Powertrain & Energy - April 27, 2012 - 10

tech Report
The high-performance Taurus is the SHO, equipped with the 3.5-L EcoBoost V6. An engine with the EcoBoost “economy” label may seem like an oxymoron for a performance car, but this version is rated at 365 hp (272 kW), 350 lb·ft (475 N·m)— top numbers in the Taurus lineup. Even with standard AWD, the window sticker EPA numbers are 17 city/25 mpg highway. Compared with the other Taurus models, SHO driving dynamics and braking also are upgraded, and 20-in wheels are an option. The Flex crossover also gets a midcycle freshening, with Sync as standard plus many of the same technology features as the Taurus. The Flex version of Sync has the latest MyFord Touch, two 4.2-in screens in the instrument cluster, and an 8-in screen in the center stack. Segmented clutch plate has nozzle-like end for increased oil flow in some Ford automatic transmission clutch packs.
Paul Weissler

XCoR launches its Lynx
Private suborbital flights involve carrying passengers to the Kármán Line (an altitude of 100 km/62 mi— the officially accepted definition of “space”) before returning safely to Earth. The demands on a propulsion system designed for suborbital-flight vehicles are not the same as those on propulsion systems for orbital space flight. The systems being developed now are enabling manufacturers to achieve lowercost, safe, reliable reusable vehicles without government-sized budgets. Of the three basic types of rocket engines—solids, liquids, and hybrids (which usually combine a solid and a liquid)—XCOR Aerospace has chosen a liquid engine, the XR-5K18, using a proprietary blend of liquid oxygen and kerosene, as the main propulsion for its Lynx suborbital vehicle. According to Dan DeLong, Chief Engineer at XCOR, this type of system was chosen for high performance and safety. Having run about 2700 rocket engine firings without an explosion, engineers always assume the next one will. “Liquids are small enough to enclose with a blast shield,” DeLong said. “If an engine does blow up, it can be contained within it. The FAA has regulations that jet engines on airlines have containment rings, secondary containment systems in case of leakage or a breach. Since rocket engines are less mature than jet engines, XCOR will use containment rings as well. They were present on previous vehicles, but a severe test for the blast shield hasn’t yet been done. We plan to put explosives inside to verify that containment rings do the job.” To get decent performance, the engine has a pump-fed rather than pressure-fed system. That’s another difference between government and personal space flight: propellant pumps are more akin to using automotive technology than turbo pumps used in government programs. Since XCOR optimizes for long service life and reliability rather than minimum weight, it uses automotive technologies to a much greater extent and has crankshafts, reciprocating rods, and pistons, which are also easy to overhaul. XCOR currently is testing its Lynx manned flying
SAE Powertrain & Energy

April 27, 2012

Powertrain & Energy - April 27, 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Powertrain & Energy - April 27, 2012