Quote:
Originally Posted by winny
So, now I've thought about it.. anytime the engine is running efficiently we should see blue-er flames in SoW.
The less efficiently the engine runs the yellow-er the flame.
That would beg the question, what effects an Aero engines effectivness at burning fuel?
Rubbish fuel?
Altitude?
Damage?
Mixture?
I put question marks because when it comes to engines I find them exactly like women.. I love them, but I dont understand how they work...
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Well, I've spent most of my life dealing with engines for a hobby, whether model aircraft, motorcycles or cars. I've also been an aircraft nut since I could walk , and I've never seen a yellow exhaust flame like that shown except from a damaged engine, or one with which I've had to fill the air filter with 'eezy-start' to get it running (which usually meant it was damaged anyway). Even then, the yellow flame soon clears unless the motor is really coked up or has badly pitted valve seats/bent valve stems. Even then the effect wouldn't be uniform for all cylinders. Most primers I've come across are methanol based, which also burns blue/violet.
Hence my question about the primer used. If the yellow flame is indicative of the primer, fair enough. If not, the flame should be blue.
(Actually, I just watched Rudolph's video post again, and the bloke is obviously hand pumping the primer, and, oh look, the flame is still blue!!)
The argument about altitude and RPM is also unfounded as the aircraft was on the ground and ticking over, as were the videos posted.
Like Blackdog, I'm also an amateur astronomer and yes red giants are cool and blue giants are hot. White Dwarfs are very hot and quite nasty, but the exhaust flame of a spit at night should be blue.
The MkI, II and IV spits had covers over each pair of exhaust stubs which purportedly produced a degree of 'boost'. It's possible that soot could build up in these somehow and burn to produce a yellow flame, but the ground crew should have been put on jankers for poor maintenance.
I'm beginning to think Mr Maddox does this deliberately just to keep us occupied.
12-10-2010, 07:57 PM
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