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move over EJ22 swap, I need a quasiturbine!


baccaruda
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http://auto.howstuffworks.com/quasiturbine.htm

I think I'm in love. you could easily fit 300 horses under the hood of any EA car with one of these. I am going to mortgage a kidney and up to 2/3 of my liver and buy one of these. I will report back with the results.

 

It's a diesel-turbine-rotary all in one.

 

Imagine.. "no" emissions... no more oil leaks... four power strokes... fuel flexibility...

 

 

http://www.quasiturbine.com

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I am tired and didn't read the article thoroughly, but...

 

...they seem to make assertions that are unsubstantiated or blatantly wrong. This seems odd in an article on that site. "No need for oil" because the seals ride in the carriage and thus have no friction??? No emissions??? (HC emissions are aggravated by having lots of cool engine surfaces that are shielded from the combustion process; it was the carb'd Wankel's downfall). What the H*** is "photo-ignition"??? From the description, it is essentially a combo of preignition and detonation.

 

on and on and on...

 

I'm going back to bed and see if any of this makes sense later. :-\

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Hmmm... just finish some reading on the how stuff works site and the quasiturbin site. Lots of marketing lingo and very little engineering talk to explain how they will overcome some major practical issues. Apparently the only working models are pneumatic not combustion driven, thats a pretty complicated air motor. I'm betting they are actively corting investors.

 

Why does this remind me of Moller's Skycar. :rolleyes:

 

BTW: "Photo-ignition" is their marketing friendly re-label for homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI).

 

Gary

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And the best part is that "it doesn't even need a crankshaft"!!! Useful... :rolleyes:

 

Their "photo-ignition" brought to my mind the old British "hot tube" ignition, minus the adjustability. (I know they are not really similar, but the practicality seemed about the same.) I guess I should look at HCCI before I poo-poo this idea much more.

 

But it still looks like it combines all of the weak points of the Wankel with the complexity of an OHV recip engine... And, All-talk, it really does sound like fishing for VC money.

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HCCI is a valid technology on its own and there are working models (see link). Its major challenge is controlling the timing of the ignition event. It shows some immediate promise in fixed RPM applications like power generation. If I had the capital I would love to do some research into a HCCI diesel for hybrid vehicles, ought to yield near zero emissions and about 100+mpg in the average sedan.

 

http://www.ca.sandia.gov/crf/research/combustionEngines/EGR.php

 

http://www.ca.sandia.gov/crf/research/combustionEngines/DIE.php

 

http://www.me.berkeley.edu/cal/HCCI/

 

Gary

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This does sound like they are fishing for investers, and I think this whole "no oil required" thing is pretty rediculous considering the incredible temperatures it should generate.

 

Did anyone check the link to the working motor they demonstraited on a go-kart in 2004?

 

All that being said, if it is buildable and able to do half of what they claim, it should no doubt require the use of some serious high temp capable materials that should price it well out of the hands of an average consumer.

 

I'm more curious to hear more about that wankle engine that weighs 120lbs and generates 150 HP ... how much are they (not cheap I am sure :-p )

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  • 3 weeks later...
[snip]I'm more curious to hear more about that wankle engine that weighs 120lbs and generates 150 HP ... how much are they (not cheap I am sure :-p )

 

well how about this for starters.... I have been in telephone tag with Bruce at "Freedom Motors" on a diesel-hybrid idea for about 6 months now... did the email only route for the first 5 months due to the trucking company time it finally can to me calling the office and getting him *in his office one day* and he remembered my email idea - only because it came back to him undeliverable :rolleyes:

 

anywho they are currently in production testing with a contract for two significantly smaller units that will be diesel powered. And charge cooled. The oddity is they are going with 9.0:1 ratio and electric assist ignition.

 

The fact that LPGsuperchargerdbrumby(sp) is the *downunder* voice to chime in along with okami and I (outta texas) and my step dad up here in michigan.... no one else seems to know of/ vocalize or have thought about the implications of a 1300CC twin rotor or 650cc single rotor N/A diesel rotory engine.

 

He told me that if an investor would help with about $150-250K then they could whip-out a 650cc or 1300cc diesel system too but alas i'd have to pony up about $7200 for a 1300cc engine or about $5200 for a 650cc rotory engine for testing/R&D-ing. Of which If i had about 5-8K more in aside I might consider jumping at it anyways..... I have a few tidbits that he emailed me and that He's willing to keep in touch so i figure in a few months I'll call him again to see what's going on with the developement that *isn't ready for the news*.... as for the 1300cc weighing in at about 120lbs and the 150HP that is N/A system..wild eh? But that's petrol not diesel. :-p

 

now to go look at the links y'all have shown here....

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I think the no-oil thing is complete BS. Those wheels have to be lubricated, and the engine output system (the coupling arm, arm brace and output shaft) will need lubrication too. Especially since this engine will generate massive amounts of heat, due to the fact that it's doing 4 times as much work in one revolution as a piston engine, and don't forget the power that this thing could make.

 

The age-old saying still stands though: If you can't make it for the common man, it will never be successful.

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  • 2 weeks later...

it seems like a solid idea... except for the whole oil thing... thats BS...

 

its also extremely complex... i've heard of people having tones of problems working with rotary engines... this is 10 times more complex in my mind... some serious testing will have to be done...

 

other then that i think its pretty cool...

 

anybody going to put a few bucks down for investing???:rolleyes:

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