Misplaced Pages

#793206

97-665: Initially, the engines were built by GM Research, but starting with the third generation GT-305 , the Allison Engine division took over responsibility for commercializing gas turbine technology. This division, later merged with Detroit Diesel and renamed Detroit Diesel Allison, would produce approximately one hundred of the final design GT-404 engines, which incorporated ceramic components. Cost, driven by exotic turbine alloys and materials, and fuel consumption proved to be insoluble issues compared to conventional piston engines and further development of gas turbine engines at General Motors

194-583: A "family aircraft". Before work on this design had progressed very far, Fisher sold the company to General Motors, which ended development owing to financial pressures of the Great Depression . Nevertheless, Gilman pressed ahead with the cylinder design, building a "paper project" V-12 engine. The Army was once again uninterested, but instead suggested Allison try selling it to the United States Navy . The Navy agreed to fund development of A and B models to

291-538: A LiftFan nozzle was tested in 1997 at NASA's Lewis facility. By 1997, a complete prototype had been demonstrated by the Rolls-Royce owned but American-controlled Allison Advanced Development Company. In 1965 a drag racer, Jim Lytle, created a car known as Quad Al which incorporated four World War II surplus V-12 Allison aero-engines in a four-wheel drive configuration, and developing approximately 12,000 hp (8,900 kW). Although its engines started, it never ran;

388-476: A boxier look. The turbine engines were installed in Greyhound MC-8 fleet numbers 5991 (engine T6), 5992 (T5, later T8), 5993 (T7), and 5994 (T5, later T9); and MTA RTS-II fleet numbers 3318 (T11), 3319 (T11, later T14), 3320 (T14, later T13), and 3321 (T13, later T15 & T12). Engine T10 was cannibalized for parts before being installed into a bus. Over 170,610 mi (274,570 km) of service with Greyhound,

485-488: A building at what was to become, in later years, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway . Along with the move, Allison hired Norman H. Gillman, a very talented engineer from a competing race team, as his chief engineer. Allison moved to Florida to invest in real estate after World War I, leaving Gillman in charge. Allison did not want the company to wither, so he asked Gillman to build a V-12 marine engine worthy of

582-408: A catalyst under high heat and pressure. To be classified as green methanol, the hydrogen must be green hydrogen , which is produced using renewable electricity. Additionally, the carbon dioxide in this process must be a product of carbon capture and storage or direct air capture or biomass of recent origin. Some definitions of green methanol specify that the carbon dioxide must be captured during

679-533: A clutch to extract some of that surplus power. The resulting system, which Allison branded Power Transfer , gave the GT-309 an engine braking effect and improved fuel economy at partial load. As external combustion engines, the GM Whirlfire gas turbines were capable of burning a wide variety of fuels; for example turbine engines burning powdered coal were fitted to a Cadillac Eldorado and Oldsmobile Delta 88 in

776-456: A common horizontal axis. The single-stage rotary compressor draws air at atmospheric conditions through the intake and expels compressed air out radially into the side compartments, where the rotating drum-shaped regenerators preheat the compressed air using heat extracted from the exhaust gases. The compressed air is channeled through the combustors, where it is mixed with fuel and burned, and the resulting combustion gases are expanded through first

873-428: A compression ratio of 3.9:1. Whenever the transmission was in gear, the engine operated at a ready-idle speed of 19,300 RPM (gasifier turboshaft) and was capable of accelerating to 32,130 RPM in 2.7 seconds to combat throttle lag. The single regenerator preheated the compressed air from 400 to 1,100 °F (204 to 593 °C), resulting in exhaust gas temperatures of less than 500 °F (260 °C). Unlike

970-454: A host of more specialised chemicals. Small amounts of methanol are present in normal, healthy human individuals. One study found a mean of 4.5  ppm in the exhaled breath of test subjects. The mean endogenous methanol in humans of 0.45 g/d may be metabolized from pectin found in fruit; one kilogram of apple produces up to 1.4 g of pectin (0.6 g of methanol.) Methanol is produced by anaerobic bacteria and phytoplankton . Methanol

1067-473: A liquid, it is easier to store than hydrogen and natural gas. Its energy density is, however, lower than methane , per kg. Its combustion energy density is 15.6 MJ / L ( LHV ), whereas that of ethanol is 24 and gasoline is 33 MJ/L. Further advantages for methanol is its ready biodegradability and low environmental toxicity. It does not persist in either aerobic (oxygen-present) or anaerobic (oxygen-absent) environments. The half-life for methanol in groundwater

SECTION 10

#1732869039794

1164-497: A means to convert synthesis gas (a mixture of carbon monoxide , carbon dioxide , and hydrogen ) into methanol and received a patent. According to Bozzano and Manenti, BASF's process was first utilized in Leuna , Germany in 1923. Operating conditions consisted of "high" temperatures (between 300 and 400 °C) and pressures (between 250 and 350 atm) with a zinc / chromium oxide catalyst. US patent 1,569,775 ( US 1569775   )

