It's obvious that internal combustion engine not economical enough and in fact has low efficiency... This forces scientists to look for alternatives - in particular, to create affordable electric or hydrogen transport. but latest developments show that ICE can be made truly effective. How is this feasible and what prevents the application of such technologies in practice right now?
Internal combustion engine without exaggeration, he unleashed the engine of scientific and technological progress. Automobile transport is the most important means of transporting passengers and goods. In the United States today there are almost 800 cars per 1000 people, and by 2020 in Russia this figure will be about 350 cars per thousand of the population.
The vast majority of the more than a billion cars on the planet still use the internal combustion engine (ICE), invented in the 19th century. Despite all the technological gimmicks and smart electronics, the efficiency of modern gasoline engines still hovers around the 30% mark.
The most economical diesel ICEs have an efficiency of 50%, that is, even they emit half of the fuel in the form harmful substances in atmosphere.
Naturally, there is no need to talk about the efficiency of the internal combustion engine, especially when you consider that modern cars they burn 10–20 liters of fuel per 100 km of track. Not surprisingly, scientists around the world are trying to create affordable electric and hydrogen cars. However, the concept of an internal combustion engine has not exhausted the potential for modernization.
Thanks to the latest advances in electronics and materials, it is possible to create a truly efficient internal combustion engine.
Ecomotor
Company engineers EcoMotors International creatively reworked the design of the traditional internal combustion engine. It retained the pistons, connecting rods, crankshaft and flywheel, but the new engine is 15–20% more efficient and much lighter and cheaper to manufacture. In this case, the engine can operate on several types of fuel, including gasoline, diesel and ethanol.
Rice. 1. Overall, EcoMotors has an elegant, simple design with 50% fewer parts than conventional motor.
This was achieved through the use of an opposed engine design, in which the combustion chamber is formed by two pistons moving towards each other.... At the same time, the engine is two-stroke and consists of two modules with 4 pistons in each, connected by a special clutch with electronic control.
The engine is fully electronically controlled, thanks to which it was possible to achieve high efficiency and minimum fuel consumption. For example, in traffic and other cases when full power no engine is needed, only one of the two modules works, which reduces fuel consumption and noise.
Also, the motor is equipped with controlled electronics turbocharger which recovers energy from exhaust gases and generates electricity. Overall, the EcoMotors engine has an elegant, simple design with 50% fewer parts than a conventional motor. It does not have a cylinder head block, it is made from common materials and produces less noise and vibration.
At the same time, the engine turned out to be very light: for 1 kg of weight, it produces more than 1 hp power (in practice, it is approximately 2 times lighter than a traditional engine of the same power). Moreover, the EcoMotors product is easily scalable: just add a few modules and a small car engine turns into a powerful truck engine.
The experienced EcoMotors EM100 engine with dimensions of 57.9 x 104.9 x 47 cm weighs 134 kg and produces 325 hp. at 3,500 rpm (diesel), cylinder diameter - 100 mm. Fuel consumption for a five-seater car with an EcoMotors engine is planned to be extremely low - at the level of 3-4 liters per 100 km.
Savings in everything
Achates Power has set itself the goal of developing an internal combustion engine with a fuel consumption of 3-4.5 liters per 100 km for a car the size of a Ford Fiesta. So far, their experimental diesel engine is showing a much greater appetite, but the developers hope to reduce consumption. but the main thing in this motor – extremely simple construction and low cost ... We agree that saving on fuel is not worth much if it came at the cost of a multiple increase in the cost of the motor.
Rice. 2. The Achates Power engine has an extremely simple design.
The Achates Power engine has an extremely simple design. It is a two-stroke boxer diesel engine in which two pistons move towards each other to form a combustion chamber. This eliminates the need for a cylinder head and a complex gas distribution mechanism. Most motor parts are manufactured using simple manufacturing processes and do not require expensive materials. Overall, the engine contains much less parts and metal than a conventional engine.
