Thread: Land Rover reveals engines of the future

Bob,it's been said already,Land Rover are moving out of that sphere as you put it by regulations,they are selling every vehicle they make and are making good profits,if it wasn't for the Evoque/Freelander etc they wouldn't have the money or the confidence to produce the new RR and RRS,the D5 and best of all the new Defender.The Disco1 saved the company back in the day,the Freelander and Evoque are putting it on a strong foundation and all the new models coming in future will only make it stronger,my prediction is the new Defender will take over from Toyota if it stays at the same price and keeps the same payload capacity.And on the Pilbara bit,no vehicle sold within the last two decades can be fixed out in the bush with a screwdriver,at least with LR you can buy diagnostic tools and they don't need dealer resets,try that with a ToyoNissan. Pat

Originally Posted by Michael2

Bladon Jets signs deal with Jaguar Land Rover - Isle of Man Today

Bladon Jets signs deal with Jaguar Land Rover

Updated on the 02 February
2010
10:29

Published 02/02/2010 10:27


ISLAND-based micro gas turbine company Bladon Jets has announced a partnership with Jaguar Land Rover to develop a device fitted to hybrid petrol/electric cars that charges batteries on the go.
The Ultra Lightweight Range Extender (ULRE) battery charger allows a hybrid vehicle to travel further without the inconvenience of stopping to charge the vehicle's batteries.


The ULRE could be a significant piece of technology in the evolution of the next generation of electric vehicles.


Bladon Jets is leading a consortium that has been awarded funding from the UK government's Technology Strategy Board to develop the ULRE.

The objective of the consortium, which includes luxury car maker Jaguar Land Rover and leading electrical machine company SR Drives, is to produce the world's first commercially viable ULRE.


Backing for the project was secured in a hotly contested 15 million funding competition organised by the Technology Strategy Board to support the advancement of the mass adoption of low carbon vehicles and is a key part of its wider programme to stimulate technology-enabled innovation and to help boost UK growth and productivity.

The ULRE will incorporate a Bladon Jets' patented axial flow gas turbine engine coupled to a high speed generator utilising SR Drives' technology.

Design of the ULRE's packaging for vehicle integration will be overseen by Jaguar Land Rover.

Paul Barrett, Bladon Jets' executive chairman said that winning the Technology Strategy Board award was a significant event not just for his company but also for the future of low carbon vehicle development in the UK.

'We are delighted to be working with our partners Jaguar Land-Rover and SR Drives on this project and look forward to seeing our micro gas turbine engine play a major role in the renaissance of the British automotive industry,' he said.

Bladon Jets is a world leader in the development of micro gas turbine engines.


Its patented breakthrough axial flow technology enables the production of highly efficient, small gas turbine engines that are ideally suited for use in hybrid electric vehicles.

Jaguar Land Rover is part of Tata Motors, India's largest automobile company.

The SR Drives Group is based in Harrogate UK and comprises two operating companies which are Switched Reluctance Drives Ltd (SRDL), and SR Drives Manufacturing Ltd (SRDML).

Both companies are wholly owned subsidiaries of Emerson Electric Co of St Louis, Missouri – the world's largest manufacturer of electric motors.

The Technology Strategy Board is an executive non-departmental public body established by the UK government in 2007 and sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

The activities of the Technology Strategy Board are jointly supported and funded by BIS and other government departments, the devolved administrations, regional development agencies and research councils.

Electric commuter buses have been using gas turbine generators for at least 15 years now.

They are not a replacement for any internal combustible engine.

Originally Posted by PAT303

Bob,it's been said already,Land Rover are moving out of that sphere as you put it by regulations,they are selling every vehicle they make and are making good profits,if it wasn't for the Evoque/Freelander etc they wouldn't have the money or the confidence to produce the new RR and RRS,the D5 and best of all the new Defender.The Disco1 saved the company back in the day,the Freelander and Evoque are putting it on a strong foundation and all the new models coming in future will only make it stronger,my prediction is the new Defender will take over from Toyota if it stays at the same price and keeps the same payload capacity.And on the Pilbara bit,no vehicle sold within the last two decades can be fixed out in the bush with a screwdriver,at least with LR you can buy diagnostic tools and they don't need dealer resets,try that with a ToyoNissan. Pat

I know you are right Pat, but it seems such a shame. I hope the new Defender meets your prediction. Bob

Originally Posted by bob10

I know you are right Pat, but it seems such a shame. I hope the new Defender meets your prediction. Bob

There is no shortage of old defenders for those who don't like the replacement.

Originally Posted by isuzurover

Well no, because the orbital engine is still a petrol or diesel. Besides, it was too complex to be reliable.

People who like to believe that sort of thing have all sorts of stories about it being killed off by [other cars companies, oil companies, big banks, the CIA, aliens, or the Australian government] (Pick one or more of the above).

The answer is much simpler.

The Sarich orbital engine has a number of fundamental unsolved problems that have kept it from becoming a usable engine. Some key components
cannot be cooled and others cannot readily be lubricated, so it is very susceptible to overheating.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbit...nical_Problems

I believe the first orbital engine was the Wankel. Could be wrong. Interesting read, Bob


Wankel engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally Posted by isuzurover

The flywheel looks like it is missing some mass!!!

Images:

http://o.aolcdn.com/dims-shared/dims...-Engine-01.jpg


http://www.motoringresearch.com/wp-c...m-engine-1.jpg

Repair by replacement?

it surprises me still that basically IC engines are still the same, pistons, valves, large amount of head above the cylinder. All they are doing is changing the structure and technology around the center to reduce the emisions and reduce the friction losses.
If they can reduce the heat lost, that would be good as well

Orbital Valves to me seem a better alternate, less rotating mass, no springs etc but sealing them is the problem. Maybe the seals need to become a driver replaceable item? ha ha, like that is going to happen these days - or at least a 30 minute job.

Hay Ewe

Landrover really need to get a move on with the new defender as one of their unique features is no longer. Nissan have just released the new navara and it has a coil sprung solid rear axle with a 1 ton payload. The cheapo models still get leaf rear, but how long till all the others follow? Triton is due soon as well as hilux, for both the Triton and Colorado/imax they could flog the setup from their wagons, maybe Toyota with playdogh.
This is a large and growing sector that they have neglected, and it will cost them.