A different kind of rotary engine

https://www.astronaerospace.com/

Hmm.... this reads interesting.

 

Do they actually have a prototype, or is everything in the simulation stage?

In reply to Kreb (Forum Supporter) :

If you go to about 9 minutes in the video, they have a running prototype

LifeIsStout said:

In reply to Kreb (Forum Supporter) :

If you go to about 9 minutes in the video, they have a running prototype

If it made financial sense, it would be in production. 

In reply to z31maniac :

If it were that simple, there would be a LOT more 'unconventional' designs in production.

So there's never been anything new that wasn't already in production?

They talk about instant throttle response, but . . . they also talk about mostly near constant velocity applications.
 

I saw a Facebonk page talking about this the other day. Called it a Rotary engine without apex seals"

Big deal, I thought, Most rotary engines don't have apex seals.

2 questions, how is this appreciably different from a low efficiency (single stage compression) jet engine, and, have rotary valves ever.... really worked? 

Jay_W said:

2 questions, how is this appreciably different from a low efficiency (single stage compression) jet engine, and, have rotary valves ever.... really worked? 

Haha Jay, I remember the Coates rotary valve head from the 70s and had to look it up again. I see several people are still trying to make them work. Good luck...

LifeIsStout said:

In reply to Kreb (Forum Supporter) :

If you go to about 9 minutes in the video, they have a running prototype

Kept falling asleep before that point. Between the lulaby muscid and the lack of explanation/narration there really is not anything to learn for the first several minutes. Probably the worst elevator pitch I have ever tried to "listen" to.  And that is with me trying to like it.

Anyone condense this into 100 words or so of what is so great?

Jay_W said:

2 questions, how is this appreciably different from a low efficiency (single stage compression) jet engine, and, have rotary valves ever.... really worked? 

The Bristol Centaurus was a high output production engine with sleeve valves, which are a similar concept and at least not poppet valves.  The valve train is what you might call, a wee bit complex...

Driven5 said:

In reply to z31maniac :

If it were that simple, there would be a LOT more 'unconventional' designs in production.

Your comment has me confused. The reason those "unconventional" designs AREN'T in production is because they don't make financial sense. IE, the people coming up with them don't have a viable market to make money from. 

In reply to NOHOME :

Yeah, I kind of hate fancy videos for the same reason that I don't watch the news. I want to absorb information at my own rate of speed.  As for the viability of this engine. I don't honestly know. But I've always found it surprising that within the ICE world for automobiles someone hasn't improved upon piston motors.

z31maniac said:

Your comment has me confused. The reason those "unconventional" designs AREN'T in production is because they don't make financial sense. IE, the people coming up with them don't have a viable market to make money from. 

That's because your premise is based entirely on a logical fallacy. Innovations do not 'have' a viable market to make money from before their development and production. Otherwise there wouldn't be anything particularly innovative about them. It is their development and production which 'creates' the viable market from which money can be made.

NOHOME said:

Anyone condense this into 100 words or so of what is so great?

The first rotor pair provides the intake and compression stages, while the second rotor pair provides the combustion and exhaust stage. The combustion pressure works purely at 90 degrees to the direction of rotation, while also acting on a longer relative moment arm.  It can skip firing events to function like 'displacement on demand'. Between the continuous high (10k-25k) rpm and having tight manufacturing tolerances with the design, it is claimed to sufficiently reduce the bleed level to not require physical contact sealing. It is primarily intended to run, and most claims are based, on using hydrogen as the fuel.

z31maniac said:

LifeIsStout said:

In reply to Kreb (Forum Supporter) :

If you go to about 9 minutes in the video, they have a running prototype

If it made financial sense, it would be in production. 

Hear me out here, because I know this is crazy, but sometimes new things come out that have to pass through prototype stage prior to being in production.

I take it that the Wankel design doesn't have enough sealing issues or thermal inefficiency?

As tinkertoy as piston engines are, sealing a cylinder is really simple compared to any square edged box, especially one where the sealing devices slide lengthwise instead of widthwise (like the side seals on a Wankel, that tear up the side housings where they slide endwise).  And the thermal efficiency is great because the combustion chamber has minimal surface area.