Posted on 05/21/2011 2:18:29 PM PDT by Windflier
Despite shifting into higher gear within the consumer's green conscience, hybrid vehicles are still tethered to the gas pump via a fuel-thirsty 100-year-old invention: the internal combustion engine.
However, researchers at Michigan State University have built a prototype gasoline engine that requires no transmission, crankshaft, pistons, valves, fuel compression, cooling systems or fluids. Their so-called Wave Disk Generator could greatly improve the efficiency of gas-electric hybrid automobiles and potentially decrease auto emissions up to 90 percent when compared with conventional combustion engines.
The engine has a rotor that's equipped with wave-like channels that trap and mix oxygen and fuel as the rotor spins. These central inlets are blocked off, building pressure within the chamber, causing a shock wave that ignites the compressed air and fuel to transmit energy.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.discovery.com ...
In terms of sealing, particularly corner sealing, pretty much the exact same problems.
Perhaps better materials and new manufacturing techniques will overcome the problems this time.
Wankel me once shame on you; Wankel me twice shame on me!
Prototype. Let’s repeat that... prototype. PROTOTYPE for the slow people.
My thought exactly. I knew a fellow where I worked who bought one of those Wankel-engined Mazdas, and we used to have a lot of fun at his expense when it refused to start on really cold mornings.
I know. The writer (like most reporters) can't do simple arithmetic.
What’s left of the Auto companies have to first clear out all of the 200 mpg carburetors they have stockpiled to make room for storing some of these engines so these engines, too, never see the light of day,
You’re a better engineer than I am, Charlie Brown. I have no idea what the similarities are between those two schematics.
It is for a generator. They plan to use it in plug-in hybrids. It will run at a constant speed at it's most efficient RPM.
New Disc Gas Engine Looks to Challenge Traditional Diesel, Gas ICEs51 posts - 26 authors - Last post: Apr 9
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
www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2702233/posts
Shockwave-Generating Wave Discs Could Replace Internal Combustion ...51 posts - 34 authors - Last post: Mar 18
Shockwave-Generating Wave Discs Could Replace Internal Combustion Engines ... combustion engine with a disc-shaped shock wave generator.
www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2690972/posts
Shockwave-Generating Wave Discs Could Replace Internal Combustion ...Mar 18, 2011 ... The generator is about the size of a saucepot, and would replace the 1000-pound ... Dr. Norbert Mueller discusses the Wave Disc Generator:
www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2690972/posts?page=51
Wave Disk Engines could be 3.5 times More Fuel Efficient and ...51 posts - 33 authors - Last post: Mar 15
Follow up on a 2009 article on Wave disc engines .... To: decimon. Norbert Mueller describes his wave disk generator. Accent warning
www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2689393/posts
New Disc Gas Engine Looks to Challenge Traditional Diesel, Gas ICEsApr 9, 2011 ... The Wave Disc Generator starts with a rotor that feeds fuel into channels in ... which creates a shock wave capable of igniting the fuel.
www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2702233/posts?page=27
New Disc Gas Engine Looks to Challenge Traditional Diesel, Gas ICEsApr 9, 2011 ... The Wave Disc Generator starts with a rotor that feeds fuel into channels in ... That is what it is being built for, to power a generator,
www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2702233/posts?page=12
Shockwave-Generating Wave Discs Could Replace Internal Combustion ...Mar 18, 2011 ... Dr. Norbert Mueller discusses the Wave Disc Generator: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf_-IMgla34 · 53 posted on 03/18/2011 1:43:17 PM PDT ...
www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2690972/posts
This is the first and last time you will ever hear of this engine.
Fuel is just part of the total cost of ownership. Doesn't matter how fuel-efficient it is if it needs tuneup/repair every week, or if it needs replacing after 25K miles. I would want more reliability figures before wanting to buy it.
If I were the developer, I would put a few dozen on the road as taxis or other high-mileage commercial vehicle. Get 50K-100K miles on it in a year or so, see the reliability figures, and THEN market it (and yes, a NYC taxi would get that kind of mileage in a year or two -- a medallion taxi often gets driven round the clock by shifts of drivers)
The major obstacles of this design would be the design of the engine block, ignition timing and exhaust elimination. The concept looks cool.
We know how this goes. A secret oil company group will buy this off the developers and the news is leaked that this was just impossible science.
Interesting technology but the article goes OTT on trying to sell it.
I'm not really qualified to say, but it looks to me like there are some real differences in the two motors.
I also don't think the developers would have gotten a $2.5 million dollar grant from the Advanced Research Projects Agency to copy and paste an existing ICE technology.
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