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

I don't see anything new here

[mollog]

I don't see anything new here. They mention variable valve timing, which is already here, and exhaust gas recirculation, but they're giving it another name, and something like the Miller-cycle engine.

Some of these tweaks are better suited to locomotive engines or other constant RPM power plants. But, overall, they're just combining some well known techniques.

I hope something comes of the VVT stuff. That's where some real gains can be made, especially to help implement a better Miller-cycle engine.

They could also implement Honda's CVCC techniques or the stratified combustion chamber technique to burn low grade fuels. That would help a lot.