Energy and Pollution vs Alternative Piston and Gas Turbine Powerplants

The over-riding social importance of automotive fuel economy and power plant exhaust emissions is discussed in relation to proposed alternatives to the spark-ignition passenger car engine.

Some engineering and use criteria for the selection of alternatives are proposed, and several alternative power plants are explored in their frame work.

Three gas turbine types are discussed as alternatives, and a brief history of two-shaft turbines is presented.

The influence of various automatic transmissions on passenger-car fuel economy and driveability is summarized.

This paper concludes that automatic, continuously variable transmission functions can be achieved with a three-shaft turbine power plant with excellent fuel economy and at lower cost.