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| Topic: New car engine is world changing | |
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Edited by
metalwing
on
Wed 02/01/12 08:12 AM
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New Car Engine Sends Shock Waves Through Auto Industry
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. The Wave Disk Generator uses 60 percent of its fuel for propulsion; standard car engines use just 15 percent. As a result, the generator is 3.5 times more fuel efficient than typical combustion engines. Researchers estimate the new model could shave almost 1,000 pounds off a car's weight currently taken up by conventional engine systems. Last week, the prototype was presented to the energy division of the Advanced Research Projects Agency, which is backing the Michigan State University Engine Research Laboratory with $2.5 million in funding. Michigan State's team of engineers hope to have a car-sized 25-kilowatt version of the prototype ready by the end of the year. This discovery was supposed to be "out" by now. I wonder what happened. It's use would make the US energy independent. A car that usually got 30 mpg would get over 100 mpg. http://news.discovery.com/autos/new-car-engine-sends-shockwaves-through-auto-industry-110405.html |
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I didn't see a working prototype in the video. It could all be hot air. Hopefully not, that would be neat.
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Spinoff of a Tesla Disk-Turbine?
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It seems too good to be true. If I see this engine actually doing work, then I'll start to believe. Don't get me wrong, I'm hopeful, just cautiously so. |
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more likely that big oil buys up the patents and then sits on the technology
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Edited by
Bushidobillyclub
on
Wed 02/01/12 09:57 AM
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more likely that big oil buys up the patents and then sits on the technology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayh-Dole_Act Recipient requirements You cant have it, if you aint gunna use it. If private business vs a state funded institution had invented it, it would be different.
Small businesses and non-profit organizations can retain the title in a federally funded "subject invention." In exchange, the organization is required to * Report each disclosed invention to the funding agency * Elect to retain title in writing within a statutorily prescribed timeframe * File for patent protection * Grant the federal government a non-exclusive, non-transferable, irrevocable, paid-up license to practice or have practiced on its behalf throughout the world * Actively promote and attempt to commercialize the invention * Not assign the rights to the technology, with a few exceptions * Share royalties with the inventor * Use any remaining income for education and research * Give preference to U.S. industry and small business |
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This is the first practical engine using the "detonation" cycle. Engineers have long known that if they could used the shock wave from engine detonation as the power pulse, the efficiency would increase dramatically due to the extreme change in pressure.
The problem with all the piston engine attempts is that the detonations quickly tore the engine apart from extreme heat, extreme pressure, and extreme shock. These aspects are much easier to deal with on a rotary engine and so this is what we end up with. 100 mpg, here we come!!!  |
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This is the first practical engine using the "detonation" cycle. Engineers have long known that if they could used the shock wave from engine detonation as the power pulse, the efficiency would increase dramatically due to the extreme change in pressure. The problem with all the piston engine attempts is that the detonations quickly tore the engine apart from extreme heat, extreme pressure, and extreme shock. These aspects are much easier to deal with on a rotary engine and so this is what we end up with. 100 mpg, here we come!!! |
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What's the horsepower/torque ratio? There are many other factors to consider other than just fuel efficiency. Unless you can get the gearheads on board it'll be dead in it's tracks.
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What's the horsepower/torque ratio? There are many other factors to consider other than just fuel efficiency. Unless you can get the gearheads on board it'll be dead in it's tracks. The test engine is a 25KW which would be just right for a Prius or other typical hybrid. If you wanted to double the hp you would just add another disc like the rotors on a Mazda Rotary engine. As long as the engine is modular, it need not be scalable. Since the engine is tuned for maximum efficiency, the engine runs primarily at one speed, the speed to charge the battery pack on a hybrid vehicle. The torque in the drive train comes from the electric drive motor, not the engine. 
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Picture is worth a thousand words, very helpful illustration. It also makes sense why this would not be nearly as wasteful. When a piston reaches the end it wastes all of the additional force generated where as this keep on spinning and any additional force is used to help spin faster generating more power. (help me out if I misunderstand)
Very cool! |
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That sounds neat for a hybrid car, but it also sounds great for a boat. Electric motors are great in boats, the problem has always been keeping the batteries charged. Now if only EEStor would actually produce an Ultra capacitor...
