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PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 11:58 pm 
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42460541/ns ... nnovation/

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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.


Snake oil or not? Bolded part I think is most important.


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 12:02 am 
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Sounds like a Wankel. SOrta.

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 12:07 am 
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Kind of yeah Mus, just what I was thinking.

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 12:09 am 
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Wankel's were never known for fuel efficiency, but they did have a very good power curve to them

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 9:30 am 
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Nothing like a wankel.

http://news.msu.edu/story/7036/

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg2 ... -spin.html

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 9:34 am 
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"Requires no cooling systems" throws up a red flag to me, but might just be the poor understanding of the reporter speaking.

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 9:38 am 
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The whole thing throws up a red flag for me.

I'd put it up there with the sterling engine. Great efficiency, but less flexibility in applications than the internal combustion has.

I can see where it may be good for spinning a generator, not sure where else it may fit in.

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 10:21 am 
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Cost of production could be another problem. Most "green" machinery costs more in terms of energy and/or dollars to purchase and install than they will save you over the lifespan of the piece of equipment.

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 9:53 pm 
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If I had money to invest it'd still be in the hydrogen cell. Though if this works it does negate the whole we need new fuel stations issue.

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PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 7:01 am 
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How does it build up pressure to form ignition? I don't see any additional compression happening.

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PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 11:05 pm 
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This is way to simplistic for it to make any sense to me. I need a whole lot more information before I can even begin to wrap my head around the ability to take this to market. Power, efficiency, and emissions. no information on fuel feed and metering coupled with the "shock wave" makes me think snake out. At least in the present automotive market. Maybe they're thinking diesel and not gasoline, and it just might start to make sense. Maybe.

Hydrogen is a good idea, but it's terribly inefficient so far in automotive engines.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2011 10:30 am 
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Rorinthas wrote:
If I had money to invest it'd still be in the hydrogen cell. Though if this works it does negate the whole we need new fuel stations issue.


The hydrogen cell is just an energy storage mechanism. You still need an energy source to separate the water into its component parts.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2011 12:33 pm 
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I saw this several days ago, and only just now realized the title is a pun -_-

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