The Achates Power motor is currently testing 21% more efficient than the best "traditional" diesel engines... Moreover, it has a modular design, high power density (weight / hp ratio). Also, due to the special shape of the upper part of the piston, a specially shaped vortex flow is created, which ensures excellent mixing air-fuel mixture, efficient heat dissipation and shortening combustion time.
As a result, the engine not only meets the military specifications of the US Army, but also outperforms the engines that are currently installed on military equipment.
The easy way
American company Transonic combustion decided not to create a new engine, but to achieve an impressive (25-30%) fuel economy with the help of new system injection.
The high-tech TSCiTM injection system does not require radical engine alterations and, in fact, is a set of injectors and a special fuel pump.
Rice. 3. The TSCiTM combustion process uses direct injection gasoline in the form of supercritical fluid and a special ignition system.
The TSCiTM combustion process uses direct injection of supercritical gasoline and a special ignition system.
Supercritical fluid – this is the state of matter at a certain temperature and pressure, when it is neither a solid, nor a liquid, nor a gas... In this state, the substance acquires interesting properties, for example, it has no surface tension, and forms fine particles during the phase transition. In addition, supercritical fluid has a fast mass transfer capability. All these properties are extremely useful in an internal combustion engine, in particular, supercritical fuel mixes quickly, does not have large droplets, burns quickly with optimal heat release and high cycle efficiency.
Electronic valve
Company Grail Engine Technologies developed a unique two-stroke engine with very tempting characteristics.
So, when consuming 3-4 liters per "hundred", the engine produces 200 hp. Motor with a power of 100 hp weighs less than 20 kg, and with a power of 5 hp. - only 11 kg! At the same time, the Grail Engine, unlike conventional two-stroke engines, does not pollute the fuel with oil from the crankcase, which means it meets the most stringent environmental standards.
The engine itself consists of simple parts, mostly made by casting. The secret to outstanding performance lies in the way the Grail Engine works. During the upward movement of the piston, negative air pressure is created at the bottom and through a special carbon fiber valve, air enters the combustion chamber. At a certain point in the movement of the piston, fuel begins to be supplied, then at the top dead center with the help of three conventional electric candles, the fuel-air mixture is ignited, the valve in the piston closes. The piston goes down, the cylinder is filled with exhaust gases. Upon reaching the bottom dead center, the piston begins to move upward again, the air flow ventilates the combustion chamber, pushing out the exhaust gases, the cycle of work repeats.
Rice. 4. The secret of outstanding performance lies in the way the Grail Engine works.
Compact and powerful Grail Engine ideal for hybrid vehicles where the gasoline engine generates electricity and the electric motors drive the wheels.
In such a machine, the Grail Engine will operate in optimal mode without sudden power surges, which will significantly increase its durability, reduce noise and fuel consumption. At the same time, the modular design allows two or more single-cylinder Grail Engines to be connected to a common crankshaft, which makes it possible to create in-line engines of various powers.
New car models appear every year - but for some reason they do not have the above-described economical and simple engines. Indeed, everyone is interested in the engines of the new design: from the ubiquitous investor Bill Gates to the Pentagon. However, automakers are in no hurry to install new items on their cars. Apparently, the whole point is that large auto concerns they manufacture engines themselves and, of course, do not want to share profits with third-party developers.
But tough anyway environmental standards and electric vehicles will force automakers to adopt new technologies that are far more important to the health of people and the entire planet than multimedia systems and design delights.
What criteria are considered key for the choice of "very-very"? Are there any fundamental differences in the approach to design on different continents? Let's try to find answers to these questions.
EUROPE: IN ECONOMY
At a recent press conference in London, the head of the Peugeot-Citroen concern, Jean-Martin Foltz, quite unexpectedly for many, spoke of hybrid vehicles: "Look around: there are less than 1% of such cars in Europe, while the share of diesels reaches half." According to Mr. Folz, modern diesel is much cheaper to manufacture, being no less economical and environmentally friendly.