1261-455: A methanol economy is that it could be adapted to gasoline internal combustion engines with minimum modification to the engines and to the infrastructure that delivers and stores liquid fuel. Its energy density, however, is less than gasoline, meaning more frequent fill ups would be required. However, it is equivalent to super high-octane gasoline in horsepower, and most modern computer-controlled fuel injection systems can already use it. Methanol

1358-532: A planet-forming disc around the young star TW Hydrae using the Atacama Large Millimeter Array radio telescope. In their embalming process, the ancient Egyptians used a mixture of substances, including methanol, which they obtained from the pyrolysis of wood. Pure methanol, however, was first isolated in 1661 by Robert Boyle , when he produced it via the distillation of buxus (boxwood). It later became known as "pyroxylic spirit". In 1834,

1455-460: A process closely related to methanol production from synthesis gas, a feed of hydrogen and CO 2 can be used directly. The main advantage of this process is that captured CO 2 and hydrogen sourced from electrolysis could be used, removing the dependence on fossil fuels. The catalytic conversion of methane to methanol is effected by enzymes including methane monooxygenases . These enzymes are mixed-function oxygenases, i.e. oxygenation

1552-620: A race car team. This hobby resulted in Allison building a shop at the track in Speedway where he maintained his fleet of race cars. This shop became the site for Allison Plant #1. Fisher and Allison sold their interest in Prest-O-Lite to Union Carbide for $ 9,000,000. Allison started as an engine and car "hot rodding" company servicing the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis . James Allison

1649-491: A regenerator and additional component refinements, GT-305 achieved a brake-specific fuel consumption of 0.55 lb/hp·h, an improvement of 25% compared to the earlier GT-304 ; similarly, the engine weight of the GT-305 was reduced by 25% compared to the 304 . External dimensions were 37 in (940 mm) long, 27.8 in (710 mm) high, and 26 in (660 mm) wide. Exhaust temperature had been reduced considerably;

1746-406: A small amount of methanol is added to wastewater to provide a carbon food source for the denitrifying bacteria , which convert nitrates to nitrogen gas and reduce the nitrification of sensitive aquifers . Methanol is used as a destaining agent in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . Carbon monoxide and hydrogen react over a catalyst to produce methanol. Today, the most widely used catalyst

1843-428: A vertical bulkhead divides the regenerators into low-pressure exhaust (occupying approximately 2 ⁄ 3 of the regenerator) and high-pressure inlet (the remaining 1 ⁄ 3 ) sections. As a regenerator rotates through the exhaust section, it picks up waste heat from the exhaust gases, then as it continues to rotate into the inlet section, the heat is transferred to the compressed air, preheating it before fuel

1940-630: A very limited degree for its airships , until the crash of the USS Macon in 1935, when the Navy's need for a 1,000 hp (750 kW) engine disappeared. The very first V-1710 was purchased by the U.S. Navy as their GV-1710-2, and appears to have had an Allison serial of number 1, suggesting that they restarted numbering for the V-1710. The first V-1710 engine purchased by the USAAC was AAC 33-42, Allison Serial No. 2,

2037-457: Is a mixture of copper and zinc oxides , supported on alumina , as first used by ICI in 1966. At 5–10 MPa (50–100 atm) and 250 °C (482 °F), the reaction is characterized by high selectivity (>99.8%). The production of synthesis gas from methane produces three moles of hydrogen for every mole of carbon monoxide, whereas the synthesis consumes only two moles of hydrogen gas per mole of carbon monoxide. One way of dealing with

SECTION 20

#1732869039794

2134-421: Is added in the combustors. In addition to improving thermodynamic efficiency, the regenerators serve to muffle engine noise and heat, reducing exhaust temperatures. The exhaust section operates at a lower pressure than the inlet section, so regenerator sealing is important to minimize loss of high-pressure compressed air. In a conventional piston engine, engine braking can be used to slow a vehicle without use of

2231-409: Is also a widely used fuel in camping and boating stoves. Methanol burns well in an unpressurized burner, so alcohol stoves are often very simple, sometimes little more than a cup to hold fuel. This lack of complexity makes them a favorite of hikers who spend extended time in the wilderness. Similarly, the alcohol can be gelled to reduce risk of leaking or spilling, as with the brand " Sterno ". Methanol

2328-465: Is also found in abundant quantities in star-forming regions of space and is used in astronomy as a marker for such regions. It is detected through its spectral emission lines. In 2006, astronomers using the MERLIN array of radio telescopes at Jodrell Bank Observatory discovered a large cloud of methanol in space 0.463 terametres (288 million miles) across. In 2016, astronomers detected methanol in

2425-531: Is an alternative fuel for ships that helps the shipping industry meet increasingly strict emissions regulations. It significantly reduces emissions of sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter. Methanol can be used with high efficiency in marine diesel engines after minor modifications using a small amount of pilot fuel (dual fuel). In China, methanol fuels industrial boilers, which are used extensively to generate heat and steam for various industrial applications and residential heating. Its use

