An investigation of a dual rotor internal combustion engine
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"INTRODUCTION: "The rotary engine, after overcoming some early teething troubles, will take a much more important place than the turbine in competition with piston engines for cars." This forecast by Dr. Fernand Picard indicates the present interest and importance of rotary engines. A rotary engine is one in which the compression and expansion is accomplished only by rotation, not by reciprocation, as in the piston engine. Because there is no reciprocation in the rotary engine, there is no power wasted in accelerating and decelerating a piston twice for every power stroke. Consequently, the rotary engine can be lighter, vibrationless, and operate at a much higher rpm. This allows a small displacement engine to produce the same power as a much bigger piston engine. The problem in the design of a rotary engine is to find a configuration that utilizes rotary motion to create an efficient engine cycle. One design that has shown promise was originated in 1951 by a German, Dr. Felix Wankel. The only moving part of the Wankel engine is an eccentric triangular rotor. It rotates inside an epitrochoidal case. Since the rotor uncovers the intake and exhaust ports as needed, no valves are required. This also eliminates the cams and valve trains. The main problem with the Wankel engine is to seal the three parts of the engine from each other, as they rotate. In the United States, Curtiss Wright obtained a license to build the Wankel Engine. Their accomplishments included a 782 horsepower single rotor engine, a 4 rotor engine, a 60 cubic inch engine that produced 140 horse-power at 7000 rpm, and a small air-cooled engine. Work in the United States ended when a political dispute voided the license. Work on the Wankel has continued in Germany. NSU has installed a 500 cc. (30 cubic inch) Wankel engine in their sports car, the Spider. It produces 54 horsepower at 6000 rpm. A piston engine of the same displacement would produce about 20 horsepower. During tests, the Wankel proved to be at least competitive with the conventionally powered Spider. A small air-cooled Wankel engine is being built by Fichtel Sachs under NSU Wankel License. About 100 of these engines have been field tested, and production is now underway. It produces 6.5 horsepower at 5500 rpm, and weighs only 30 pounds. It is vibrationfree and very quiet, and is the smallest and lightest engine in its class. Note that this design uses three rotors. Gear teeth are used because of their sealing properties. Another idea for a rotary engine was developed by Charles N. McKinnon about 10 years ago. It consists of a two rotor design, similar to a gear pump. This idea was given to the author as a subject for his graduate research program. It is the purpose of this thesis to present the results of this research program, both from a theoretical and experimental viewpoint."--Page 1.
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