New Car Engine Sends Shock Waves Through Auto Industry

Discovery News ^ | Apr 6, 2011 | Nic Halverson

[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.

[muawiyah]

The gub'mnt attempts to get research done as cheaply as possible. Most research contracts are written so that the patents are retained by the individuals doing the work (and they, in turn, have usually signed an agreement to assign the patents to the institution).

When it comes to government employees the federales will find a small army of federal lawyers standing in their way if they attempt to keep a patent ~ so they don't file for any.

[muawiyah]

So is the Wankel.

[Justa]

‘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.”

That’s what I thought when I looked at it. It would never work for direct drive since the fuel mixture is affected by centrifugal force. It would have a sweet spot of maximum efficiency RPM. Above that the efficiency rapidly deteriorates.

[Hot Tabasco]

decrease auto emissions up to 90 percent when compared with conventional combustion engines.

I thought that today's engines were well over 90% emissions free...........maybe even around 96 or 97%.......

[headstamp 2]

Hey it’s that Chrysler Thunderbird with the jet engine in it!

You remember that movie with James Darren and this car?

[txhurl]

If that were true it wouldn’t need all the government subsidy. It would work in the market.

---

It would work in a market free of any guv constraints or cookies.

I have 15 hours of ecomomics at UT, and it was ALL a lie. Supply and demand quit being real in 1913.

I superconserve gasoline for my F-250, and I sweat my ass to keep the electric bill to 53.00.

‘Market’ needs to be re-defined.

[libertylover]

Mazda still makes their engine-it’s in their RX-8.
I had an ‘87 RX-7 and it was a lot of fun to drive but they screwed up the marketing and made them so expensive no one could afford them. I don’t like the styling of the RX-8 myself.

[Minus_The_Bear]

Everything you say is true... I can't disagree with any of it.

I understand the fallacy of constantly putting down the "free market" when we do not operate in a free market.

That being said, this Wave Disc might be useful in the applications you describe. But in a car? Doesn't pass the mess test at all! Sounds like somebody was fishing for a grant.

[SVTCobra03]

I prefer this one:

http://www.caranddriver.com/news/car/11q1/2013_ford_mustang_shelby_gt500_to_have_camaro_zl1_slapping_600-plus_horsepower-future_cars

[daler]

You mean like this? (from five years ago)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V6SJWfJBl8

[taildragger]

When I asked him if he thought it was a real breakthrough, or just another “revolutionary ICE design that never goes anywhere...”, I believe I’m quoting him correctly as saying “...I believe it is complete and utter f**king bulls**t.” Apparently, said wave disk generator requires a rather large amount of compressed air to operate, and as we know, large amounts of compressed air aren’t free, and some outsiders who have looked at it believe that a goodly amount of the shaft output power comes from the compressed air input. Granted now, if it has enough shaft output, it could likely run it’s own turbocharger.

I've looked @ this thing, and I sort of get it, but I am worried about air building up and becoming stagnant... Does anyone here know the effects on "Reynolds Numbers" on Small Turbine Engine Centrifugal Compressors? The effects are not good, i.e the blades aren't long enough and what about compressor stalls? This thing is like taking a Centrifugal Compressor and trying to make it act like the entire engine, How robust will it be? Will parts liberate and hurt someone like a small turbine engine can? I want to see one run on a dyno, then will talk.....

However this is the most clever engine I have seen in a long time. 2 stroke, Barrel engine ( no typical crankshaft or rods), Internally charged, with a unique air director off the main shaft and The ignition and Fuel injection are intergrated within the pistons and that makes it Direct Injected... All I can say is wow...

http://www.google.com/patents?id=zPLwAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&rview=1#v=onepage&q&f=false

[dangerdoc]

60%????


If everything else is working at 100% efficiency, The materials would need to deal with 1400 degree temps inside the engine.

[Brass Lamp]

So is the Wankel.

A different mechanical principal is in play with regard to the method of compression.

[Brass Lamp]

A different mechanical principal [principle] is in play with regard to the method of compression.

Nuts!

[SERKIT]

The Flintstone Wankel Turbine

[DaxtonBrown]

This might be interesting as an auxiliary power unit just driving lods like air conditioning, alternator, power stering, power brake, etc.

[txhurl]

lol

[stevio]

Yea, the only thing I saw was a turbine and a couple of squared off wheel weights under Plexiglas. A lot of talk about emissions and hybrid though. Gets the liberal chicks going.

[Mariner]

"You sure about that? That would be communism."

With all facilities, personnel and money involved being paid by taxes....no it is not communism.

The development of this engine is not a private endeavor at any level.

[aruanan]

"You sure about that? That would be communism."

With all facilities, personnel and money involved being paid by taxes....no it is not communism.

The development of this engine is not a private endeavor at any level.

Come on, get your thinking cap on. If it's not a private endeavor at any level, then it's far closer to communism than it is to capitalism.