California Company Reinvents the Rotary Engine

[RobtE]

California company reinvents the rotary engine

Rotary, internal combustion engine

Rotary, internal combustion engine

An interesting attempt to get around some of the problems of the Wankel Rotary Engine using pivoting rotors ("pivot pistons").

 

[94astro]

The rotary concept is good if it can be refined, looks like they may have the answer.

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: 94astro
looks like they may have the answer.

I'm not so sure. I see the combustion chambers still have square corners; that's part of what makes the Wankel difficult to bring into emissions compliance. Seems to me that this engine will have the same problem with emissions.

 

[Shannow]

Look at the seal length to combustion chamber volume, and all the little fitted pieces that are needed to make one (non continuous) seal...that's what killed the Wankel, the Sarich (probably) the Rambler Renault (it was more complicated than anyhing but the Sarich).

Versus piston rings, one piece, round, in a round bore.

Personally, I'm more of the beleif now than ever that pistons and cylinders are with us until we stop using IC engines.

 

[Quest]

nice drawings on paper. Wonder how a "real" prototype will ever becomes a reality?

Q.

 

[DR Racing]

Rotary's are dead with the big push for max fuel economy. Too much internal surface area to absorb combustion heat energy which only heats up the radiator and is not used to move the car. IMHO diesel is the future of IC engines. Just drove the new Chevy cruze diesel, nice car.

Dan

 

[OneEyeJack]

It look like this design will not be easy to translate to mass production. If that's the case it does not matter how well it works. It won't make it.

 

[Boomer]

+1 on the diesel. Just filled up the Passat TDI. Took 7.6 gallons to go 368 miles ofabout 75% highway and 25% town driving. My best highway mileage has been 58 mpg from central PA to Staunton, VA and 56 mpg from central PA to Dayton, OH.

 

[Clevy]

What about those duke engines. They seemed neat but unless an oem adobes the tech and mass markets parts there just isn't enough support for new designs.

I think Shannow is right. Until magnetic field propulsion becomes the norm or we bend time/space to travel I think the piston engine is here to stay.

Instead of putting all that effort into redesigning a failed design why not adapt what we have already to run on multiple types of fuel so we can burn whatever's in season instead of propping up Arab terrorists for dibs on oil.

 

[Quest]

conspiracy theory side of me suspect that this is just another "patent squatting" attempt which is not uncommon these days.

Q.

 

[fdcg27]

Agreed.
The Wankel's day has come and gone.
Even it's claim of very high power density in a very small package has been eclipsed by turbo fours as well as the NA four used in the Honda S2000 and these engines deliver much better specific consumption.
The Mazda RX-8 was the last gasp for this design in production.
There will be no more of them.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Looks way more complicated than the Wankel used by Mazda.

 

[Shannow]

Yep,all of the drawbacks, with none of the simplicity.

 

[FetchFar]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Yep,all of the drawbacks, with none of the simplicity.
You wouldn't know enough about any of this. I've seen your odd ramblings, mostly void of rigorous truth. You pretend way too much.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: FetchFar
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Yep,all of the drawbacks, with none of the simplicity.
You wouldn't know enough about any of this. I've seen your odd ramblings, mostly void of rigorous truth. You pretend way too much.


quoted for record..thanks

 

[benjy]

today its ALL about the $$$$ mpgs + clean running!!! diesel is great for big over the road trucks or long haulers, BUT many gassers see close to 40 mpgs on a trip + no issues + upkeep of a diesel, not to mention HIGH cost of the fuel itself, unless you sneak some home heating oil in on a regular basis!!!

 

[97prizm]

As someone who owns and drives an 84 Mazda Rx-7 (FB) the big issue is lubrication of the apex seals. It's well known that the metering oil pump (mop) goes bad ruining the engine. Most people add an oz per gallon or so to extend life.