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.'"

Comments

Nah

[damacus]

All the benefits will be squandered on making bigger, heavier vehicles. At least, that's what's been happening with improvements in efficiency since the 80s. Sigh...

Re:Nah

[drooling-dog]

Diminutive genitalia aside, we need to examine this whole idea that anybody even cares how big the car is that you're driving. Once we meet certain minimal standards of daily hygiene, behavior, and attire, there's very little we can achieve by buying stuff that really enhances what people think of us all that much (regardless of marketers' attempts to convince us otherwise).

Every guy who buys a land barge drives it around feeling like the Big Man About Town, but to everyone else on the street he's either invisible or just a dickhead who doesn't give a rat's ass about the environmental cost of what he's doing. Seriously, do you ever see someone driving past in a new Hummer and say to yourself, "Wow, I really admire whoever's driving that beast. I'd like to be his friend!". If he was a slob or an idiot before, he's now a slob or an idiot with an SUV.

Nobody cares. It took most of my life and a fair amount of wasted money to finally learn that.

Re:Nah

[EugeneK]

Every heard of the clitoris? It's the same organ, ontogenously. And it tends to be smaller than the average penis! I'd say you're the one lacking knowledge of female anatomy, buddy.

(Damn I love wikipedia!)

Re:Nah

[RubberDuckie]

Actually, I need to pull a trailer on occasion. That's not doable, safely, with a Prius. Please don't assume that everyone needs to compensate for something (or lack thereof).

Re:I RTFA yesterday when I saw it on the Firehose

[TempeNerd]

The also haven't built anything - just modeled it on a computer.
They may not have solved any of the actual implementation issues, nothing in the article said they had.

I don't wish to belittle their design ideas - but it is usually very difficult to go from a revolutionary engine design to an operational engine. A good example is the Stirling Engine, great design - difficult to realize.

I wish them luck - but not going to hold my breath for this one.

Re:Killed in "development"?

[LWATCDR]

None. Why would GM or Ford kill anything that would give them an advantage over Honda or Toyota?
Your Tinfoil hat is on too tight again.