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

"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.