PatWankel Rotary Engine

[Jennifer Edwards]

Fascinating. The problem with the Wankel, Liquid Piston, and similar concepts has always been sealing. Their designs were 2D concepts that could be made accurately with 20th century methods. However, a piston and cylinder was the only way to get a reasonable seal with these methods. Now we can produce complex 3D shapes with high accuracy thanks to digital technology. Maybe for the first time we can seal an engine like this. I am very interested in how you propose to make this engine.

Lohring Miller

I remember we had a one rotor Wankle at university, it facinated me to the point where i spent a coupel of weeks of my spare time getting it to run. it was very inefficient, and as you point out the Apex seals have always been their bane.

In fact when Mazda market their rotary engine models (RX7 & etc..) they factored into the cost an overhaul to replace the seals around 40k miles.

the only good thing I found with them is that because they are a revolving piston design, vs. a reciprocating (up and down), they can rev up to incredible speeds. 15,000 rpm is nothing for a well made wankle.

still they have been dragged out of the closet for over 100 years now by various manufacturers only to be abandoned after a short while due to their two main flaws, Apex Seals and poor economy.

BTW those drawings almost blinded me, too many bright colours.