The times when diesel engines left behind a black train, rattled all over the street and were noticeably inferior in liter power to gasoline engines are over. Today, the specific share of diesels in Europe is 52% and continues to grow. The impetus is given, for example, by environmental bonuses in the form of reduced taxes, but above all - by the high cost of gasoline.
A breakthrough on the diesel front occurred by the end of the 90s, when the first engines with "common rail" - a common fuel rail - went into series. Since then, the pressure in it has been steadily growing. In the latest engines, it reaches 1800 atmospheres, and in fact, until recently, 1300 atmospheres were considered an outstanding indicator.
Next in line are systems with a two-fold increase in injection pressure. First, the pump pumps fuel into the storage tank up to 1350 atm. Then the pressure is raised to 2200 atm, under which it enters the nozzles. Under this pressure, the fuel is injected through smaller holes. This improves the quality of the spray, increases the accuracy of the dosage. Hence the gain in efficiency and power.
Pilot injection has been used for several years already: the first "batch" of fuel enters the cylinders a little earlier than the main dose, which achieves smoother engine operation and cleaner exhaust.
In addition to the "common rail", there is another technical solution to raise the injection pressure to an unprecedented height. The pump-injectors have moved from cargo engines to light diesel engines. In particular, Volkswagen is committed to them, making up healthy competition to the “common ramp”.
One of the stumbling blocks on the path of diesel has always been environmental. If gasoline engines were scolded for carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons in the exhaust, then diesels - for nitrogen compounds and soot particles. The introduction of Euro IV last year was not easy. We dealt with nitrogen oxides by means of a neutralizer, but a special filter catches the soot. It serves up to 150 thousand km, after which it is either changed or "calcined". At the command of the control electronics, exhaust gases from the recirculation system and a large dose of fuel are supplied to the cylinder. The exhaust temperature rises and the soot is burned out.
It is noteworthy that most of the new diesel engines can run on biodiesel fuel: it is based on vegetable oils, not petroleum products. This fuel is less aggressive to environment, therefore, its mass market share in Europe should reach 30% by 2010.
In the meantime, experts note the joint development of General Motors and FIAT - one of the "Engines of the Year 2005". Thanks to electronics, a small diesel engine is able to quickly change injection parameters and thereby provide more torque and faster engine start. The widespread use of aluminum, which significantly reduced weight and dimensions, combined with the sufficient power of 70 hp. and a considerable torque of 170 Nm allowed the 1.3-liter engine to gain a large number of votes.
Considering all the achievements on the diesel front, we can safely say that the near future of Europe lies with these engines. They become more powerful, quieter and more comfortable for everyday driving. Taking into account the current oil prices, none of the existing types of engines is capable of pushing them out in the Old World.
ASIA: MORE FORCE PER LITER
The main achievement of Japanese engine builders for last ten years - high liter capacity. Driven by legislation into a narrow framework, engineers manage to achieve excellent results with the most different ways... A striking example is variable valve timing. In the late 80s, the Japanese "Honda" with its VTEC system made a real revolution.
The need to vary the phases is dictated by different driving modes: in the city, the most important thing is economy and torque at low revs, on the highway - at high revs. The wishes of buyers also differ in different countries... Previously, the engine settings were constant, but now it has become possible to change them literally on the go.
Modern Honda engines are equipped with several types of VTEC, including a three-stage device. Here, the parameters are adjusted not only at low and high revs, but also on average. Thus, it is possible to combine the incompatible: high specific power (up to 100 hp / l), fuel consumption in the mode of 60-70 km / h at the level of 4 liters per hundred and high torque in the range from 2000 to 6000 rpm.
