Posted on 04/09/2011 9:11:38 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
Michigan State University (MSU) mechanical engineering associate professor Norbert Mueller [profile] has invented an engine quite unlike those that the world is familiar with today. It has no transmission. It ditches the piston, valves, and crankshaft. It doesn't need to use cooling liquids.
Meet the Wave Disc Generator [video], the engine that could be the death of traditional gas and diesel internal combustion engines (ICEs).
When people claim to have a novel alternative to the ICE, they're typically peddling snake oil investments. But Dr. Mueller has carefully documented his progress and is offering a true ICE replacement. In short, he's turned what's typically a fantasy into reality.
The Wave Disc Generator starts with a rotor that feeds fuel into channels in the disc. As the rotor spins, it naturally mixes the fuel with oxygen in the air. The rotor also blocks the channels as it cycles. This creates a buildup in pressure within the channel chamber, which creates a shock wave capable of igniting the fuel.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailytech.com ...
“What about the Sterling Engine?”
The Sterling Engine - by definition - is an external combustion engine. The advantage - and about the only one - is that any fuel can be used, whereas for INTERNAL combustion, the range of fuels is more limited.
Since there is the heat conduction issue - from external combustor to the working fluid - the power per unit weight/volume is low. The internal combustion engine does not have this heat transfer issue and therefore more powerful than the Sterling Engine. In the past 30-40 years, there has been some experimental sterling-engine cars built but their performance were lacking.
There are some persistent Sterling Engine groupies around and I am amused.
The new disc gas engine combines the compression stage typical of a conventional gas turbine with the combustion/expansion stage of a rocket engine.
I do not see the new disc engine being that much efficient than the conventional gas turbine.
There are 2 goals in engine design: efficiency and power. The greater the power (work per unit time), the less energy efficient; and vice versa.
I only mentioned it because people keep trying to reinvent the wheel LoL
I think there is a reason we have been using gas and diesel all these years.
It is the most efficient design we have
A rotary diesel of sorts?
Wow, another one of these disc engines.
There is another company already selling scaled down versions of a disc engine that they want to launch, so they are pretty far behind.
The other engine design though, didn’t have as much torque but they said it was going to be hooked to a generator to continuously charge a battery and run a motor. The idea was to design an engine that could run at a constant speed with a reliability of years of continuous use.
Think of it as an optimized engine for Volt type cars with backup generator on board.
Yup. They are OK for running APU’s
>> “Decades ago, there were a couple of diesel engine designs which never caught on, both were bent in the center...” <<
.
A similar design has been used for 40 myears as a hydraulic rotary servo for heavy equipment.
From the video, the concept seems to be that the engine drives a generator. Generator plus battery powers electric motors on the wheels.
Tasting much sweeter than wine...
That’s right, they said APUs.
Maybe you saw it too. Real fuel efficient too.
I guess the process of balancing the load with the generator is pretty sensitive though, because the engine mfg didn’t have that skill. They are just trying to sell it to other people to integrate it.
Exceed the deliverable load and the generator shuts down
It’s ok for what it is, but we want power on demand.
Well, to tell you truth I don’t know much about a make or break engine, never having observed one in the wild so to speak:). Thanks for the info, and interesting page. Those pioneers in the internal combustion field were quite the guys. Imagine the work involved in building even a one cylinder engine when all you had to work with was a black smith shop.
Wonder if he was doing it on the fly or had lots of grant money.
and you make it too low an the efficiency sucks.
tricky stuff
Balancing act
Thanks for keeping me "tuned" Ernest!
Seems like with one of these driving each wheel that it would eliminate such a heavy drive train from current vehicles that it could be super. Especially coupled with high torque electrick motors for short heavy pulls and intial bursts off the starting line.
Of course those electic motors would require heavy batteries so there goes your advantage, right out the old ICE exhaust pipe!!!
We're never gonna improve on the gasoline/diesel powered ICE based on all things being considered!!!
That would be more applicable to a stationary generator but if the fuel efficiency is enough perhaps small tanks of propane could power a >small< commuter car.
Handling wasn't that great, but it was smooth and comfortable for a small car.
Then - as an older, wiser mechanic predicted - the engine blew at 65K. Mrs p6 had planned to take it on our honeymoon. Instead we were forced to use the "Gutless Wonder" a 1970 6 cly 2 door Torino.
I rebuilt the rotary myself but it wasn't as easy or fun as I expected. Getting the parts was a BIG problem despite Mazda.
By the time I got it finished the body started to rust badly and being newly married I threw in the towel. Besides we had the Gutless Wonder and a ...Pacer Wagon...sigh.
And in a year or so I bought a used 1971 base model Nova with a powerslop to replace the GW. It lasted a LONG time.
My autocross days were over.
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