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Calif Bill
 
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Default (non-political) comments on fuel economy and technology


"DSK" wrote in message
news
Calif Bill wrote:
As the wankel engineer told my class in university, that the Wankel is
great if you have no pollution controls. Is basically a dirty engine.


Did he say why?

Reciprocating (piston) engines have a built-in energy loss on every
stroke, when they stop & start the mass of the piston & connectors going
up & down. Reducing that mass would give a boost in efficency, probably
not as great as the gains in combustion technology nor as great as the
gains from higher operating temps due to improved manufacturing &
metallurgy.

There are other types of positive displacement rotative engines, the
Wankel is just the best known one.

One thing I was very dissapointed that has not come up in public
discussionon energy saving: driving habits. Most Americans have no clue
how to drive for fuel efficiency. Many don't believe their lead foot has
anything to with their car not reaching it's EPA mileage rating.

DSK


Basically Yup. He said all the pollution controls added up to a lot of
inefficiencies. The spraying of oil inside the piston to cool it. You
could make a more effiecient and cleaner engine now, just because of the
improvement in Materials Science. Better rotor end and tip seals, etc.
Better alloys for the piston.