Magnetic Valves & Laser Ignition

[bwilson4web]

There are significant technical challenges with any fully programmable valve system but often progress seems slow before the break-through. But the benefits of fully programmable valves are:

• eliminate throttle plate - the valves fully control air flow into and out of cylinders.
• Atkinson-Otto - at low power settings, run in highly efficient Atkinson mode yet have Otto available for maximum power modes.

As for laser ignition, no more electrode wear. It may be possible to use spectral effects to minimize the energy required. The biggest problem would be technician hazards unless it is in the infared region which is very likely. But focused, it would improve very lean operation.

Bob Wilson

[Christ]

Dave, the only issue I really give to the 0 rpm torque idea is that piston engines seem to actually require some amount of momentum to build torque.

By that, I mean that an engine can only make so much compression, and likewise handle a limit of combustion pressure, before things start to bend.. Part of this is ensuring that the pressure limit occurs after TDC, but combustion purdue building faster than the piston can move away from it (under load while starting up, for instance) tends to bend/break rods in pretty short order.

Normally, the damage is a function of load, or overloading for a given engine speed, but its quite possible that starting an engine with an explosion in a cylinder could have the s ange effect, as the engines own internal friction could pose significant load on it's own.

[NeilBlanchard]

Electric motors are maximum torque at 0 RPM -- I don't think this can be done with piston engines, or even with any internal combustion engines? Only external combustion, or electric can develop torque at 0 RPM.

[Christ]

I think a rotary ICE could do it, but I have a gard time believing a piston engine could handle the load of its own internal friction without, at the very least, bearing damage.

The reason I think a rotary could handle the type of starting that Dave (dcb) mentioned, is mainly that the Wankel design doesn't convert reciprocation into rotation, as it only rotates, and therefore, the explosive expansion of gases could only have a positive effect.

[dcb]

It wouldn't have maximum torque at 0 rpm, because it didn't really have a compression stroke to pack the air in, but it could still have *some* torque.

[Christ]

Thing is, any piston engine with more than 2 cylinders could start with air injection... Any rotary engine, including single rotors, can also start this way.

The pressure necessary could be generated, on a turbo engine, by adding a separate accumulator tank to the intake manifold with a check valve. Turbo spools to twenty psi or so, fills the volume in the tank. Later, when the engine should restart, air is injected to whichever cylinder is highest in the stroke after tdc. Rotary, just blow some air into the (closed) inlet manifold...

[Joenavy85]

Originally Posted by Christ

Thing is, any piston engine with more than 2 cylinders could start with air injection... Any rotary engine, including single rotors, can also start this way.

The pressure necessary could be generated, on a turbo engine, by adding a separate accumulator tank to the intake manifold with a check valve. Turbo spools to twenty psi or so, fills the volume in the tank. Later, when the engine should restart, air is injected to whichever cylinder is highest in the stroke after tdc. Rotary, just blow some air into the (closed) inlet manifold...

on the Ship i was stationed on we had Emergency Diesel Generator Sets that were air started with a combination of a large air motor and what we call "Jet Assist" (might be called that elsewhere but i'm not familiar with Diesel engines other than these I speak of), a solenoid valve opens when power is lost sending air to the air motor and the jet assist which shoots large amounts of air through the compressor of the Turbo Charger (to give an initial boost of air pressure into the engine and also to spool up the turbo). Once the engine speed is up to proper idle speed a small fly-weight (centrifugal) governor actuates a lever action switch which allows current flow from a small PMA (permanant magnet alternator) to the ECU and the Generator (the Diesel is purely self sustaining until the ECM powers up, mech fuel pump, the PMA powers the glow plugs, etc.), as well as to the solenoid the started the process. once the generator set is loaded a standby air compressor is started if required to recharge the air flasks where the high pressure air is stored.

[Christ]

Aside, its actually air volume, not pressure, which forces the engine to rotate. The pressure merely determines a) how much expanded volume is available, and b) how fast the engine will rotate, via the expansion of the compressed gas into the cylinder.

A bottle of direct injected nitrous oxide works... Imagine having to pay forty bucks to recharge your starter though? Lol

[Joenavy85]

when the time comes that i'm looking at a new vehicle, if these are common and the bugs have been all worked out of them, i'll consider it. But my main reasoning, other than lack of money for (and room to put) a new vehicle, is that i don't want something that hasn't been proven and that i might have to take to the dealership 1-2 times a month to where i'm driving a rental car more than my own.

[Christ]

THAT is an opinion I can agree with whole heartedly.

Unfortunately, all new tech has a beta stage... And someone's got to test it.

If they put the cars out there at free or limited cost, say, to someone who can't afford a more efficient car, and made them only responsible for upkeep and maintenance, I could see a couple benefits there.

That's A whole other topic, for another thread.