# Plasmatron Engine Yields 20% Better MPG **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 6, 2005, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasmatron-engine-yields-20-better-mpg/302752 "2005-05-06T22:21:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasmatron-engine-yields-20-better-mpg/302752/1 "2005-05-06T22:21:19Z")
[They’re supposed to show up in cars in 5 years.](http://www.autofieldguide.com/articles/wip/0804wip21.html) > [@](#): > > As “Plasmatron” implies, a plasma cloud of ionized gas is generated, through which atomized fuel is passed. That induces a partial oxidation reaction, which results in H and CO. The hydrogen can then be mixed in the vehicle combustion chamber with gasoline. As a result, says Garrick Hu, vp of Advanced Engineering, ArvinMeritor Commercial Vehicle Systems, “You’re extracting more of the energy from the fuel than you do in a normal gasoline engine.” > > This results in a 20% to 25% improvement in fuel efficiency. What’s more, because of the efficiency of the burn, there is less aftertreatment of the exhaust involved, which can reduce the cost of catalysts. Of course, it could be like the 42V electrical systems we were supposed to be seeing in cars by now. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasmatron-engine-yields-20-better-mpg/302752/2 "2005-05-06T22:27:45Z")
There’s a Star Trek joke lurking in there somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasmatron-engine-yields-20-better-mpg/302752/3 "2005-05-06T22:45:57Z")
“partial oxidation reaction” You mean you inject the air/fuel mixture, and it RUSTS, and then you burn the rusted air/fuel mixture a microsecond later? Is that what that means? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasmatron-engine-yields-20-better-mpg/302752/4 "2005-05-06T22:48:37Z")
> [@Jonathan Woodall](#): > > “partial oxidation reaction” > > You mean you inject the air/fuel mixture, and it RUSTS, and then you burn the rusted air/fuel mixture a microsecond later? > Is that what that means? Rust is a slow form of oxidation, fire is a fast form of oxidation. ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasmatron-engine-yields-20-better-mpg/302752/5 "2005-05-06T23:24:47Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > There’s a Star Trek joke lurking in there somewhere. Captain, the plasmatron is destabilizing! We have to abandon ship! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasmatron-engine-yields-20-better-mpg/302752/6 "2005-05-07T00:04:33Z")
> [@Spatial Rift 47](#): > > Captain, the plasmatron is destabilizing! We have to abandon ship! [Homer]Ahhh, that’s the stuff…[/H] ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasmatron-engine-yields-20-better-mpg/302752/7 "2005-05-07T04:03:05Z")
Great news. If the Plasmatron is only five years away, surely the Orgasmatron will quickly follow. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasmatron-engine-yields-20-better-mpg/302752/8 "2005-05-07T04:05:37Z")
Feh. Stupid scientists. They should know by now that all they have to do is follow the tracion fields and reverse the deflector dish and their problems will be solved. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasmatron-engine-yields-20-better-mpg/302752/9 "2005-05-07T05:09:16Z")
What the heck is “atomized” fuel? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasmatron-engine-yields-20-better-mpg/302752/10 "2005-05-07T05:37:40Z")
> [@treis](#): > > What the heck is “atomized” fuel? Ever use a spray bottle? Similar thing, but the spray from an atomizer is much finer – like a spritz of cologne or one of those athsma inhalers. (Or is the latter a nebulizer, since it makes a ‘fog’?) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasmatron-engine-yields-20-better-mpg/302752/11 "2005-05-07T05:38:50Z")
Oh, basically a carburettor is an atomizer. It creates a mist of about one part fuel with fifteen parts air. ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasmatron-engine-yields-20-better-mpg/302752/12 "2005-05-07T06:15:30Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > Feh. Stupid scientists. They should know by now that all they have to do is follow the tracion fields and reverse the deflector dish and their problems will be solved. No no no. You have to stabilize the magnetic gyrodyne relays and reverse the polarity of the plasma manifolds. Then you have to adjust the intermix ratio to compensate for the ionizing radiation while keeping the plasma flow in phase with the graviton flux. I know, I know, it _sounds_ simple, but really it’s a lot more complicated. ---
**Author:** ![KeithT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@KeithT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KeithT)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasmatron-engine-yields-20-better-mpg/302752/13 "2005-05-07T14:30:49Z")
> [@](#): > > “It gives you flame stability, so you have the ability to operate in a lean condition. Your lean limit can move. Your knock limit can move. You can go to higher compression ratios. Higher compression ratios give you more power.” He adds, “Typically that yields a higher NOx production—but not in this case.” Neat. Sounds like a way to run a spark-ignition engine with the same temperatures and pressures as a diesel-- and therefore achieve the same high efficiencies, without producing the smog-forming NOx emissions that are normally formed when air is superheated. Only questions I have are how much energy is consumed in the ionization process, and how much of the chemical energy in the fuel is lost when it “partially oxidizes”; is the CO[sub]2[/sub] also injected into the engine, or is it run directly to the catalytic converter? ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasmatron-engine-yields-20-better-mpg/302752/14 "2005-05-07T15:28:15Z")
> [@Spatial Rift 47](#): > > No no no. You have to stabilize the magnetic gyrodyne relays and reverse the polarity of the plasma manifolds. Then you have to adjust the intermix ratio to compensate for the ionizing radiation while keeping the plasma flow in phase with the graviton flux. I know, I know, it _sounds_ simple, but really it’s a lot more complicated. Dammit! 7up Plus all over the keyboard! you’d think I’d know better than to drink while reading. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasmatron-engine-yields-20-better-mpg/302752/15 "2005-05-07T15:36:26Z")
Another keyboard destroyed. My work here is done. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasmatron-engine-yields-20-better-mpg/302752/16 "2005-05-07T16:30:23Z")
A Raytheon scientist received a patent on such an engine, back in the late 1970s. Thge idea wroks, but it is a tricky thing to have work under automobile conditions. I suspect that implementing the system will be quite expensive. But who knows? Chrysler was all set to make two-stroke automobile engines in the 1990’s-better fuel economy, no valves, cheap to make…but the engines could not pass the emissions standards, and had longevity issues. So, this is a good idea, but how practicable? Nobody knows.