OT: Interesting new idea, the six-stroke engine Options

[lapuwali]

Crower (of Crower Cams) has just patented a new "six stroke" engine design. The crank turns 3 times for each single cam revolution. The extra two piston strokes are after the normal exhaust stroke, and involve water direct injection into a closed cylinder. This flashes into steam, and produces a second power stroke. The exhaust then opens to vent the steam. Enough heat is drawn off by this steam production that no actual cooling system is required.

It's claimed this can improve fuel economy by as much as 40%.

He's got a single-cylinder spark-ignition prototype working, and is now working on a compression-ignition version.

[guiltless]

QUOTE (MattR @ Feb 28 2006, 10:02 PM)

QUOTE (Dr Evil @ Feb 28 2006, 09:49 PM) QUOTE (MattR @ Feb 28 2006, 10:37 PM) This is a really interesting topic.  One thing I dont understand his how heat is lost in the vaporization of water.  The blurb specifically suggests the vaporization process is self cooling, but with my level of education, that doesnt quite make sense. Well, the heat energy must transfer to the lower energy component of the system, the water, in order to effect steam. It is the same concept (basically) as respiration (sweating). The water absorbs the heat energy, the heat energy excites the water molecules causing them to expand, the expanding water exerts some force on its container. Okay. The heat from the combustion vaporizes the water. The latent energy released forces the piston down, doing some work (which benefits the system). Now we have a cooler combustion chamber from a cooler water pulling some heat from the combustion cycle. But the hot water leaves the combustion chamber. Whats to prevent it from staying vapor? A water distiller takes water vapor and turns it into liquid, but it requires an outside source to cool the water. A steam engine works because it consumes water (by expelling it).

Who really cares what the vapor does after it leaves the combustion chamber, unless you have a turbo after it. Just send everyhing on out the back.

As far as the whole diesel concept goes, it seems to me that you might have a hell of a time cooling the chamber without cooling the element that keeps everything going.

Just my not quite as educated opinions. But I guess thats what I get for being a buisness major instead of an engineer.