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FAQ’S 
 

• WHY A PYRAMID SHAPED CHAMBER? Picture how a common long balloon works. As it inflates, the air pressure is pushing against all sides equally. If you squeeze it, lowering the overall volume, then pressure increases elsewhere. In my chamber, pressure is equal in all directions, but reaction movement can only act upon the leading edge and the drive chamber, forcing rotation of the rotor. The pyramidal shape puts the same driving pressure on the leading edge, but reduces the overall volume by nearly 2/3 (fuel saving).

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• JUST HOW DOES THIS ENGINE WORK? Capable of a wide variety of sizes and capabilities, we’ll base this answer on a size usable in a full size pickup or a midsize commercial truck, A conceptual design with an 18” diameter rotor holding (6) rows, each containing 9 chambers. This engine would have outside dimensions equivalent to a standard big block engine such as a Chevy 454 or Ford 460. When shut off, there are always a number of chambers in a position to allow for chamber pressurization, fuel atomization, and spark to allow for instantaneous startup without an electric starter motor. When starting, any number of chambers can ignite, and if there’s any problem, the other combustion chambers are immediately in position to take over such as with a fuel problem.  After running, the engine would idle with as few as 1 or as many chambers in any order the engine computer might decide. Under full load, each row’s 9 chambers would each have 3 firing impulses per revolution. With all 6 rows and 9 chambers per row, as many as 162 firing impulses are available per revolution. That’s a LOT of potential torque! 

 

• COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL ENGINES, WHY DOES THIS DESIGN PRODUCE SO MUCH TORQUE? The average torque developed in say, a 350 c.i. Small block Chevy engine is measured at each degree in the cylinder’s power stroke. At higher speeds, the torque increases as pressure develops and peaks around 90 degrees of crank rotation, or about when the piston has travelled halfway down the cylinder. After that, pressure quickly shrinks as the cylinder area increases and the exhaust valve begins to open. At low speeds the airflow into the cylinder is hampered by both a partly closed throttle and low velocity air entering the cylinder. Since torque is measured by the force pushing on a lever, the crank stroke which is 3.48 inches becomes a lever only 1.74” (a torque moment of .145 ft.). At lower speeds and at less than 90 degrees, the piston/rod is pushing on the rod journal at a weaker angle, (measured by the Sine of the crank arm angle) further reducing the produced torque. 

       In our engine, cylinder filling is optimized at all speeds,         and the force of combustion is exerted always at or                 near 90 degrees, and at a much longer radius. In                     addition, when extra power is needed, each chamber             can produce power multiple times in a revolution.    

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• WHAT ARE SOME ANCILLARY NEEDS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ENGINE DESIGN? First, an appropriately sized air compressor geared to spin at the proper rpm. Also, an oil pump (possibly electric) providing approximately 3-4 GPM at a very low speed of about 50-3000 rpm. Also, a new design crankshaft position sensor (CPS) capable of quickly knowing the rotor position to allow instant starting without an attached electric starter motor. As technology improves, this CPS could work fast enough to completely control the multiple firing impulses of this engine. (This system is currently in the design stage).      

• WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF LOWER OIL CAPACITY? Close to 100 million autos, light and medium trucks are manufactured yearly. Allowing for the factory fill and 2 oil changes per year, just 1 qt. Per engine reduction would amount to 300 million quarts in just 1 year, or 75 million gallons of oil! And in some instances, 2-3 qts could be saved from certain engine systems. Greatly reducing the number of moving parts and an integral oil cooler makes these savings possible.                                                                                                           

• WHICH FACETS OF THIS ENGINE CONTRIBUTE TO BETTER EMISSIONS AND FUEL ECONOMY? A standard engine operates much of the time with much reduced cylinder pressure due to throttle position pumping losses. This engine uses the most advantageous cylinder pressure for the given situation, usually around 150+ psi., even at idle speed. Clean, efficient burning can only happen at this higher pressure. Also, since only that number of chambers required to be firing are used at any moment, there is very low waste of fuel, and thus lower emission byproducts. In addition, the pyramidal shape of the combustion chamber offers a richer mixture at the leading edge near the initial ignition event. As the flame front travels toward the small end of the chamber, it quickly builds even higher pressure and the mixture is now in a leaner condition permitting a much cleaner overall burn. Because so much torque is produced at lower engine speeds, high rpm’s are not needed and could be computer limited.
   

• IS THIS DESIGN ONLY FOR THE  AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY? Absolutely not. Although the automobile and light truck industry is one target for usage, this design can be shrunk down to sizes more in line with traditional small engine markets, such as lawn mowers, yard & farm tractors, ATV's, RVs, recreational boating, motorcycles, industrial power plants, and so on. In addition, enlarging the design puts the availability of HUGE amounts of torque to use in the heavy truck, farm & road construction, industrial, mining, aircraft, rail, and even shipping industries. In addition, conversion to diesel, propane, and many other fuels should be easy to accomplish.                                                                                            

• HOW DOES THE EXHAUST CYCLE WORK? Internally, the chambers are somewhat pyramidal shaped. When the chamber leading edge approaches the exhaust port, the spent exhaust gases to flow thru the port, such as in a common 2-stroke engine design. The chamber is pressurized as the chamber travels forward and the exhaust port gets covered, and is then ready for fuel to be injected and then ignited if required.                                                                                                           

• IS DURABILITY AN ISSUE? Certainly not. With far fewer functioning parts, and the accompanying pressure contact points such as a conventional valve train would have, longevity is easy to realize. Generally having less bearing surfaces and reciprocating parts, plus having ignition pressures applied at 90 degrees from the shaft radius instead of trying to drive a connecting rod thru a crankshaft as in a conventional engine is a huge reduction in stress and bearing wear. Using proper gearing to take advantage of the torque produced and limiting unnecessary engine speeds would keep ring wear to a minimum. Our internal oil cooling system is a big advantage also.                                                                  

• WHAT OTHER VEHICLE CHANGES WOULD OCCUR? One change would happen to light vehicles with rear or 4-wheel drive. Because of the torque produced, final drive gear ratios could be reduced numerically (higher ratio) resulting in smaller diameter ring gears. Thus, the weight savings with a smaller gear and a smaller gear housing would be advantageous. With smaller sized engines and a smaller battery, aerodynamics can be better utilized.  

 

• WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR THIS ENGINE DESIGN? I think the future lies in the past. In the early 70’s, over 20 companies licensed the Wankel because it promised to eliminate all the inadequacies of the reciprocating engine. Let’s face it: the wheel turns in a circle without parts changing direction, and electric motors rotate smoothly and efficiently. But the Wankel demonstrated a few of its own issues such as seal wear, hot spots, fuel economy, and emissions. The current marketplace vows to produce more electric vehicles, but only because there are smaller and smaller improvements in current engine technology. And all-electrics are not soon to be the answer for people living in northern states, or big cities, or for those without garages. Most travelers will not want to hang around a charging station for over an hour or hours to recharge, and you can’t run extension cords out the window of your apartment or to on-street parking. I believe this engine can be used in a variety of vehicles and brands for many years while rewriting current EPA mandates and requirements. And its use in hybrid applications could keep the electric vehicle research alive.