Hope this comes to motorbike engines

[Monty]

When you think about it like this why in the world would use a cams? Screaming 600 with almost litre bike bottom end anyone?

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZWeNPi2XkE[/video]

[Kwacky]

I take it this is no further forward than a design or have they built a test version?

[Monty]

No idea, but the possibilities for this are endless and it's ridiculously simple.

Plus if they used pneumatics springs like Motogp and F1 they could have an engine that idles on one cylinder, has a bottom end of a V twin and spins up up 20K!

[Kwacky]

Can they throw in a supercharger as well?

[Monty]

Oh god yes!

[Kwacky]

In that case I'm sold.

[D41]

I can see it in some sort of boutique application....but not much more than that....like the cars, I guess. The rotary engine springs to mind.

[Monty]

I can see it in some sort of boutique application....but not much more than that....like the cars, I guess. The rotary engine springs to mind.

30% smaller, much simpler and potentially cheaper to mass produce. Not to mention much easier to maintain. Yep, that's boutique.

[duke63]

No cam chain or belts must free up a useful amount of energy.

VW are making a big noise about the new petrol engine about to be fitted to the next Golf in that they claim it has the low down torque of a Diesel engine. If governments make the correct laws regarding efficiency and emissions then the engineers will produce some special new petrol/ hybrid engines.

[Monty]

Not to mention infinitely variable valve timing and cylinder control. It could go from a 2 cylinder 100mpg engine to a 4 cylinder 250 bhp Motogp engine at the flick of the wrist.

[duke63]

Pahhh my Multi already has VVT even if it isn't quite infinitely variable.

[duke63]

And Audi already have engines that go from 4 cylinder to 3 cylinder has required.

[D41]

Not to mention infinitely variable valve timing and cylinder control. It could go from a 2 cylinder 100mpg engine to a 4 cylinder 250 bhp Motogp engine at the flick of the wrist.

So it's a Ford truck, in other words.

[kiwikrasher]

I like the concept but being of a mechanical bent I always worry about reliability when it comes to electrical activation over mechanical.

[Deegee]

The valve technology shown there works on a very similar principle to modern common rail injection systems in diesel engines, when that was introduced it had its detractors but has stood the test of time and reliability. Diesels cannot meet modern emissions without that tech (can't meet them with it for VW!), this could be the next leap forward for petrol and diesel? Less moving parts, full control of the valve timing and potentially cheaper? I like it!

[duke63]

Isn't one of the benefits of electronic technology that it can sense a problem and shut itself down before terminal damage ensues?

[StMarks]

And Audi already have engines that go from 4 cylinder to 3 cylinder as required.

Nothing new there mate. : , My 1st Austin Mini had that ability (albeit not exactly "as required", more "as it felt like it")

[StMarks]

As regards the OP.: If they can develop the technology effectively, it has such potential that I could see it having as much of an impact on engine production as electronic ignition has had.??

[Monty]

I think this is game changing.

If you added some sort of variable compression, you could have an engine that could run on everything from natural gas to cooking oil. And everything in between.

Possibly even swapping between 2 and 4 stroke. Although that would make the exhaust complicated.

[Deegee]

The motor industry is under intense scrutiny and political pressure to clean up emissions, the only thing stopping them from using innovation is buyer conservatism - especially the big lease fleets who work on small percentages, they've all got the "wankel jitters" when it comes to something new.

However, the Paris administration recently called for all diesels to be banned in the city and now the UK Transport Secretary has called for car buyers to "think hard" before buying diesel cars, I think the writing is on the wall for diesel cars in their current form and some real innovation is needed - not more and more gizmos fitted to existing engine architecture in an attempt to clean them up without compromising performance and economy. Fwiw the current Euro6 (Tier4f) in my line of work was trialled in the US in real conditions for well over a million miles, the car industry will need something like that to convince buyers to invest in new technology.

P.S. If new tech is accepted in the car or truck industries it won't be long before it's accepted in the other.