Interesting engine

[Scott Douglas]

This looks interesting...

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Comments?

[Bob Kontak]

This is a step-change increase in the term "interference engine".

Pretty cool.

[Flieger]

I don't see that working- the pistons coming out of the cylinder and then staying perfectly co-axial until they mate again. The gear backlash and such would require cylinder walll clearance that could not be taken up with a piston ring, since you need a ring compressor to get a piston+rings into a cylinder. The large clearance then means low efficiency due to blowby. Then there is lots of wingage losses unless you have a big pump to evacuate the crankcase, in which case that pump creates parasitic losses.

Piston engines are not perfect but they sure are a great compromise in many ways. The OPOC engine seems like a better idea to me. Rotaries had advantages and disadvantages. Same for turbines.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Flieger

and then staying perfectly co-axial until they mate again.

Not only that, they have to stay lined up!

[Flieger]

I remember watching Gilligan's Island on TV Land in the evenings. That was back when I was in grade school. Good times. I always preferred Mary-Anne to Ginger.

[Bob Kontak]

Ginger had some game if you pulled her off the G.I set. Mary Anne otherwise.

[Scott Douglas]

Did you bother to look at the videos?
They have a working propane powered engine running in one of them.

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by Scott Douglas

Did you bother to look at the videos?
They have a working propane powered engine running in one of them.

Your right, it is interesting. But the fact that they can make a propane model run does not mean its an efficient way of burning anything. It doesn't seem to pass the Occams sniff test.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Scott Douglas

Did you bother to look at the videos?

I did. Button #5. Right after the video of the hand cranked version. I did not review the entire website so I do not understand why it is super efficient and I do not understand in every day terms what the application(s) are.

They say it is good for a diesel engine because of it's super long stroke.

Your thoughts?

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

the Occams sniff test.

uh oh - now we're into Slasher movies...

[Flieger]

I still think it would have a lot of losses from blow by, and windage. It also has a lot of parts moving, maybe more than a piston engine of comparable power/efficiency. How are they initiating spark?

[slodave]

Originally Posted by Flieger

I still think it would have a lot of losses from blow by, and windage. It also has a lot of parts moving, maybe more than a piston engine of comparable power/efficiency. How are they initiating spark?

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[petrolhead611]

Oh my goodness, imagine any of that lot getting the slightest bit out of synchronicity: i hope the casing is strong enough to contain the flying components!!!

[wdfifteen]

It IS interesting. It apparently works, though I'm skeptical of announcements like these that are long on marketing for public consumption. I have to wonder why they're promoting to the public instead of to some manufacturer. Some of the claims are a little sketchy too. I it really non-reciprocating? Both the pistons and the cylinders seem to be changing direction once every revolution.

[Flieger]

I believe it is not technically reciprocating since they move in a circle rather than a straight line.

[red-beard]

I expect the DOE will buy this. Wow, there are some really "interesting" engineers "out there".

[Flieger]

I think OPOC, HCCI, Diesotto, etc. are better paths to take. If you want efficiency go high bypass gas turbine.