Australian Team Working On Engines Without Piston Rings

JabrTheHut writes "An Australian team is seeking funding for bringing an interesting idea to market: cylinder engines without piston rings. The idea is to use small grooves that create a pressure wave that acts as a seal for the piston, eliminating the piston ring and the associated friction. Engines would then run cooler, could be more energy efficient, and might even burn fuel more efficiently, at least according to the article. Mind you, they haven't even built a working prototype yet. If it works I'd love to fit this into an older car."

Comments

Re:It won't work

[Anonymous Coward]

Agreed. No chance this is feasible.

The piston would need to have a coefficent of thermal expansion which was in keeping of that of the bore liners. If not massive friction forces or blow-by/lack of compression would ensue as the engine warmed up.

However, if the above could be controlled the piston material would need also need to have a very low coeeficient of friction to render the use of rings obsolete.

On the whole it is, at present, an unfeasible idea.