2522-403: Is an organic chemical compound and the simplest aliphatic alcohol , with the chemical formula C H 3 O H (a methyl group linked to a hydroxyl group , often abbreviated as MeOH ). It is a light, volatile , colorless and flammable liquid with a distinctive alcoholic odor similar to that of ethanol (potable alcohol), but is more acutely toxic than the latter. Methanol acquired

2619-494: Is between two and three times larger than man-made industrial production of methanol. As of 2023, 0.2% of global methanol production is produced in ways that have relatively low greenhouse gas emissions; this is known as "green" methanol. Most green methanol is produced from gasification of biomass . Syngas is produced from biomass gasification and further converted into green methanol. Another method of producing green methanol involves combining hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and

2716-471: Is coupled with production of water and NAD : Both Fe- and Cu-dependent enzymes have been characterized. Intense but largely fruitless efforts have been undertaken to emulate this reactivity. Methanol is more easily oxidized than is the feedstock methane, so the reactions tend not to be selective. Some strategies exist to circumvent this problem. Examples include Shilov systems and Fe- and Cu-containing zeolites. These systems do not necessarily mimic

2813-451: Is displacing coal, which is under pressure from increasingly stringent environmental regulations. Direct-methanol fuel cells are unique in their low temperature, atmospheric pressure operation, which lets them be greatly miniaturized. This, combined with the relatively easy and safe storage and handling of methanol, may open the possibility of fuel cell-powered consumer electronics , such as laptop computers and mobile phones. Methanol

2910-430: Is estimated that China used as much as 7 million tons of methanol as transportation fuels, representing over 5% of their fuel pool. Methanol is the precursor to most simple methylamines , methyl halides , and methyl ethers. Methyl esters are produced from methanol, including the transesterification of fats and production of biodiesel via transesterification . Methanol is a promising energy carrier because, as

3007-471: Is just one to seven days, while many common gasoline components have half-lives in the hundreds of days (such as benzene at 10–730 days). Since methanol is miscible with water and biodegradable, it is unlikely to accumulate in groundwater, surface water, air or soil. Methanol is occasionally used to fuel internal combustion engines . It burns forming carbon dioxide and water: Methanol fuel has been proposed for ground transportation. The chief advantage of

GM Whirlfire engine - Misplaced Pages Continue

3104-507: Is mixed with water and injected into high performance diesel and gasoline engines for an increase of power and a decrease in intake air temperature in a process known as water methanol injection . Methanol is used as a denaturant for ethanol, the product being known as "denatured alcohol" or "methylated spirit". This was commonly used during the US prohibition to discourage consumption of bootlegged liquor, and ended up causing several deaths. It

3201-673: Is no object". The engine was redesignated GMT-305 in 1959 and further development for regular production was handed off from GM Research to Allison Transmission . As the GMT-305 , it incorporated approximately 30 lb (14 kg) of nickel in alloys, including the turbine blades (GMR-235), turbine wheels (16-25-6), turboshafts ( 4340 ), turbine bolts ( Inconel X), turbine and bulkhead casings (SAE 60347), and combustion chambers ( Hastelloy X). The first GMT-305 prototypes began shipping in November 1959 for fitment to U.S. military vehicles, including

3298-536: Is sometimes used as a fuel in alcohol lamps, portable fire pits and camping stoves. Methanol is used as a solvent and as an antifreeze in pipelines and windshield washer fluid . Methanol was used as an automobile coolant antifreeze in the early 1900s. As of May 2018, methanol was banned in the EU for use in windscreen washing or defrosting due to its risk of human consumption as a result of 2012 Czech Republic methanol poisonings . In some wastewater treatment plants ,

3395-457: Is stepped down to 3,500 RPM through reduction gearing at the output to make it compatible with automotive components. A governor allows the output shaft to turn up to 4,500 RPM. An accessory shaft is driven from the gasifier/compressor shaft for engine ancillaries, including a gear-type lubrication oil pump. Initially, the first engines developed ( GT-300 and 302 ) did not have a regenerator, but adding regeneration to recapture heat from

3492-617: Is the basis of several technologies related to gas to liquids . These include methanol-to-hydrocarbons (MtH), methanol to gasoline (MtG), methanol to olefins (MtO), and methanol to propylene (MtP). These conversions are catalyzed by zeolites as heterogeneous catalysts . The MtG process was once commercialized at Motunui in New Zealand. The European Fuel Quality Directive allows fuel producers to blend up to 3% methanol, with an equal amount of cosolvent, with gasoline sold in Europe. In 2019, it

3589-568: The 578-DX propfan . Unlike the competing General Electric GE-36 UDF , the 578-DX was fairly conventional, having a reduction gearbox between the LP turbine and the propfan blades. Noise considerations, plus a significant reduction in the real cost of aviation fuel, brought the NASA funded program to a halt. In 1995, Allison tested a prototype lift fan for the Joint Strike Fighter Program and