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Picture is worth a thousand words, very helpful illustration. It also makes sense why this would not be nearly as wasteful. When a piston reaches the end it wastes all of the additional force generated where as this keep on spinning and any additional force is used to help spin faster generating more power. (help me out if I misunderstand) Very cool! From my understanding, some of the energy from traditional engine is lost as waste heat. More of the energy is lost to the transmission. Electric cars don't have a transmission, because each wheel has it's own motor. If this would allow you to recharge your batteries as you drive and the rate of recharge could match the rate of use (doubtful), then you would really have something. Regardless, it sounds like a huge step forward. Now we just need something that can more efficiently store energy than Lithium batteries. |
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That sounds neat for a hybrid car, but it also sounds great for a boat. Electric motors are great in boats, the problem has always been keeping the batteries charged. Now if only EEStor would actually produce an Ultra capacitor... Low-Voltage/High Price! But making pretty good strides to be used in everyday-Devices and also in conjunction with Fuelcells and in Hybrid-Cars! |
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That sounds neat for a hybrid car, but it also sounds great for a boat. Electric motors are great in boats, the problem has always been keeping the batteries charged. Now if only EEStor would actually produce an Ultra capacitor... Low-Voltage/High Price! But making pretty good strides to be used in everyday-Devices and also in conjunction with Fuelcells and in Hybrid-Cars! I'm talking about the EEStor capacitor, which is supposed to be cheap to make and have unparallelled capacity. People have been calling it a hoax for years, but the fact that Lockheed-Martin has invested in the company indicates that they might be onto something. |
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Picture is worth a thousand words, very helpful illustration. It also makes sense why this would not be nearly as wasteful. When a piston reaches the end it wastes all of the additional force generated where as this keep on spinning and any additional force is used to help spin faster generating more power. (help me out if I misunderstand) Very cool! From my understanding, some of the energy from traditional engine is lost as waste heat. More of the energy is lost to the transmission. Electric cars don't have a transmission, because each wheel has it's own motor. If this would allow you to recharge your batteries as you drive and the rate of recharge could match the rate of use (doubtful), then you would really have something. Regardless, it sounds like a huge step forward. Now we just need something that can more efficiently store energy than Lithium batteries. This model is 25 kw. That is about 33.5 hp. The typical car only uses about 15 hp in cruise at 55mph so this motor would charge while driving. Extra hp for acceleration or higher speeds would come from the battery as needed to be recharged as needed. |
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That sounds neat for a hybrid car, but it also sounds great for a boat. Electric motors are great in boats, the problem has always been keeping the batteries charged. Now if only EEStor would actually produce an Ultra capacitor... Low-Voltage/High Price! But making pretty good strides to be used in everyday-Devices and also in conjunction with Fuelcells and in Hybrid-Cars! I'm talking about the EEStor capacitor, which is supposed to be cheap to make and have unparallelled capacity. People have been calling it a hoax for years, but the fact that Lockheed-Martin has invested in the company indicates that they might be onto something. |
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Picture is worth a thousand words, very helpful illustration. It also makes sense why this would not be nearly as wasteful. When a piston reaches the end it wastes all of the additional force generated where as this keep on spinning and any additional force is used to help spin faster generating more power. (help me out if I misunderstand) Very cool! From my understanding, some of the energy from traditional engine is lost as waste heat. More of the energy is lost to the transmission. Electric cars don't have a transmission, because each wheel has it's own motor. If this would allow you to recharge your batteries as you drive and the rate of recharge could match the rate of use (doubtful), then you would really have something. Regardless, it sounds like a huge step forward. Now we just need something that can more efficiently store energy than Lithium batteries. This model is 25 kw. That is about 33.5 hp. The typical car only uses about 15 hp in cruise at 55mph so this motor would charge while driving. Extra hp for acceleration or higher speeds would come from the battery as needed to be recharged as needed. Horsepower doesn't matter, this engine would be used exclusively for charging the batteries. The speed does play a role in how fast the batteries are depleted, but the bottleneck will be the charge speed of the batteries. |
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