Quote:
Originally Posted by 68bird
that is a remarkable bit of engineering. watching the video, one thing comes to mind. the output performance of this thing can be taylored using nothing but electric over air valves. if all of the firing cylinders are fed by a common air tank (or plenum) then the pumping cylinders can be of different sizes and compression ratios. this would allow the valves to open or close air into these bigger or higher compression pumping cylinders under load or for acceleration raising the common plenum air pressure (think turbo boost) raising performance and or volume or air. this would also allow them to be shut off with little to no drag under normal driving. the performance and effeciency options look to be endless. this has the potential to outperform turbos or blowers and make traction on take off infinetly controllable. damn technology is cool. direct injection seems to be the secret for making the old designs seem groundbreaking.
years ago my shop teacher challenged us to try to design an engine with oval pistons, enabling the ability to use two rods per cylinder, stabilizing the piston and reducing skirt loads. as many valves as you could squeeze in. he then told us that someone had tried to do this. i have never been able to find any info. have any one of you ever heard of this. if he was full of s##t at least he got us to think for 9 weeks and it has challenged me since.
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EDIT. I found it. It started in 1979 with a 500cc oval piston racer. The NR750 was the street version. VERY limited production. You can still buy one (used) on the open market if you want.
Honda did it with some race bikes. If I remember it was the NR750. And they had a few street versions (not sire if it was ONLY prototype or limited production) Look up HRC NR750. Pretty cool stuff. And it worked well enough to win a few races too. VERY high RPM and decent power for the displacement.
