a six stroke engine! freakin awesome (",)

[danny_galaga]

i dont know if its well known, but an internal combustion engine is only about 30-40 thernally efficient. that is to say, about 60% of the energy created when burning the fuel is lost as heat. this guy came up with a great way to recover some of that lost energy with a six stroke engine. basically the first four strokes are as normal but, and this is the clever bit, on the fifth and sixth stroke water is injected into the engine. this instantly vaporises creating a steam engine component to the whole deal. heres more:

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060227/FREE/302270007/1023/THISWEEKSISSUE

although im a fan of the electric motor as something to use in future, this is a great way to get something extra out of what we are using- and it doesnt require any new-fangled technology...

[patrickl]

Is this for real? Sounds cool if it really works. Wouldn't that cycle of heating and cooling seriously reduce engine life?

[Ed_McCarron]

Is this for real? Sounds cool if it really works. Wouldn't that cycle of heating and cooling seriously reduce engine life?

I'm sure the cycles are so quick it looks like one lower temp to the thermal mass of the engine.

[Jouster]

That sounds pretty cool, but what are the odds we actually see it hitting the market...even the trucking industry...in the next ten years?

Jouster

[shardian]

Yes, its real. I read the write-up in PopSci. The guy that designed it is an internal combustion guru - and get this: he is self taught!

[koolmoecraig]

Awesome!