3686-519: The Allison GT 404-4 turboshaft engine intended for trucks. Allison continued to work with General Motors on development of ceramic- turbine powered engines until the early 1990s. During their work they were able to engineer fairly stable automobile engines that were capable of burning a variety of fuels, such as gasoline, Diesel, kerosene, alcohol, vegetable oil, and coal powder. In the 1980s Allison collaborated with Pratt & Whitney on demonstrating

3783-599: The Allison J35 . The J35 was the primary powerplant for the F-84 Thunderjet and F-89 Scorpion , as well as appearing on numerous prototype designs. The J35 also finished production in 1955, by which point over 14,000 had been delivered. Allison also began development of a series of turboprop engines for the U.S. Navy, starting with the T38 and a "twinned" version as the T40 . The Navy

3880-579: The Convair 580 turboprop passenger aircraft which was widely used by local service and regional airlines in the U.S. such as Allegheny Airlines , the original Frontier Airlines , North Central Airlines , as well as major carriers American , Eastern , United , and Pan-Am . Over the years a family of engines based on the T56 configuration was developed, culminating in the T406/ Allison AE1107 turboshaft for

3977-441: The GT-305 exhaust was 520 °F (271 °C) at full power, decreasing to 275 °F (135 °C) at idle. Firebird III had a two-cylinder auxiliary power unit for accessories and a special grade retarder to simulate engine braking, which Jan Norbye criticized as resulting from "the refusal of the turbine experts to tackle the problems at the base ... these two systems seem of dubious value except in an application where cost

GM Whirlfire engine - Misplaced Pages Continue

4074-571: The GT-305 , commercial development of the GT-309 was handled by Detroit Diesel instead. However, Detroit Diesel and Allison were merged in 1970, resulting in the Detroit Diesel Allison Division of General Motors Corporation (DDAD), reuniting road vehicle gas turbine development in GM. The final evolution of the GM gas turbine engine was the GT-404 , which was developed by DDAD and had dropped

4171-489: The GT-309 was fitted to a conventional GMC Astro -95 cabover tractor and the RTX transit bus prototype of 1969. Compared to earlier engines, the turbine inlet temperature was increased again to 1,700 °F (930 °C). The gasifier (compressor) shaft idled at 15,000 RPM and BSFC was 0.45 lb/hp·h. A "power transfer" system was used to harness some of the gasifier turbine to the output shaft; with this engaged, engine braking

4268-558: The M56 Scorpion and a 28-foot personnel boat. The Whirlfire-powered M56 underwent winter conditions testing and accumulated 1,000 mi (1,600 km) of service with little trouble. In addition, the GMT-305 was fitted to an ore-hauling truck at an open-pit nickel mine in Sudbury, Ontario . GT-307 , a proposed successor to GT-305 , was designed in 1960 but never built. Instead, GM moved away from passenger cars with GT-309 (1964), which

4365-555: The Monsanto acetic acid synthesis , Cativa process , and Tennessee Eastman acetic anhydride process . Methanol is primarily converted to formaldehyde, which is widely used in many areas, especially polymers . The conversion entails oxidation: Acetic acid can be produced from methanol. Methanol and isobutene are combined to give methyl tert -butyl ether (MTBE). MTBE is a major octane booster in gasoline. Condensation of methanol to produce hydrocarbons and even aromatic systems

4462-790: The Transbus Program also used a GT-404 . In the late 1970s, the U.S. Departments of Energy and Transportation jointly conducted the Gas Turbine Transit Bus Demonstration Program, using the DDA GT-404 gas turbine in both transit buses and highway coaches . 11 GT-404-4 engines were built for this program; this version was rated at a nominal 300 hp (220 kW) output with a turbine inlet temperature of 1,875 °F (1,024 °C); as-shipped, tested engine output varied from 282.8–304.3 hp (210.9–226.9 kW), with BSFC between 0.428 to 0.447 lb/hp·h. Under

4559-753: The V-22 Osprey , the Allison AE2100 turboprop, used on newer models of the C-130 and the Allison/ Rolls-Royce AE 3007 turbofan which propels many regional airline aircraft, such as the Embraer ERJ 135 , ERJ 140 and ERJ 145 family of regional passenger jets that continue to be widely used in the airline industry. One of Allison's most successful projects is the Model 250 turboshaft/turboprop engine family, which

4656-461: The Whirlfire branding. GT-404 output was 325 hp (242 kW) at gasifier / power turbine speeds of 37,103 / 30,830 RPM, with a stall torque of 595 lb⋅ft (807 N⋅m) and BSFC of 0.475 lb/hp·h. Compared to the preceding GT-309 , the 404 returned to dual side-mounted regenerators, although the 404 used discs rather than drums. The 404 was considerably larger and heavier than