As a result, the Japanese successfully remove high power from very modest volumes. The Honda S2000 roadster with a naturally aspirated 2-liter engine producing 250 hp remains the record holder for this indicator for a year in a row. Despite the fact that the engine appeared back in 1999, it is still among the best - the second place among the contenders in 2005 with a volume of 1.8–2.0 liters. The second indisputable achievement of the Japanese is hybrid installations. "Hybrid Synergy Drive" produced by "Toyota" was noted among the prize-winners more than once, gaining the highest number of points in the "Economical Engine" nomination. The declared figure - 4.2 l / 100 km for such a big car as Toyota Prius, is certainly good. Power of "Synergy Drive" reaches 110 hp, and the total torque of the gasoline-electric installation is outstanding - 478 Nm!
In addition to fuel efficiency, the environmental aspect is emphasized: the emissions of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides from the engine are 80 and 87.5% lower than those required by the Euro IV standards for gasoline engines, and 96% lower than the requirements for diesel engines. Thus, "Synergy Drive" with a margin fits into the most rigid framework in the world - ZLEV, planned for introduction in California.
IN last years an interesting trend has emerged: with regard to hybrids, it is less and less about absolute records of efficiency. Take the Lexus RX 400h. This car consumes quite the usual 10 liters in the urban cycle. With one caveat - this is very little, given the power of the main engine of 272 hp. and the moment is 288 N.m!
If the Japanese companies, first of all Toyota and Honda, manage to reduce the prime cost of the units, the sales of hybrids may jump by an order of magnitude in the next 5-10 years.
AMERICA: CHEAP AND ANGRY
On forums American cars after the “Engine of the Year” competition, debates always arise: how is it, there is not a single engine of our development among the winners! It's simple: the Americans, despite the ongoing fuel crisis, have not been very successful in saving gasoline, and they do not want to hear about diesel fuel! But this does not mean that they have nothing to brag about.
For example, "Chrysler" motors of the "Chemi" series, shining on powerful models (they are traditionally called "muscle cars" in the USA) back in the 50s. Their name is derived from the English hemispherical - hemispherical. Of course, a lot has changed in half a century, but, as before, modern "Chemi" have hemispherical combustion chambers.
Traditionally, at the head of the line of motors are units of indecent displacement by European standards - up to 6.1 liters. As soon as you open a brochure, the difference in approaches to design is striking. Best-in-class power, Fastest acceleration, low level noise "... fuel consumption is spoken of in passing. Although, of course, engineers are not indifferent to him. It's just that the priorities are somewhat different - dynamic characteristics and ... low cost of the unit.
There are no variable phases in Chemi motors. They are not so forced and cannot even come close to the best Japanese units in terms of liter capacity. But they use an ingenious MDS system (Multi Displacement System - a system of several volumes). As the name hints, its meaning lies in turning off four of the eight cylinders of the engine, when it is not required to use all 335 "horses" and 500 Nm of torque, for example, in a 5.7L engine. The shutdown takes only 40 milliseconds. Such systems have been used by GM before, and this is the first experience for Chrysler. According to the firm, MDS saves up to 20% of fuel, depending on driving style. Bob Lee, Vice President of Chrysler Engines, is very proud of the new engine: "Cylinder shutdown is elegant and simple ... the benefits are reliability and low cost."
Naturally, American engineers are not limited to switchable cylinders. They are preparing completely different developments, for example, power plants for fuel cells... Judging by the emergence of all new concept cars with just such engines, their future is drawn in pink colors.
Of course, we have noted only the most striking features of the "national engine building". The modern world is too small for fundamentally different cultures to exist side by side without influencing each other. Perhaps one day they will deduce a recipe for an ideal "global" motor? While everyone prefers to run their own way: Europe is preparing to transfer almost half of the park to rapeseed oil; Although America tries not to notice the changes taking place in the world, it is gradually weaning itself from the voracious mastodons and is thinking about transferring the infrastructure of the entire country to hydrogen fuel; well, Japan ... as always, takes high technology and the staggering speed of their implementation.
