Rotary Engines

[Adambomb]

My $0.02...

Regarding direct injection 2-strokes, what I saw during my co-op at Mercury Marine in 2006 was that, as has been mentioned, the "dirty 2-strokes" are going away, and if I remember right they're probably out already (haven't looked in a while). I'm not familiar with how the emissions of the DI 2-strokes compared, but the effort at that time was focused more on their Verado supercharged 4-strokes. There wasn't a lot of development with the Optimax DI 2-strokes, and they were replaced by the Verados as the flagship engines. I also know that while oil consumption for the Optis was quite low for a two stroke, there was still oil consumption, which I can't imagine would be great from an emissions standpoint. Also worth noting, I don't recall DI 2-strokes coming out in anything outside of outboard boat motors and snowmobiles.

Now that being said, strategically speaking, a two-stroke would make a lot of sense with a lightweight single cylinder car. Not to say that the single cars need the help, but I can easily imagine a 350cc two stroke car coming in at under 300 lbs (without compromises to performance) and doing very well. However, a DI two-stroke is not likely lighter or simpler than a modern 4-stroke...

One last argument for a two-stroke, taking into consideration that there are design points to be had for something that is "like a race car," never mind the marketing potential, how cool is this:

378 hp 2-stroke 3.3L V6

Bear in mind that engine weighs under 200 lb...

[Z]

Kirk, Sorry for hijacking thread, but...

2-stroke diesels are the most powerful and fuel efficient IC engines on the planet. Just pop the bonnet on any big ship...

As for education, I think it is the SAE, and car industry in general, that needs the learning. Some open minded students might be able to do the teaching, but I guess the old dogs don't want to learn any new tricks.

Z

[RollingCamel]

Sorry to derail the thread a bit, but in formula electric or hybrid are electromechanical systems like energy storing flywheels possible?

[Michael Royce]

RollingCamel,
Flywheels in FSAE, Formula Hybrid or Formula Student??!! Having been directly involved (in charge of the dyno development of the powertrain) in Chrysler's ill fated Patriot Le Mans hybrid programme, I have enough safety concerns about flywheels from people like Flybrid and Williams without having to worry about student designed units!! We, the organizers, have enough challenges dealing with the electric and hybrid vehicles with several hundred volts on board.

A couple of years ago, the SAE's University Programs Committee, which oversees all the SAE's Collegiate Design Series competitions, voted that the CDS were for "education not invention". So leave it up to Flybrid and friends to play with them for a few years. And again, what would be the educational benefit to the students of allowing flywheels, with all the potential problems they could bring?

Once energy storing flywheels in automobiles are a mature technology, it will be time to consider allowing them in FSAE or Formula Hybrid.

[RollingCamel]

My cousin in Texas A&M Qatar with his research team were researching flywheels. Talking a test cell engineering company they told him about an incident of a flywheel test failure which sent projectiles through a 20mm steel casing, large cement wall and building walls to kill 2 ppl outside the facility....

On the other hand, Porsche did it, but I totally understand your point.