EVALUATION OF FUEL CONSUMPTION RATES AND THERMAL EFFICIENCY OF AUTOMOBILES BY APPLICATION OF FURNACE ANALYSIS

Analysis of automobile fuel consumption data reported by COPE (1973) has shown that behavior obeys a simple relation between fuel consumption rate (in gal/hr/) and speed (in m.p.h.) for all vehicles tested, with and without air conditioning, with vehicles differentiated by different experimental values of three equation constants: an intrinsic efficiency parameter, a theoretical maximum velocity, and the idle consumption. These parameters determine the optimum speed for the best m.p.g. The results show that the optimum speed increases with idle losses; however, the proportional efficiency also falls. The effect of some other factors can also be identified in the equations and parameter values: air conditioning, for example, can have a large effect on a small engine or on a highly tuned engine in a light weight car, but quite minor effect on a large engine in a heavy car. Implications for the future are also discussed. /Author/TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  Pergamon Press, Incorporated

  Maxwell House, Fairview Park
  Elmsford, NY  United States  10523
• Authors:
  • Essenhigh, R H
• Publication Date: 1974-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 457-464
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research /UK/
  • Volume: 8
  • Issue Number: 4/5
  • Publisher: Pergamon Press, Incorporated

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Economic efficiency; Energy; Engine idling; Fuel consumption; Motor vehicles; Motors; Speed; Weight
• Uncontrolled Terms: Efficiency
• Old TRIS Terms: Idling
• ITRD Terms: 1243: Car; 5911: Efficiency; 232: Fuel consumption; 1808: Idling (engine); 1334: Motor; 5408: Speed; 5485: Weight
• Subject Areas: Economics; Energy; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I96: Vehicle Operating Costs;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00095852
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 2 1975 12:00AM