4753-420: The liver , kidneys , and heart if swallowed – Toxicity effects from repeated over exposure have an accumulative effect on the central nervous system , especially the optic nerve – Symptoms may be delayed, become severe after 12 to 18 hours, and linger for several days after exposure 385 °C (725 °F; 658 K) Methanol (also called methyl alcohol and wood spirit , amongst other names)

4850-591: The Allison name. Gillman then proceeded to build an engine that relied on what was learned from building and modifying the venerable Liberty engine. Allison's company was sold to Captain Eddie Rickenbacker in 1927 for $ 700,000 after Allison moved to Florida. In 1929, shortly after the death of James Allison, the company was purchased by the Fisher brothers . The Fishers sold the company to General Motors , who owned it for most of its history. The Allison Engine Company

4947-661: The Detroit Diesel Allison plant in Indianapolis to Detroit and Portland, Oregon in 1971, for installation in prototype over-the-road tractors. In addition, it served in the electrical power generator set for the MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile fire unit. The list price of the first versions, at US$ 9,000 (equivalent to $ 50,000 in 2023), reportedly was "barely adequate to cover production costs" and not competitive with conventional diesel engines. Serial production

SECTION 50

#1732869039794

5044-487: The French Chemists Jean-Baptiste Dumas and Eugene Peligot determined its elemental composition. They also introduced the word "methylène" to organic chemistry, forming it from Greek methy = "alcoholic liquid" + hȳlē = "forest, wood, timber, material". "Methylène" designated a "radical" that was about 14% hydrogen by weight and contained one carbon atom. This would be CH 2 , but at

5141-592: The GMR-235 superalloy. With the regenerators, the engine weight increased to 850 lb (390 kg); each regenerator was 150 lb (68 kg). 7.27:1 reduction gearing made the output shaft speed compatible with conventional automobile accessories. A fluid input coupling was used between the engine and transmission; in addition, larger accessories were powered from the transmission, not the gasifier turboshaft, as it had been discovered that at idle, accessory power draw could exceed available surplus power. The GT-304 also

5238-517: The RTS-II buses to accommodate the turbine engines, a fabricator was contracted to custom install them; the GT-404-4 engines were hand-built at a per-unit cost of US$ 250,000 (equivalent to $ 1,170,000 in 2023). Externally, the modified RTS-II turbine buses for MTA required a boxy cover at back of the bus to accommodate the relocated air conditioning condenser, changing the profile from a slanted rear end to

5335-584: The XV-1710-1, while Serial Nos. 3, 4, 5 were V-1710-4 engines for U.S. Navy airships, followed by a batch of 11 Air Corps engines purchased with FY-1934 funds (34-4 through 34-14) that covered Allison serials 6 through 16. After these the production race was on, totaling over 70,000 V-1710s. By this time the Army had become more interested in the design, and asked Allison to continue with a new "C" model. They had few funds of their own to invest, and Allison supported much of

5432-514: The burning of bioenergy . Methanol is available commercially in various purity grades. Commercial methanol is generally classified according to ASTM purity grades A and AA. Both grade A and grade AA purity are 99.85% methanol by weight. Grade "AA" methanol contains trace amounts of ethanol as well. Methanol for chemical use normally corresponds to Grade AA. In addition to water, typical impurities include acetone and ethanol (which are very difficult to separate by distillation). UV-vis spectroscopy

5529-550: The creator could not afford the custom gearboxes and clutches required to handle the enormous torque generated by the engines. The car survives, without its engines, in Indiana , USA. In 1992 General Motors tried to sell Allison to concentrate on rebuilding automobile market share. Rolls-Royce attempted to buy the company in 1993, but General Motors opted for a management buyout instead for $ 370 million. In 1995 US authorities approved, with restrictions on Joint Strike Fighter Program ,

5626-581: The demonstration program, four GT-404 -powered RTS-II (T8H-603) transit buses and four MCI MC-8 Americruiser coaches were placed into revenue service for the MTA (in Baltimore, Maryland ) and Greyhound Lines , respectively. The MTA terminated its test in July 1981 after three months in revenue service; by the time the study concluded in 1983, it had been placed under the auspices of NASA . Because GM declined to convert

5723-461: The development out of their own pocket. The V-1710-C first flew on 14 December 1936 in the Consolidated A-11 A testbed. The V-1710-C6 completed the Army 150 hour Type Test on 23 April 1937, at 1,000 hp (750 kW), the first engine of any type to do so. By then all of the other Army engine projects had been cancelled or withdrawn, leaving the V-1710 as the only modern design available. It

5820-411: The early 1980s as a response to the 1979 oil crisis . Other potential sources of fuel included methanol , ethanol , liquefied coal , and shale oil . The first engine, carrying an internal designation of GT-300 (1953), did not have a regenerator. The GT-300 had an output of 370 hp (280 kW) when the gasifier (compressor) turbine was spinning at 26,000 RPM and the free (power) turbine

