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Did anybody hear the news item on radio 4 yesterday morning regarding a variable piston timed engine developed by Mayflower (they are one of the largest engine builders in Europe)it will make these with Ford motor company and will be the biggest change ever to the combustion engine giving far greater economy and performance.I think the piston engine has lot more mileage in it yet.
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www.mayflower-e3.com/index_flash.html
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I used this link thanks it is a superb web site
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didn't hear the program, but there is also the new variable compression engine being developed by Saab to consider which is impressive if you believe their marketing dept....but then again whatever happened to the Wankel Rotary engine. Very efficient but prone to terminal failure.
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Er, actually Wankel engines are not very efficient - they tended to have dismal consumption figures. One problem is limitations on combustion chamber design, and I think they were also prone to producing high levels of NOx if memory serves.
The big problem was rotor seal life - high rubbing speed combined with high loading due to centrifugal effects I would imagine - and the inherent balance, which gave little indication of engine speed, didn't help either fuel consumption or seal life.
I believe things ahve improved with modern materials, but only mazda continue to use it in 'mass' production I believe.
regards
John
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If it performs anything like the website indicates, Gordon Brown is going to be more than a little upset.
A 40% reduction in fuel sales, on my reconning will cost him about £8 billion per year in fuel tax and his horrible complicated graduated road tax scheme would have everybody in the lowest bracket if emissions are reduced by 50%.
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Brian
My thoughts too. Given the relatively minor differences in operation compared to a conventional IC engine, I have to say I doubt an overall 40% reduction in fuel consumption, as that indicates something like an efficiency improvement of 67%! I suspect this may be a figure for one specific operating mode or similar on a test engine. Given the extra bearings etc, internal friction and losses will be increased, which won't help.
One other thought - what is the balance like with that extra lever flailing about - no mention on the web site. I imagine it will need some sort of balancer shaft system.
Regards
john
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