DIESEL "PSA-FORD"
In the near future, production of two new engines will begin, developed jointly by the Peugeot-Citroen concern and Ford (they are presented to journalists by Ford engineer Phil Lake). Diesels with a volume of 2.2 liters are addressed to commercial and passenger cars... The "common rail" system now operates at a pressure of 1800 atm. Fuel is injected into the combustion chamber through seven 135-micron holes in piezoelectric injectors (previously there were five). It is now possible to inject fuel up to six times per revolution of the crankshaft. The result is cleaner exhaust, fuel savings, and reduced vibration.
Used two compact low-inertia turbochargers. The first is solely responsible for the "low", the second is connected after 2700 rpm, providing a smooth torque curve, reaching 400 Nm at 1750 rpm and 125 hp. at 4000 rpm. The engine weight has been reduced by 12 kg compared to the previous generation thanks to the new engine block architecture.
The concept of the engine, invented by Carmelo Scuderi, an American self-taught auto mechanic, is based on the principle of dividing cylinders into working and auxiliary. Unlike Otto's scheme, in a split-cycle engine (SCC), there is one working stroke for every shaft revolution. The auxiliary cylinders, in which the piston compresses the air, are connected to the main ones through the bypass channels. Each of the channels contains two valves - a compression valve and an expansion valve. In the space between them, the air reaches its maximum compression level. Fuel injection into the combustion chamber of the working cylinder occurs simultaneously with the opening of the expansion valve, and ignition - after the piston passes the top dead center. The wave of gases, as it were, catches up with it, excluding the detonation of the mixture. In the course of virtual tests of the in-line prototype of the Scuderi engine, it was revealed that it is very stable. The coefficient of deviation of the parameters of working strokes from the average value in the most "problematic" zone of revolutions - from idle to one and a half thousand - in SCC is almost two times lower than that of Otto's internal combustion engine: 1.4% versus 2.5. At first glance, this is not much, but for professionals the difference is huge. This indicator speaks of a very high quality mixture and its precise dosage. The naturally aspirated four-cylinder in-line Scuderi engine is 25% more efficient than conventional counterparts in terms of power, and its original hybridized version of the Scuderi Air-Hybrid is 30-36% more efficient. In the Air-Hybrid, the compressed air in the compressed air accumulator takes place when the vehicle is braking. Air is then fed into the bypass, relieving the load on the slave cylinder piston.
Skunderi engine. The production of engines of the Carmelo Scuderi system can be easily organized in any engine-building enterprise using traditional assemblies. But do manufacturers need it? ..
In 2011, the company will present a second generation V-architecture engine, in which the wastegate will be made as separate modules. In the first version - with a one-piece head - they were located in the wall between the pairs of cylinders. The V-shaped arrangement allows for improved access to them from the receiver side and provides more efficient cooling of the unit. According to forecasts of scientists from the Southwest Research Institute, who are closely engaged in fine-tuning the virtual model inline engine, the difference in efficiency between such a "four" and an equivalent Otto motor will reach 50%. Light weight, excellent power density (135 hp per liter of volume) and technological simplicity of the SCC make it very promising for implementation. It is known that several players of the major league of the world auto industry, as well as manufacturers of components, show keen interest in it at once. In particular, the famous company Robert Bosch. Scuderi Group President Sal Scuderi is confident that in three years his father's brainchild will go into series.
It is unlikely that the Lotus Omnivore will ever become the main powertrain for the car. But as an auxiliary - for example, a generator - it is quite suitable.
Lotus omnivore
Who said that two bars are a thing of the past? Lotus Engineering engineers believe that the potential of two-stroke engines is seriously underestimated by automakers, and voracity is just a myth. They predict their triumphant return in 2013 under the hoods of production cars. In 2009 in Geneva, the company presented a conceptual 500 cc Omnivore engine that runs on any type of liquid fuel. The motor shines with several innovative technologies, the main of which is a variable compression ratio by means of a movable upper wall of the combustion chamber. Depending on the type of fuel and load, the compression in the Omnivore can vary from 10 to 40 to one. The preparation of a balanced air-fuel mixture is provided by the system direct injection Orbital FlexDI with two injectors and the patented CTV (Charge Trapping Valve) control valve. It seems that the British succeeded in what all the developers of innovative internal combustion engines are striving for: in the bench test cycle, Omnivore confidently supported the HCCI combustion mode, even at rpm idle move and in the "red zone". The design of the Omnivore is also remarkable in that its block and head are molded in one single piece.