5917-563: The end of the war, Allison found itself with a large production infrastructure that was no longer needed. For this reason, in 1947, the Army decided to take General Electric 's versions of Frank Whittle 's jet engines and give them to Allison to produce instead. The main production model was GE's 4,000 lbf (18 kN) I-40, produced as the Allison J33 . By the time production ended in 1955, Allison had produced over 7,000 J33s. Allison also took over GE's axial flow engine design, becoming

SECTION 60

#1732869039794

6014-427: The excess hydrogen is to inject carbon dioxide into the methanol synthesis reactor, where it, too, reacts to form methanol according to the equation In terms of mechanism, the process occurs via initial conversion of CO into CO 2 , which is then hydrogenated : where the H 2 O byproduct is recycled via the water-gas shift reaction This gives an overall reaction which is the same as listed above. In

6111-453: The exhaust gases was found to reduce fuel consumption by 1 ⁄ 2 for the second-generation GT-304 , so subsequent generations of GM Whirlfire gas turbine engines incorporated a regenerator. For the GT/GMT-305 , two drum regenerators are arranged to either side of the turboshafts in large compartments; the regenerators turn at approximately 30 RPM. Within each side compartment,

6208-567: The four MC-8 buses averaged 4.26 mpg ‑US (55.2 L/100 km), less efficient than diesel piston-engined peer coaches, which achieved 5.66 mpg ‑US (41.6 L/100 km) on average. Similarly, over 19,660 mi (31,640 km) of revenue service with MTA, the four RTS-II buses averaged 2.7 mpg ‑US (87 L/100 km), consuming more than peer transit buses, which averaged 4.3 mpg ‑US (55 L/100 km) on similar routes. Allison Engine Company The Allison Engine Company

6305-433: The friction brakes; because the power turbine is not mechanically connected to the compressor in a free-turbine turboshaft engine, a similar effect cannot be accomplished. During the development of the Whirlfire engines, GM found the gasifier turbine could generate more power than was required to operate the compressor, so for the fifth-generation GT-309 (1964), GM and Allison coupled the gasifier and power turboshafts using

6402-415: The gasifier turbine, which is on the same shaft and is used to drive the rotary compressor, then through the power turbine, which is on the output shaft. At the gasifier turbine inlet, the design temperature is 1,650 °F (900 °C). For the GMT-305 , the rotary speed of the gasifier/compressor shaft is 33,000 RPM, while the power shaft turns at 24,000 RPM at full power; the power shaft speed

6499-477: The gasifier turboshaft through a perpendicular bevel gear arrangement; a conventional automotive starting motor is used to crank the accessory drive shaft (and gasifier turboshaft). A new nickel-base alloy, designated GMR-235, was developed and patented for the turbine blades in the Whirlfire engine. Externally, the Turbo-Cruiser was distinguished from piston-powered buses by "turbocruiser" script lettering on

6596-411: The machine. The turbine buckets were bent, but in no instance did they fail even after subsequent running of damaged parts." The bus accumulated 9,000 mi (14,000 km) in testing. Brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) was a notable issue, which at 1.63 lb/hp·h was significantly greater than that of a comparable Detroit Diesel 8V71 diesel engine (approximately 0.40 lb/hp·h), even though

6693-457: The mechanisms employed by metalloenzymes , but draw some inspiration from them. Active sites can vary substantially from those known in the enzymes. For example, a dinuclear active site is proposed in the sMMO enzyme, whereas a mononuclear iron ( alpha-oxygen ) is proposed in the Fe-zeolite. Global emissions of methanol by plants are estimated at between 180 and 250 million tons per year. This

6790-457: The mid-1990s, over 20,000 methanol " flexible fuel vehicles " (FFV) capable of operating on methanol or gasoline were introduced in the US In addition, low levels of methanol were blended in gasoline fuels sold in Europe during much of the 1980s and early-1990s. Automakers stopped building methanol FFVs by the late-1990s, switching their attention to ethanol-fueled vehicles. While the methanol FFV program

6887-500: The name wood alcohol because it was once produced chiefly by the destructive distillation of wood . Today, methanol is mainly produced industrially by hydrogenation of carbon monoxide . Methanol consists of a methyl group linked to a polar hydroxyl group. With more than 20 million tons produced annually, it is used as a precursor to other commodity chemicals , including formaldehyde , acetic acid , methyl tert-butyl ether , methyl benzoate , anisole , peroxyacids , as well as

6984-470: The preceding 309 , at 47 in × 28 in × 39 in (1,190 mm × 710 mm × 990 mm) (W×L×H) and 1,700 lb (770 kg). A special version of the Allison Transmission HT-740 heavy-duty automatic transmission was planned to be mated with the GT-404 , which omitted the torque converter and saved some space. The first GT-404 engines were shipped from

7081-689: The purchase of Allison by Rolls-Royce. The price was $ 525 million. In the year 2000, some of these restrictions were alleviated, and in 2001 the US government chose the F-35 with Rolls-Royce LiftFan and Pratt & Whitney F135 engines. Allison was also a partner with General Electric and Rolls-Royce on the F136 Fighter Engine Team. Methanol Moderately toxic for small animals – Highly toxic to large animals and humans (in high concentrations) – May be fatal/ lethal or cause blindness and damage to

