Scuderi Split-Cycle Air-Hybrid Engine w/ Video

[kstar]

Scuderi has been hard at work refining its split-cycle engine technology for the last few years, and the company believes that it's close to another milestone. Though still far from production, testing has recently validated an important aspect of the design involving the valvetrain, so vice president Stephen Scuderi believes that he is close to licensing the technology to other manufacturers.

The split-cycle engine is intended to be an improvement on the traditional Otto cycle and acts a bit like the Miller cycle. Instead of using a mechanical supercharger, though, the Scuderi design uses paired cylinders to compress air, which is then used to prevent reversion of the exhaust gases into the intake tract. It is also possible to store some of this compressed air to power the vehicle as part of a hybrid drivetrain. If this seems to make little sense (don't worry, you're not alone), click past the break for a computer rendering of the engine running.

I found it here: http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/19/scuderi-split-cycle-engine-almost-ready-for-sale-to-automakers/

FYI.

Best,

Kurt

[HardDrive]

It seems like manufacturing cost is really the issue. One can come up with many designs that beat our current model. But there needs to be a value proposition there for the public.

[speedracing944]

hmmmm. An engine with 2X the displacement necessary, 2X the rotating inertia, 2X the amount of friction, 2X the amount of internal engine components to break oh and compressed air storage tank the size of my air compressor for their regenerative engine braking.

NO THANKS!!

Speedy

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Biggest problem I see is heat. Compressing air creates a LOT of heat. Ask anyone that's ever owned a turbocharged car like a 930 or a 951.

Turbocharging on top of compressing? Has high power potential, but you'd need intercoolers te size of radiators to make it work without horrific heat losses I'd think. . .

Interesting idea though.