United Launch Alliance's Integrated Vehicle Fluids (IVF) program.

They are harvesting the heat from the exhaust manifold, using the exhaust as thrust for settling fluids in the tanks.
:
The "retro" design of the I6 is reminiscent of a classic Ford flathead V-8 design of the 1930s. These engines, while being incredibly tough, had a reputation for requiring oversized radiators since exhaust gas passages were close to block cooling passages and more heat than typical was transferred to the coolant. This heat rejection feature is much desired in the IVF engine since we wish to scavenge heat for tank pressurization. This allows us to eliminate the extraction of heat from the thrusters, a feature of earlier IVF designs, and keep all heat exchange functions within the engine. The engine head, which bridges the length of the engine, contains the heat exchange surfaces for rejecting heat to incoming hydrogen combustion gas, as well as vaporizing both liquid hydrogen and oxygen for tank pressurization.

So, this triggered a thought of what if someone who knows engines better than I, could source a piston, rod, crank and head, and make some sort of Franken-roid out of modern obtainable stuff, but keeping the simple CS technology?  Ford piston, chevy flywheels, briggs/stratton crankcase, VW head

[Tom Reed]

Cool a hydrogen powered flat head 6.

[SteveU.]

Great read article you put up mike90045.
Proof that efficency ain't just about putting all of the combustion heat/pressure into shaft enrgy as the do-all, be-all about engine cycle effiecency.
IF the heats are used relevently for useful work, that counts too.

Ha! I did early on have a Rambler flathead 6 in my expernece. 50's Dodge pickup flathead 6. And even once an early 50's Pontiac staight eight flathead. Simplicty, durabilty and smoothness what kept the inline flatheads in production use for so long. Fuel economy? No. And none were easy to valve adjust standing on your head.
The overhead valve converted Ramblers 196's; Ford's 200's would beat the snot out of them overall on gasoline.
And Chryslers slant-six solved the inline OHV height issues.

Rather than re-make a whole engine the way to harvest the heat out of the exhaust would be to used source one ot the OMC/Mercury GM fours, or sixes with the water cooled (HEATING) jacketed cast iron manifolds.
Regards
Steve Unruh

[SteveU.]

Hmm. On second blush every single Spring/Summer here the same Ford 8N and 9N inline four cyclinder flathead tractors go up for sale. Ha! Ha! The same tractors sold and traded year after year for $500-$1500. USD.
Why? Small and weak with terible hydraulics posibiltis in comparision to anything "modern", gasoline, propane or diesel from the mid sixties and later.

Now take one of these Fords, make your greenhouse end-wall drive-in, and turn the 'ol Ford into a movable PTO generator head driver and heat source maker.
Screw the India clones. Screw the Chinese clones.
Use made in America, Canada, the UK/Ireland (Ferguson's) made old iron for your CHP shaft power and heat makers.

"everything does not have to be such a new age, big deal"
Steve Unruh very happy with my mid-20th century 1980 John Deere/Yanmar 950

[BruceM]

The 8N engine seems to be similar to the Model A engine, about 20hp.  This is an interesting choice for a slowed rpm operation engine, though I suspect fuel efficiency would be poor at the power I need (2000 watts typical). Good choice due to wide availability and plenty of parts sources.  I learned to drive on the later 2N with a front hydraulic (lift only) bucket and the 3 point Ferguson hitch. 

[Thob]

I just happen to have an old 8N setting under the shed.  It gets run a few times a year to mow the pasture with a brush hog.  Does the job quite nicely, but I have other tractors for "real" work.  I've gone modern with it, it has a 12V alternator, super-capacitor for a battery, and electronic ignition so I don't have to file the points every spring.  Each time I use it, I shut the fuel off when done and let it run all the gas out of the carburetor so it doesn't gum up.  I'll keep your greenhouse idea in mind when I build my greenhouse...