# Duke engines



## rcfreak177 (Dec 11, 2014)

This is very cool, I have never seen this type of engine.

Enjoy,

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c19kn3drdFU[/ame]


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## Swifty (Dec 11, 2014)

A very interesting video, someone has put a lot of money into development of it. 

Paul.


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## Till (Dec 12, 2014)

There have been barrel-engines for over 100 years now. They all share difficult lubrication conditions, difficult thermal conditions, extra tight tolerances and lack space for maintenance.
In other words: These are expensive to make, have a short  lifespan and expensive maintenance.




Swifty said:


> someone has put a lot of money into development of it.


I don't think so.
On top of the things stated above, the duke engines obviously have an additional dynamic seal at the cylinder head, wich is exposed to maximum combustion pressure and  gases while moving (!!!). Awww...
 This rotating arrangement also fails to meet any modern emission standard by default.

Take something complex and difficult to handle that nobody has mastered before, then add even more complexity...  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




Nobody would provide funding for that.
It looks more like some kind of private hobby to me.


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## Cogsy (Dec 12, 2014)

Till said:


> It looks more like some kind of private hobby to me.


 
I have to agree. The video looks very well produced and sounds very professional. Most of what it says and shows I can't dispute. However, at around the 3:07 mark, it shows a double bearing arrangement in a most unusual configuration. I know from my years of bearing experience, both in sales and on the 'engineering' side, this type of arrangement is not suitable for those types of bearings and such a design would never be approved by any bearing engineer, except possibly in some type of non-critical, low load situation (like a small conveyor system or the like).

I have to think that professional engine designers would have more experience than to make such a fundamental error in design.


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## Swifty (Dec 12, 2014)

I wish that I was as rich as some of the posters here, the amount of money invested into that engine might be hobby money to them, but to me it's a fortune.

Paul.


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## Woodster (Dec 12, 2014)

I think the bearings mentioned at the 3:07 mark are on a bench stand and not a part of the engine. A stand like that would allow easy rotation of the cylindrical engine so as to be able to work on all sides without any man-handling. If you look through the right hand cylinder there is an identical bearing visible.


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## Cogsy (Dec 12, 2014)

Well spotted Woodster. That is quite possibly what it is. Low load, low precision, just something 'knocked up' to do the job.


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## vederstein (Dec 19, 2014)

I found this on Yahoo today - An interview with a company rep about this engine:

https://autos.yahoo.com/news/worlds-most-advanced-gas-engine-170021695.html

...Ved.


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