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[Nickbat]

...I won't reveal my train of thought (I couldn't anyway!), but I have been musing on an engineering question.

An internal combustion engine provides a vast amount of waste heat; energy that is lost forever. Would it be possible to use a bimetallic bar or spring to temporarily store that heat by bending/coiling, then when fully bent or wound, release it via appropriate gearing to drive a turbocharger or supercharger (or some other means) to increase performance and/or improve fuel efficiency?

It would seem infinitely more simple than the KERS system used on F1 cars.

Yes, I think I am nuts. 

[kris]

no dont think it would be possible mate. a bi metallic spring wont curl up on itself enough ( if you know what i mean) and even if you could get a spring beased device to store the heat, the only way of releasing said potential energy would be by drastically and instantly cooling the spring.

i may well be wrong of course.

[RAT]

Yea i agree, it wouldnt work.
a bi metal bar wouldnt store enough power, and when the power that is stored wouldnt be enough to power the window wipers.

[Nickbat]

Yea i agree, it wouldnt work.
a bi metal bar wouldnt store enough power, and when the power that is stored wouldnt be enough to power the window wipers.

So, I'm nuts. As previously diagnosed. 

[RAT]

most inventers have been considered nuts at some point and not all their creations work or the ones that do get into production.
dont stop the with the ideas. 

[cem_devecioglu]

before converting and re-using energy:

"modern" combustion engines are not that energy effective and looses % 30 
of its energy by its internal cooling system..  :-/

theoritically if the engine block can be made from a more heat resistent
material like ceramics instead of cast iron ( 1535 C melting point) and
aluminium (660 C melting point) it can keep higher portions of energy
inside and will definitely consume lesser amounts of fuel..

some of this theory is made into real life by using different kinds of
composite materials like silicone nitride,silicon carbide and zirconia
which is also used in coating pistons and some other parts..

and also some clever heads developed a creamic micro-wankel engine..(california-berkeley university)

(wankel engines scientifically more efficient than our classic old style engines )

although ceramic engines have some techincal difficulties in production and have high costs they can work in very high temperatures which means no unburnt fuel and reduce environmental pollutions

also some other people (in japan) developed also magnetic driven engines to consume less fuel :-?

now another issue which most of members will laugh :

plastic cars yep.. hardened special plastics will do the job.. and dont rip off your head in case of accident.. and of course will be lighter and consume less fuel.. only have the risk of flying in case of strong winds and high speeds 

[KillerWatt]

So, I'm nuts. As previously diagnosed. 

I wouldn't take too much notice of any diagnosis, most shrinks are further off the planet than you or I will ever be.

[HolyCount]

Instead on one, large ( and heavy) bimetallic strip, how about a few hundred small ones (which individually will react much faster to smalller changes of temperature).

Big inventions often start with off the wall ideas, Nick --- just play with the idea until you get .... a Dyson.

I am nno engineer in any way, shape or form, but am ably qualified as a nut 

[Debs.]

Energy recovery (in it`s various forms) surely-represents the way forward to increasing efficiency in energy-conversion powered vehicles.

Heat; from combustion, braking, engine/gearbox/tyre friction, L.V electricity-generation and usage, represent a very large percentile of the stored energy in each litre of hydrocarbon fuel purchased.

All over Europe, Power stations use 'CHP' technology to make their waste-heat available for some useful purpose; heating houses, growing glasshouse crops etc., rather than simply using evaporative cooling towers......but how waste heat might be recovered/stored/utilised in a moving vehicle will be the next major step-change in vehicle design.

I remember 'flywheels' where once cited as one way to recover braking energy and enable smaller engines (running at a more efficient constant speed) to provide trickle/top-up energy.....but, what that rotating mass might do for handling in corners: well, only Eric Laithwaite knows!

[Lizzie_Zoom]

I am no scientist, but unless it involves nuclear fission / fusion, I have always understood that the principle is that you cannot produce an amount of energy beyond the amount of energy invested in the first instance.

An engine produces energy, of which an amount is used to initially turn the engine over, against frictional and gravitational forces, then the further amount to propel the vehicle, with the equation of power to weigh ration being applicable.  What is left is surplus energy, which either is applied to the transmission to give additional speed, or is part of the engine 'wastage' that is all part of the inefficiency of the internal combustion engine. 

This, as I see it is the problem Nick; how to get additional energy out of total energy available as a result of its generation.

But all great ideas have been considered 'nutty' in the past i.e. Brunell's two great shallow brick arches, totalling 256 foot, on the GWR line at Staines which everyone thought would collapse; Barnes Wallace and his 'bouncing' bomb; indeed all ideas that challenge 'the norm' and seem way out!  That is when great inventions come about.