New engine type

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,581
984
126
I find it interesting that the article say ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about how this "breakthrough" design actually works.

<--Extremely skeptical at best.
 

exdeath

Lifer
Jan 29, 2004
13,679
10
81
They used to do that with steam engines. You'd have multiple progressively smaller slave "cylinders" cascaded together to harness the remaining energy of the still hot steam as it cooled off instead of just dumping it right back into the boiler immediately.

Don't see how this is any better than turbo charging. Pushing exhaust from one cylinder into the compression stroke of the next cylinder is more "back pressure" than a turbine wheel, and a turbine/twinscrew compressor is much more efficient at compressing air than a piston is for the first 90% of the compression stroke.
 

Miklebud

Platinum Member
Nov 20, 2002
2,459
1
81
Hey I've heard of that! That's local to me. A friend of mine invested quite a lot of money into that technology a year back or so. I guess it's real after all!
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: exdeath
They used to do that with steam engines. You'd have multiple progressively smaller slave "cylinders" cascaded together to harness the remaining energy of the still hot steam as it cooled off instead of just dumping it right back into the boiler immediately.

Don't see how this is any better than turbo charging. Pushing exhaust from one cylinder into the compression stroke of the next cylinder is more "back pressure" than a turbine wheel, and a turbine/twinscrew compressor is much more efficient at compressing air than a piston is for the first 90% of the compression stroke.
Pssst.. a steam engine vents to the atmosphere. :p

 

exdeath

Lifer
Jan 29, 2004
13,679
10
81
Originally posted by: Eli
Originally posted by: exdeath
They used to do that with steam engines. You'd have multiple progressively smaller slave "cylinders" cascaded together to harness the remaining energy of the still hot steam as it cooled off instead of just dumping it right back into the boiler immediately.

Don't see how this is any better than turbo charging. Pushing exhaust from one cylinder into the compression stroke of the next cylinder is more "back pressure" than a turbine wheel, and a turbine/twinscrew compressor is much more efficient at compressing air than a piston is for the first 90% of the compression stroke.
Pssst.. a steam engine vents to the atmosphere. :p


The more efficient engines keep the working fluid completely contained and recirculate used steam back to a condenser, then the boiler, using a atmospheric vent only to keep the pressure under control.
 

Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
33,301
12,864
136
at least it's not promising unlimited energy :laugh:

im curious about the engine size though, since each power cylinder requires a compression cylinder. i wonder how a modern NA I4 would compare to an 8cylinder (4 compression, 4 power) scuderi engine.
 

Pacfanweb

Lifer
Jan 2, 2000
13,158
59
91
So have they built an actual engine, or is this all just based on modeling so far? I can't find a picture of a real one of these engines, nor anything that says anyone has actually built and tested one.

Making more power than a regular 4 cycle engine while beating it in fuel mileage is certainly very appealing.

I want a big-block version of this engine as soon as possible, please. :)
 

Nyati13

Senior member
Jan 2, 2003
785
1
76
Originally posted by: Fenixgoon
at least it's not promising unlimited energy :laugh:

im curious about the engine size though, since each power cylinder requires a compression cylinder. i wonder how a modern NA I4 would compare to an 8cylinder (4 compression, 4 power) scuderi engine.

It sounds like it would be very bulky. And I don't like the idea of almost doubling the number of moving parts.....
 

programmer

Senior member
Mar 12, 2003
412
0
0
I'm wacky, but I think direct-drive electric (a motor at each wheel) fueled by hydrogen (the most abundant atom in the universe) is the ultimate goal. Think of the simplicity of the automobile -- no engine, no ignition system, no cooling system, no exhaust system, no emissions, etc. Add four (identical) motors (probably combo motor/braking) plus fuel-cell...

ah, I'm dreaming...

The big drawback, of course, is the lack of infrastructure for refueling hydrogen fuel cells. So... we need to develop [safe] home-based hydrogen generators and make "gas" stations obsolete. And the generator could possibly power your HVAC too, eliminating the need for an electric and/or gas company too.

Really dreaming now...

 

desy

Diamond Member
Jan 13, 2000
5,447
216
106
I think Hydrogen is projected by 2050
I'll probably be dead by then
 

Nyati13

Senior member
Jan 2, 2003
785
1
76
Originally posted by: programmer
I'm wacky, but I think direct-drive electric (a motor at each wheel) fueled by hydrogen (the most abundant atom in the universe) is the ultimate goal. Think of the simplicity of the automobile -- no engine, no ignition system, no cooling system, no exhaust system, no emissions, etc. Add four (identical) motors (probably combo motor/braking) plus fuel-cell...

ah, I'm dreaming...

The big drawback, of course, is the lack of infrastructure for refueling hydrogen fuel cells. So... we need to develop [safe] home-based hydrogen generators and make "gas" stations obsolete. And the generator could possibly power your HVAC too, eliminating the need for an electric and/or gas company too.

Really dreaming now...

I'd rather just have really good fast charge batteries, and not waste energy converting electricity into hydrogen (and storing all that hydrogen), and then converting that hydrogen back into electricity to drive the car.
 

Throckmorton

Lifer
Aug 23, 2007
16,829
3
0
Originally posted by: Nyati13
Originally posted by: Fenixgoon
at least it's not promising unlimited energy :laugh:

im curious about the engine size though, since each power cylinder requires a compression cylinder. i wonder how a modern NA I4 would compare to an 8cylinder (4 compression, 4 power) scuderi engine.

It sounds like it would be very bulky. And I don't like the idea of almost doubling the number of moving parts.....

It would be two stroke, so it would be equivalent to a 4 stroke engine of the same size.