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Sampling the '70s
Page 31
Page 49
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CM TECHNICAL EDITOR DRIVES FORD TURBINE TRUCK ON BRITISH ROADS
• First showing of the American Ford gas-turbine truck to Europeans was in Germany at the time of the Frankfurt Show (CM September 12). But at that time only Ford personnel were allowed to drive it, others being given only a brief ride as passengers to appraise the design. Now the vehicle has been shipped to the UK and I have been able to drive it on British roads to get a real "feel" of what must be a vehicle of the future.
The Ford W1000 in which the 375 bhp type 707 turbine is fitted is a standard machine in other respects, and the tractive unit brought to Europe had already covered about 60,000 miles on inter-factory operation in America. My "ride" in Frankfurt confirmed the potential of the turbine as a future power unit for commercial vehicles. Actually driving the outfit has now convinced me conclusively of this. It was a great experience, and the main impression was of smoothness. There was a complete absence of vibration and almost the only sound from the engine was an unobtrusive whine from the turbine. Running at a gross weight of only 13.5 tons, the vehicle would be expected to have extremely good performance. But the vehicle is so smooth and quiet that the rate of acceleration is deceptive. It was not until acceleration runs were timed that the true picture was obtained —from standstill to 40 mph took only just over 30sec.
As I have said. this W1000 is a standard model except for the gas-turbine. It has a Fuller 905 five-speed constant-mesh gearbox and conventional clutch and no special technique is required in driving. Starting the turbine is the same as with a normal power unit except that the starter has to be engaged for longer than usual to build up the speed of the compressor turbine shaft to about 18,000 rpm.
It is necessary to disengage the clutch to select a gear but the clutch can be released before the vehicle is started. If the handbrake is released the vehicle creeps forward in this condition with the turbine idling, so the situation is very much like that with an automatic or semi-automatic transmission. And starting off is the same as with a semi-automatic except that, with the turbine, restarts can be made in any of the forward gears.
I tried restarts in top gear when there was no appreciable difference in the rate of acceleration, as compared with using every ratio. Performance was a little down, but by less than a second up to 40 mph, the reason being that the turbine gives its peak torque it zero output-shaft speed. The output shaft of the turbine runs at a maximum speed of 3,000 rpm; there is step-down gearing behind he power turbine, which itself has a maximum speed of 30,000 rpm. The output is '.aken directly to the clutch so this component s needed when making upward and downward changes in the gearbox.
Upward changes can be made very quickly, however, because releasing the accelerator pedal causes vanes between the :ompressor turbine and power turbine to be angled to direct the gases to the back of the -sower-turbine blades, thus slowing the out;mit shaft—the same action gives the effect
t A* engine braking also. And because turbine speed responds quickly to accelerator pedal novement, downward changes are also straightforward.
Discussions on gas-turbine-engined trucks suggest that a very simple form of transnission will be satisfactory and my experience with the W1000 confirms this. But while a gas-turbine gives its peak torque at zero -pm-1,600 lb.ft. in the case of a 450 bhp lersion of the 707—minimum fuel consumption is at maximum speed. It is there'ore desirable to keep the turbine speed close :o the maximum and to do this a multi-ratio :ransmission is needed.
A lot depends on the level of fuel consumption of the gas-turbine for its acceptance by sperators. The Ford 707 has a minimum ;onsumption of 0.4 lb/bhp/hr which is above the usual figure for a diesel engine. [van Swatman, chief engineer of the Ford gas-turbine section, states, however, that results from operation of a number of trucks similar to this W1000 show that fuel consumption is comparable to diesel-engine artics running on similar journeys. This is feasible because it is not possible to estimate on-the-road consumptions of two vehicles by comparing test-bed figures for fuel usage :specially when they have totally different forms of power unit.
Some people feel that automatic transmission should be linked with the gas-turbine in a "vehicle of the future" but Ford consider that a well-proven manual gearbox such as the Fuller is preferable on the grounds that it will be easier to get operators to accept a design which does not have an unconventional transmission system as well as a radical new form of power unit.
Externally, the only thing to distinguish the W1000 with gas-turbine, from the standard diesel-engined model is the existence of twin exhaust stacks at the rear of the cab. And inside the cab there is little difference also. There are one or two extra dials and warning lights, but the controls, seating and engine cover are unchanged.
It is conceivable that there could be an alteration to the engine cover because the gas-turbine is smaller than the diesel engine it displaces-3ft 3in. high by Mt 4in. long as compared with 4ft Sin, high and 4ft 1 lin. long for the diesel. The turbine fits snugly within the existing frame and as the cab tilts for access, the unit can be completely overhauled without removing it from the vehicle. There is provision for changing the ceramic regenerator discs which are located on the sides of the turbine by unbolting their covers, the compressor-turbine shaft can be removed easily through the front end and the powerturbine shaft is accessible after removal of the gearbox.