7178-403: The sides, blanked-out rear windows, and a large central exhaust stack at the roof. The rearmost seats were replaced by "a complete mobile laboratory with a large [rear-facing] instrumentation panel" for two engineers. Operating experience with the Turbo-Cruiser showed the engine's mechanical durability; according to W.A. Turunen, "on several occasions, pieces of instrumentation have passed through

7275-436: The time carbon was thought to have an atomic weight only six times that of hydrogen, so they gave the formula as CH. They then called wood alcohol (l'esprit de bois) "bihydrate de méthylène" (bihydrate because they thought the formula was C 4 H 8 O 4 or (CH) 4 (H 2 O) 2 ). The term "methyl" was derived in about 1840 by back-formation from "methylene", and was then applied to describe "methyl alcohol". This

7372-411: The turbine was 1,500 lb (680 kg) lighter. Other planned improvements would target throttle lag, which was caused by accelerating the gasifier turbine to peak speed, and lack of engine braking. GT-304 (1956) was the first GM gas turbine to include a regenerator, which used exhaust heat to warm intake air, improving fuel consumption to 0.77 lb/hp·h. As fitted to Firebird II, GT-304 output

7469-401: Was 200 hp (150 kW) at a gasifier turbine speed of 35,000 RPM. The gasifier turbine idled at 15,000 RPM and the power turbine operated at up to 28,000 RPM. Overall compression ratio in the gasifier stage was 3.5:1. Turbine inlet temperature was increased to 1,650 °F (900 °C) from 1,500 °F (820 °C); after GM Research re-rated the temperature resistance of

7566-444: Was a patented steel-backed lead bearing, which was used in various high performance engines. It also built various drive shafts, extensions and gear chains for high power engines, on demand. Later its main business was the conversion of older Liberty engines to more powerful models, both for aircraft and marine use. Allison needed a place where his race car engines could be modified and repaired. On January 1, 1917 Allison moved into

7663-417: Was a technical success, rising methanol pricing in the mid- to late-1990s during a period of slumping gasoline pump prices diminished interest in methanol fuels . In the early 1970s, a process was developed by Mobil for producing gasoline fuel from methanol. Between the 1960s and 1980s methanol emerged as a precursor to the feedstock chemicals acetic acid and acetic anhydride . These processes include

7760-602: Was acquired in 1995 by Rolls-Royce plc , and became the Rolls-Royce Corporation subsidiary. In the late 1920s the United States Army funded the development of a series of high-power engines, as part of its hyper engine series, which it intended to produce on Continental Motors ' production lines. Allison's manager, Norman Gilman, decided to experiment with his own high-power cylinder design. Allison's engine became Manufacturer Serial No. 1, AAC S/N 25-521. It

7857-493: Was an American aircraft engine manufacturer. Shortly after the death of James Allison in 1929 the company was purchased by the Fisher brothers . Fisher sold the company to General Motors , which owned it for most of its history. It was acquired by Rolls-Royce plc in 1995 to become the US subsidiary , Rolls-Royce North America . A predecessor of Allison Engine Company, the Concentrated Acetylene Company ,

7954-436: Was applied for on 4 September 1924 and issued on 12 January 1926 to BASF; the process used a chromium and manganese oxide catalyst with extremely vigorous conditions: pressures ranging from 50 to 220 atm , and temperatures up to 450 °C. Modern methanol production has been made more efficient through use of catalysts (commonly copper) capable of operating at lower pressures. The modern low pressure methanol (LPM) process

8051-417: Was available at an effectiveness of two to three times the equivalent effect as using a piston engine. The engine used a single rotating drum regenerator, moved to the top of the engine with a single combustor. With this reconfiguration, GT-309 measured 36 in (910 mm) long, 30 in (760 mm) wide, and 35.5 in (900 mm) high, consuming air at a rate of 4 lb/s (110 kg/min) with

8148-508: Was designed for heavy-duty applications, as demonstrated by its use in the Chevrolet Turbo Titan III truck and Turbo-Cruiser II/III buses; for this updated engine, the gasifier turbine and compressor were designed to operate at 35,700 RPM, generating 280 hp (210 kW) at a power shaft speed of 35,000 RPM (with reduction gearing, 4,000 RPM). Stall torque was 875 lb⋅ft (1,186 N⋅m) at idle. In addition,

8245-402: Was developed by ICI in the late 1960s US 3326956   with the technology patent long since expired. During World War II , methanol was used as a fuel in several German military rocket designs, under the name M-Stoff , and in a roughly 50/50 mixture with hydrazine , known as C-Stoff . The use of methanol as a motor fuel received attention during the oil crises of the 1970s . By

