"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

The rotary engines we have developed have
all proved less efficient in practice than the
old reciprocating engine (check fuel consumption)
which is why only Mazda persist with them and
then in only one vehicle in their range. Controlling
pollution from them has been a major problem too.

Mazda make a number of cars with rotary engines, but not sold here. The
Wankle is best suited to high revving applications, hence the sports car.
The RX8 is an improved rotary and of only 1300cc giving 225 HP. See if a
1300cc piston engine can deliver that. Also these engines are physically
small with a very high power to weight ratio.

They are best suited to high revving applications. That is why they are
used in light aircraft. The Norton motorbike rotary (which improved the
design too) was sold of to two concerns. One makes it for light aircraft
and the other for target drone aircraft, requiring a small heat and sound
signature, which end up at the bottom of the sea.

The Russians make two rotary engines: one for a plane and the other is used
(well two of them) in a helicopter, which is an ideal application for this
unit.

The "Wankle" design of rotary is flawed to what is acheivable, (Wankle never
invented the rotary) and far newer and improved designs are in development.
Again the Russians just reversed an idea that is the reverse of the wankel.
Instead of an elliptical chamber and triangular rotor, it is the reverse.
The seals are in the engine block, and can be readily and super easily
changed if necessary. The mixed gas input is via the rotor, which is the
equivalent of injecting the mixture via the piston in a piston engine.

The Canadians have the Qusiturboine, a sort of rotary and turbine together
which has received good press. Here are some web sites on concept engines
and some that are in development
http://conceptengine.tripod.com/

http://www.deadbeatdad.org/eliptoid/

All it needs is a big maker to adopt one of the concepts and run with it.


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