Orchid XP v8 wrote:
> 
>> 0.0027 tsp of gas per cylinder. (other factors ignored). 
> 
> Hmm, that's actually really small... that's like... 0.015 ml. o_O

On one rev the car moves 28,75cm, in that time 2 sparks are launched. 
Google says 40mpg (US, AFAIK it's pretty near 50imperial MPG) converts 
to 5,8l/100km (which is pretty low for 120km/h, but possible, if you 
have a modern diesel with long gearbox and good aerodynamics). 
5,8l/100km makes 
0,058l/km=0,000058l/m=0,00003335l/rev=0,00001668l/spark=0,01668ml/spark. 
Yep, we're on the same line - I'd say the differences comes from the 
roundings and converts.

> That can't be right, surely? That's less than one droplet per cylinder! 
> How would you portion out such a tiny amount? Surface tension would seem 
> to make this impossible.

To get to that consumption on those speeds you'll need a modern diesel 
engine (or a hybrid-system), for example common rail -engine. In those, 
the diesel is packed with very high pressure (>1000bar) on a kind of 
pipe before the cylinders and released to cylinders very precisely with 
piezo-electric injectors. Really fine mechanics, think about a 
manufacturing fault in there...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_rail

-- 
Eero "Aero" Ahonen
    http://www.zbxt.net
       aer### [at] removethiszbxtnetinvalid

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