Ecomotors OPOC. One of the main advantages of the design of Professor Hoffbauer is the ability to "put" more and more pairs of cylinders on the crankshaft, getting something like a modular engine.
According to the specification, the concept is 10% more economical than atmospheric gasoline engines of equal power, and in terms of exhaust cleanliness it easily reaches Euro-6 standards. If Lotus can interest automakers, then the descendants of the concept Omnivore will be prime candidates for on-board generators for electric hybrids. They have everything for this: unpretentiousness, extreme compactness and high energy consumption.
Ecomotors OPOC
Among the companies trying to send the classic ICE to a landfill, the American Ecomotors stands apart not only because of the extravagance of its ideas. Venture titan Vinod Khosla and billionaire Bill Gates have blessed the work on the heavy-duty OPOC boxer engine. The board of directors of the tiny company includes several persons whose names serve as a pass to the closed club of automakers, and Ecomotors stands have become commonplace at the world's most elite car dealerships.
The boxer two-stroke two-cylinder modular ICE called OPOC was invented back in the late 1990s by Professor Peter Hoffbauer, who worked for a long time as the chief mechanic in Volkswagen... The super-compact Hoffbauer diesel engine demonstrates an unprecedented high power density of about 3 hp. per kilogram of mass. For example, a hundred-kilogram "pipe" produces 325 hp. and 900 Nm of torque. At the same time, the OPOC efficiency is very close to 60%, twice outperforming modern diesel engines with complex supercharging. One of the main "chips" of this boxer is the ability to make up of separate modules, each of which is a full-fledged engine, power plants of in-line 4-, 6- and 8-cylinder configuration. Paradoxically, for all its charge, OPOC operates at rather modest compression ratios in the range of 15-16 to one and does not require special fuel preparation.
In principle, OPOC is a tube with two pairs of pistons making simultaneous multidirectional movements. The space between the pair is the combustion chamber. Connecting rods with unusually long stems connect the pistons to the center crankshaft. An injector is installed in the center of the chamber, and the inlet and outlet ports are located in the area of the bottom dead center of the central pistons. The ports replace the complex valve train and camshaft. An important design element is an electric turbocharger with air preheating, replacing, in particular, the usual glow plugs. At the moment of start-up, the turbine supplies a charge to the combustion chamber compressed air heated to 100 ° C.
IRIS. The main feature of the design of the Iris engine is the high usable area of the “pistons.” The fixed walls occupy only 30% of the total area of the combustion chamber, which significantly improves the efficiency of the engine.
According to the president of the company, Donald Runkle, a former vice president of General Motors, the sixth generation of the engine is currently being bench tested in its own technical center, which will be completed in early 2012. And this will no longer be another working prototype, but a unit intended for a conveyor. However, interest in the development is not only among motorists, but also among the military, aircraft manufacturers, builders and miners. It is planned to manufacture four types of OPOC modules at once with piston diameters of 30, 65, 75 and 100 mm.
IRIS
For many people, observing bizarrely moving, spinning and throbbing mechanisms is a successful substitute for stress pills.
The mesmerizing brainchild of Denver scientist, inventor and entrepreneur Timber Dick, who tragically died in a car accident in 2008, can be classified as homeopathic remedies in this category. But the internal combustion engine IRIS (Internally Radiating Impulse Structure), despite all its originality, is by no means a dummy. Protected on all sides by patents, it has received innovation awards from NASA, oil corporation ConocoPhillips and chemical giant Dow Chemical. A two-stroke ICE with variable geometry and piston area, according to calculations, has an efficiency of 45%, compact dimensions and low weight. In addition, if it is adopted by automakers, the buyer will not have to overpay - the price of the unit will not be higher than that of conventional gasoline engines.
