DB #0022 - GM Coal-Powered Turbine in a 1978 Cadillac Eldorado

Started by bubenator, February 11, 2013, 04:58:11 PM

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bubenator

February 11, 2013, 04:58:11 PM
What's the car?  What's the engine?
Better yet, what's the story?

sixtee5cuda

#2
February 18, 2013, 10:46:34 PM
Mopar?

Zerk

#4
February 19, 2013, 07:58:40 PM
A Ford Mustang with 2.3 liter turbo, possibly an SVO engineering car.

bubenator

#5
February 20, 2013, 11:27:12 AM

Ford
Mustang
2.3 liter
turbo
SVO
engineering car

Well, at least one of those was right!    ;)

Zerk

#7
February 20, 2013, 03:26:00 PM
Quote from: bubenator on February 20, 2013, 11:27:12 AM

Ford
Mustang
2.3 liter
turbo
SVO
engineering car

Well, at least one of those was right!    ;)


The essence of a good puzzle is to cast a 200W light onto a primrose path... :lmao:

bubenator

#8
February 21, 2013, 07:04:18 PM
Yes, GM was involved.  The were other perpetrators.

sixtee5cuda

#9
February 21, 2013, 08:19:48 PM
1978 Cadillac Eldorado, with a turbine engine.  This engine was designed to run on powdered coal.  Developed after the 1970's fuel crisis scared everyone, concerning the price and availability of gasoline.

The shiny object on the left of the picture, with the flat top, is the powdered coal storage tank.  The coal dust was under continuous agitation, to be ready for delivery to the engine.  A small conveyor belt moved the dust from storage to the turbine gasifier.  The gas pedal actually controlled the speed of the belt.

A small tank of diesel/kerosene was used to start the turbine.  After it started, it automatically switched to coal dust.

Thank you for posting this puzzle.  I knew nothing about this car until today.

When GM was done with the car, it was shipped to Allison Engineering, which was also involved in the project.

WayneB

#10
February 22, 2013, 01:20:53 PM
Well Done!

I was thinking it may be the Hydrogen Powered 1975 Cadillac Seville, but the motor looked more like a rotary or Stirling type powerplant to me .

I presume its a sort of Gas turbine modified to run on coal.

Facinating.

bubenator

#11
February 22, 2013, 01:38:53 PM
Nice job Mr. Cuda!  That captures it very thoroughly.

I understand that though the vehicle performed acceptably, development was cancelled in part because of the noisy nature of the coal dust conveyor and air compressor system.  They sounded far more industrial and un-car-like than what the expected customer market would accept.

Here's the original picture showing more of the 1978 Cadillac Eldorado headlights and grille, along with a schematic of the powertrain operation.
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