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Scientists Claim Major Leap in Engine Design

An anonymous reader writes "Purdue researchers say they have made a major advance in the design of the internal combustion engine, one that could seriously boost fuel efficiency and cut emissions. A key portion involves building intake and exhaust valves that are no longer driven by mechanisms connected to the pistons, a departure from the way car engines have worked since they were commercialized more than a century ago. 'The concept, known as variable valve actuation, would enable significant improvements in conventional gasoline and diesel engines used in cars and trucks and for applications such as generators, he said. The technique also enables the introduction of an advanced method called homogeneous charge compression ignition, or HCCI, which would allow the United States to drastically reduce its dependence on foreign oil and the production of harmful exhaust emissions. The homogeneous charge compression ignition technique would make it possible to improve the efficiency of gasoline engines by 15 percent to 20 percent, making them as efficient as diesel engines while nearly eliminating smog-generating nitrogen oxides, Shaver said.'"

7 of 775 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Killed in "development"? by anvilmark · · Score: 5, Funny

    You selected the wrong entry from the Standard List of Villains. The correct comment would have been:
    "What's the chance the EVIL OIL COMPANIES will buy this out and kill it?"

  2. Re:Nah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    And who has the smallest penis? Women!

  3. Re:Nah by Leroy+Brown · · Score: 5, Funny

    Then there are those of us that drive SUVs because our penis wont fit in a compact.

  4. Re:What will they do with this efficiency, though? by lgw · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don't want a more efficient engine. I want a smaller, more powerful one Please tell me you don't have "engineer" in your job title! Leave me some faith in humanity.
    --
    Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
  5. Re:Nah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Oh wow, another slashdotter with little to no knowledge of female anatomy. Go outside.

  6. Re:Nah by Plutonite · · Score: 5, Funny

    Why do you seem to have a fascination with the size of his or her genitals? Gender equality is very noble, but I think omitting the "her" would be OK in this particular case.
  7. Re:Nah by Stinky+Fartface · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well, unless you can pull that trailer with your penis, you are compensating.