RLDVS. The difference between a rotary vane engine and all the others mentioned in the material is that it is in a few millimeters from mass production. In 2011, tests of the Russian "yo-mobile" with a similar engine are planned, and since 2012 - and a series.
As Dick believed, in a standard pair "combustion chamber - piston working surface" the most weak point is the constant contact area. The head only accounts for 25% of the total chamber area. In the IRIS concept, six pistons, which are steel, wave-curved petals, have a usable area of almost three times as much - the stationary walls of the chamber occupy only 30% of the area.
Air enters the combustion chamber through the intake valves when the petals are farthest from the center. Simultaneously through open exhaust valves exhaust gas is removed. Then the petals, vibrating on the shafts, close to the middle of the chamber, compressing the air. At the moment of closest approach with fully closed valves, fuel injection and ignition occurs. Expanding, the hot gases move apart the petals-pistons, which, in turn, leads to the rotation of the shafts. The exhaust valves open at top dead center. Then everything is repeated over and over. A fairly simple gearbox converts the vibration of the six shafts into rotation of the main shaft.
Russian rotary vane
The rotary vane engine (RLDVS) is not at all a development of the 21st century. Its design was invented back in the 1930s, and since then not a decade has passed without the appearance of another patent for a new RLD. The most famous was, perhaps, the Vigriyanov engine, created in 1973. But they did not want to get into the RLD series. The main problem was the complexity of synchronizing the rotor shafts and even more so removing the moment from them - at the time of the weak development of electronics, the synchronizer occupied almost an entire room; RLD could only be used as a stationary power plant. It nullified one of his main advantages- compactness and low weight.
RLD is a cylinder, inside of which two rotors are installed on one axis, each with a pair of blades. The blades divide the cylinder space into working chambers; in each, four working cycles are performed in one revolution of the shaft. The complexity of synchronization is primarily due to the uneven movement of the rotors relative to each other, their "pulsation".
But as soon as a compact and convenient synchronization mechanism appeared, the RLD immediately acquired a serious serial perspective. The most interesting and pleasant thing is that such a mechanism was developed in Russia, within the framework of the sensational Yo-mobile project. The power plant of the "yo-mobile" weighs only 55 kg (35 - an engine with a synchronizer, 20 - an electric generator), and the power can produce about 100 kW, although for serial models it will be limited to 45 kW (60 hp). In addition to its compactness, the RLD is characterized by its scalability. It can be easily increased in size up to small marine engine with a capacity of 1000 kW. The power-to-weight ratio of the Yo-mobile's power plant is similar to that of a two-liter 150-horsepower internal combustion engine of a traditional layout.
Engines are mechanisms that set a vehicle or machine in motion. Engines run on fuel (for example, internal combustion engines), nuclear energy (RTG), electricity (electric vehicle engines), hydrogen, gas, diesel and much more. The fuel type of the engine determines its environmental friendliness and other qualities. Engines have come a long way, but it's far from over. Scientists and engineers are constantly thinking about new fuels and new engines, trying to fit more energy into less cost.
Right now, there are a thousand artificial satellites in Earth's orbit, almost all of which are moved by expensive ion engines with a service life of no more than three years. If these engines are so expensive and short-lived, why not develop a cheaper and more reliable satellite control option? This will surprise many, but it has already been created and applied in - it moves around the planet due to solar particles that push the sail attached to the satellite. The huge and brilliant canvas was unrolled on July 23, and it is quite possible to see it from Earth.
At the end of 2018, during another tweet, the founder of SpaceX mentioned the Russian RD-180 rocket engine. He acknowledged its design as "brilliant" and hinted that Boeing and Lockheed should be ashamed of its use in the Atlas rocket. He promised that his Raptor engine would outstrip Russian development, and he kept his word - it became known that the rocket engine for spaceship Starship outstripped the RD-180 in terms of pressure in the combustion chamber.
