LiquidPiston - breakthrough or gimmick?

[LTLFTcomposite]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelkane ... 58415f5efb

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquidpiston

https://vimeo.com/170502635

The original engine on the kart weighed 40 pounds, producing up to 6.5 HP. The new X-Mini engine (core) weighs 4 pounds, and currently produces 3 hp at 10,000 RPM, and is expected to produce up to 5 hp at up to 15,000 RPM when development is completed. The X-mini engine can be configured to be used in drones, generators, mopeds/bikes/small vehicles, chainsaws, etc. The technology is inherently scalable, and can operate on a variety of fuels including kerosene / JP-8.

Could be just the ticket for a compact PHEV range extender. Then again, it could be just another 1-day clickbait news story.

[RegGuheert]

Interesting! Thanks!

Here's another link which may be interesting to others: Liquid Piston: How It Works

[LeftieBiker]

Interesting. Like the Wankel it relies on high rpm to make up for the oblique pressure the expanding combustion gases exert on the rotor (as opposed to pressing straight down on a piston crown), but this design seems to rely a lot less on complex seals to keep the gases separate, so it might actually do what it claims without a lot of cycle-mixing or blow-by...

I don't remember: the Wankel has one combustion cycle per revolution per rotor, right? Three cycles per rev per rotor would make it better power-wise than even a two-stroke engine, again hopefully without all that mixing of gases from different cycles.

[LTLFTcomposite]

Something to consider, the pancake shape could match up nicely sandwiched between an EV motor and reduction gear drive unit. The high rpm nature seems like a match too. For longer distance travel in a PHEV maybe you don't run the battery out then switch to the ICE, but instead run the ICE whenever you get above a certain speed and save the battery for the stop and go; that's what we used to do with the Volt.

[LeftieBiker]

Something to consider, the pancake shape could match up nicely sandwiched between an EV motor and reduction gear drive unit. The high rpm nature seems like a match too. For longer distance travel in a PHEV maybe you don't run the battery out then switch to the ICE, but instead run the ICE whenever you get above a certain speed and save the battery for the stop and go; that's what we used to do with the Volt.

That setup could also conceivably recharge the pack while car is being driven, at the expense of available horsepower.

[finman100]

The "output" shaft revolves in an oblong fashion? It moves out of center rotation...not sure how to word this. My ME skills are rusty. very rusty.

How would one get any direct work off that shaft when it moves in the X and Y whilst rotating? some sort of oscillator converter? I need a little help seeing how that kind of engine mates up to another gearbox I guess.

very interesting nonetheless.

[rosier9]

How would one get any direct work off that shaft when it moves in the X and Y whilst rotating?

My wording might not be quite right either, but I'd guess some sort of planetary setup.

[LTLFTcomposite]

These guys are back in the (fake?) news again

http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2016/12/re ... iquid.html