One of the most difficult tasks for an experienced dyno engineer is to measure the amount of heat rejected to the engine coolant. On the face of it, fitting thermocouples - one in the engine water going in and another as it comes out and then measuring the coolant flow rate, would seem a simple enough task. But when we analyse the accuracy of the instruments used, the level of uncertainty calls for a more considered approach. The problem, as you probably appreciate by now, is not the...

Although attaining speeds up to and in excess of 100 mph on tarmac is not an arduous task, it is a rather more multi-faceted undertaking on water. One of the many considerations of high-speed marine applications is transmission and propeller design. There are a number of high-speed marine formulae that use various propulsion systems, including water-jet drives, super-cavitating and surface-piercing propeller drives. The Oulton Broads and surrounding areas, in Suffolk, England, have...