Re: OT- fuel mileage & fuel injection questions

On Thu, 22 Jun 2006 10:07:58 +1000, Jordan <jwprincic@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Dave Hinz wrote:
It's a mature technology, after all. We're past the point of
major breakthroughs.

What about ceramics? They've been promising reports about it at least
since I were a lad at school - some time ago!

Well, what's it going to improve?

Internal combustion engines make power from heat. Cooling is a necessary
evil to prevent seizures. Ceramics offer a way to avoid cooling, or was
it all wishful thinking?

They make power from the expansion of gas when ignited. The mechanical
force on the piston turns the crank, that's the usable output. The heat
is waste energy. If they can find a way to get torque without as much
waste heat, sure, but it ain't gonna happen with the Otto cycle no
matter what they make the parts out of.

.