8342-421: Was discontinued in the early 1980s. Because the Whirlfire engines are free-turbine machines, maximum torque is developed when the output shaft is stalled (not turning), and is approximately double the torque developed at full power output. In addition, the lowest fuel consumption is achieved at full power. In the third-generation GT/GMT-305 , the air intake is arranged axially with the turboshafts, which share

8439-633: Was fitted to the first Turbo-Titan , a heavy-duty Chevrolet Model 10413 truck-tractor with tandem rear axles; Turbo-Titan was tested with various loads, demonstrating superior acceleration and gradeability compared to the Loadmaster V-8 engine that was removed, a 322 cu in (5.3 L) overhead valve V-8 with 195 hp (145 kW) output. The GT-305 (1958) fitted to Firebird III had an output of 225 hp (168 kW) (at turbine speeds of 33,000 RPM gasifier / 27,000 RPM power) and weight of 600–650 lb (270–290 kg). With

8536-633: Was founded in September 1904 by James Allison, Percy C. "Fred" Avery and Carl G. Fisher . Avery was the holder of the patent for the product. This company was the predecessor of the Prest-O-Lite Company , a manufacturer of acetylene headlights. An explosion at the acetylene gas works in downtown Indianapolis caused the company to relocate out of town, near the race track in Speedway, Indiana . Allison and Fisher raced automobiles at that track, each owning

8633-567: Was interested only in the T40, but the complexities of the drive shaft arrangement doomed the engine and the project was eventually cancelled. Allison tried again with the T56 , basically an enlarged T38 with the power of the T40, and was eventually rewarded when this engine was selected to power the C-130 Hercules . Allison turboprop engines were also used to re-engine Convair prop airliners which resulted in

8730-577: Was invested in equipping the V-1710 with a complex two-stage supercharger, and when placed in aircraft designs like the P-39 or P-40, which lacked the room for a turbocharger, the engine suffered tremendously at higher altitudes. It was for this reason in particular that the V-1710 was later removed from the P-51 Mustang and replaced with the Rolls-Royce Merlin . With the need for the V-1710 winding down at

8827-563: Was scheduled to begin in 1972, and GT-505 and 606 variants were planned to follow in 1973, with increased outputs of 400–450 hp (300–340 kW) ( 505 ) and 550 hp (410 kW) ( 606 ). Limited field experience with the 404 was obtained between 1974 and 1977, including use in MC-7 Super 7 Turbocruiser buses for Greyhound. Later versions of the 404 used advanced materials, including aluminum silicate ceramic disc regenerators. The GM RTS-3T candidate prototype (1972) tested under

8924-660: Was shortened to "methanol" in 1892 by the International Conference on Chemical Nomenclature . The suffix -yl , which, in organic chemistry , forms names of carbon groups, is from the word methyl . French chemist Paul Sabatier presented the first process that could be used to produce methanol synthetically in 1905. This process suggested that carbon dioxide and hydrogen could be reacted to produce methanol. German chemists Alwin Mittasch and Mathias Pier, working for Badische-Anilin & Soda-Fabrik (BASF), developed

9021-478: Was soon found as the primary power plant of the new generation of United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) fighters, the P-38 Lightning , P-39 Airacobra and P-40 Warhawk . The Army had been leaning heavily towards exhaust-driven turbochargers , instead of the more common mechanically driven superchargers , favoring the theoretical advantage of using the otherwise wasted energy in the exhaust. Thus, little effort

9118-546: Was spinning at 13,000 RPM. The weight of the entire engine unit was 775 lb (352 kg). The GT-300 was fitted to an "Old Look" transit bus, which was branded "Turbo-Cruiser" . To reduce overall size, the single large burner was replaced by two smaller burners and the engine was re-designated GT-302 , which was fitted to Firebird I (XP-21). The GT-300 was designed with a 3.5:1 compression ratio and nominal design turboshaft speeds of 24,000 RPM (gasifier) and 12,000 RPM (power). Engine accessories are driven by

9215-577: Was started by the company in the early 1960s, when helicopters started to be powered by turbine, rather than reciprocating, engines. Allison turbine engines were used to power Bell 206 Jet Ranger and Long Ranger helicopters as well as the initial version of the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter. In the mid-1970s the Allison Division of General Motors Corporation in Detroit designed ceramic components into

9312-649: Was the X-4520, a 24-cylinder air-cooled 4-bank “X” configured engine designed by the Army Air Corps and built by the Allison Engineering Company in 1925. The result was presented to the Army in 1928, which turned down the development proposal. In 1929, shortly after the death of James Allison, the company was purchased by the Fisher brothers, who instructed it to use the cylinder design for a six-cylinder engine for

9409-717: Was the owner of the Indianapolis Speedway Team Company , a race car business in Indianapolis, Indiana. While it was founded as the Indianapolis Speedway Team Company, its name changed numerous times, first to the Allison Speedway Team Company, then the Allison Experimental Company and last as the Allison Engineering Company before becoming a division of General Motors . The company's only regular production item

#793206