Anyone heard much about this...way cool

How the Duke Engines increases the efficiency of the internal combustion engine

 

looks interesting.

 

Interesting, many of the ideas employed there that they seem to take credit for aren't new and have been around for over a century. It is an interesting modern take on it though that combines them in a rather new unique way.

This is the Macomber Axial Engine designed in 1911, look familiar.


Rotary axial engines aren't new, though most that have existed in the past have used a swash plate, a kind of rotating cam not a wobble plate, what they call the "reciprocator" which isn't new tech either. In those engines though the cylinders are stationary, though an engine is really a pump and some hydraulic pumps work with the cylinders rotating like those though. This is odd and new as it moves both the crank and cylinders in opposite directions with a stationary head, that is interesting. Kind of combining an axial engine with a Wankel/Rotary engine.

I have no idea why axial rotary engines haven't caught on, I think it's a very practical design. There were some axial engines with a swash plate design and stationary cylinders used in planes back in the day. A diesel version was even tried.

My favorite design is the dyna-cam


In this particular engine I see a lot of unsolvable problems and dubious claims. Problems, almost all cause of the rotating cylinder stationary head design. Sealing, both of the combustion and coolant. It would almost have to be oil cooled and have low cylinder pressures and/or be designed to leak. Poor combustion chamber, it will have the same unsolvable problem as the rotary engine, the rotating combustion chamber and spark plug issues. The top of the combustion chamber must be flat, this means the shape will be poor, the plug can't protrude, and the plug can't seal leading to the passage of still burning gasses from one cylinder to another. Last is valving, the shape and timing is critical and fixed. This means no variable valve timing.

Claims, the 14:1 I don't buy at all, really that depends on how you measure it. But as they present it I don't buy it. 14:1 static (swept:quench) sure, 14:1 dynamic as it's implied no way.

http://www.douglas-self.com/MUSEUM/P...g/axial-IC.htm A good collection of axial history

 

Nice commentary BruteFord. When I looked at the vid, I thought that there might be issues, but I don't have anything like the background to be certain.

The traditional design seems awfully tough to beat. Maybe it's just because it's been refined to such a high point.

hj

 

Came across this gem today, I'm a fan if this engine and think it's a great advancement that should have caught on.

 

Several variations it seems:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axial_engine
More discussion, looks like the lack of money and the efforts to get money might have been as much trouble as anything:

MOVED: What ever happened to the Dyna Cam engine?

 

How do you keep something like this cool across a wide range of operating conditions?

I understand a torpedo engine where packaging a small cylinder makes sense, but they don't have to run very long.

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There is bound to be a reason beyond money. Might have a very limited rpm range for example. I'll try to research it more if I can work up an interest....

 

The entire DUKE engine is full of things that don't belong but the main is piston sleeves rotating ( lot of rotating mass to rob power ) counter rotating crankshaft ( there's a LOT of power lost in the void ) I get what they're trying to do but rotary valves would do better then there's the seals which gives it one of the same problems the Wankel had now a 2 stroke version of this engine might work due to the fact that only the crankshaft would be rotating but that wouldn't be aloud to be in a passenger car van or truck maybe in a Peterbilt or Mack ( not sure if they make 2 strokes for these anymore maybe outside the US ) or in an ultralight but you might want to check out the Dyna Cam engine this looks like a better solution it basically a wobbly disc that has cylinders that face the front and back of the engine with pairs of pistons joined together but this also would work better as a 2 stroke
P.S. I know this is an entire paragraph with the only punctuations being for side notes and feel free to add upon anything