Work conscientiously for the benefit of the person. Motors are constantly being improved. Either the designers are fighting for an increase in power, then they are reducing the mass of the engine. The development of engine building is influenced by such factors as fluctuations in oil prices and tightening environmental standards. Despite all these difficulties, they are the main source of energy for cars.
Recently, many new developments have appeared that are aimed at improving traditional motors. Some of them are already at the stage of implementation, others are available only in the form of prototypes. However, some time will pass and some of these innovations will be implemented in new machines.
Lasers instead of spark plugs
Until recently, lasers were considered fantastic devices that ordinary people learned about from films about the Martians. But today there are developments aimed at replacing laser devices. Traditional candles have one drawback. They do not produce a powerful spark that can ignite a fuel mixture with a large amount of air and low fuel concentration. An increase in power led to a rapid deterioration of the electrodes. The use of lasers for the ignition of depleted fuel mixture... Among the advantages of laser spark plugs, it should be noted the ability to adjust the power and ignition angle. This will immediately not only increase the engine power, but also make the combustion process more efficient. The first ceramic laser devices were developed by engineers in Japan. They have a diameter of 9 mm, which is suitable for a range of automotive engines. The novelty will not require significant revision of the power units.Innovative rotary motors
In the near future, pistons, camshafts, valves may disappear from them. Scientists at the University of Michigan are working on a fundamentally new design for an automobile motor. The powertrain will receive energy from the blast waves that keep it moving. One of the main details new installation is a rotor, in the body of which there are radial channels. When the rotor turns quickly, the fuel mixture flows through the channels and instantly fills the free compartments. The design allows the outlet ports to be blocked and the combustible mixture does not escape during compression. Since the fuel enters the compartments very quickly, a shock wave is generated. It pushes a portion of the fuel mixture to the center, where ignition occurs, and then the exhaust gases are exhausted. Thanks to this ingenious solution, the researchers were able to reduce fuel consumption by 60%. The mass of the engine also decreased, which led to the creation of a light car (400 kg). A small number of rubbing parts will also be an advantage of the new motor, so the engine resource should increase. Scuderi development
Scuderi employees have prepared their version of the engine of the future. It has two types of piston cylinders, which allows more efficient use of the generated energy. The uniqueness of the development lies in the connection of two cylinders by means of a bypass channel. As a result, one of the pistons creates compression, and in the second cylinder, the fuel mixture is ignited and gases are released.This method allows you to use the generated energy more economically. Computer models show that the Scuderi's engine will consume 50% less fuel than conventional ICEs.
Thermal Separating Motor
Scuderi managed to increase the efficiency of the engine due to the thermal separation of the motor into 2 parts. One problem remains unresolved in a conventional four-stroke engine. Different strokes work better in certain temperature ranges. Therefore, scientists decided to divide the engine into two compartments and put a radiator between them. The motor will work according to the following scheme. In cold cylinders, the fuel mixture will be injected and compressed. This ensures maximum efficiency in cold conditions. The combustion and exhaust process takes place in hot cylinders. Presumably, this technology will provide fuel savings in the range of 20%. Scientists plan to modify this type of motor and achieve 50% savings.Motor Skyactiv-G from Mazda
The Japanese company Mazda has always strived to create innovative engines. For example, some production vehicles are equipped with rotary powertrains. Now the designers of the auto concern are thoroughly engaged in fuel economy. Next year it is planned to release a car with a Skyactiv-G engine. It will be the first model in the Skyactiv family. The subcompact version of the Mazda2 will be powered by a 1.3-liter Skyactiv-G sports engine. A variator transmission will distribute the torque. Power point It has a high compression ratio, thanks to which fuel savings of up to 15% are achieved. The developers claim that the average gas mileage will be around 3L / 100 km.
Different automakers equipped their cars with boxer motors. This design is not without flaws, which engineers continue to work on. As you know, in a boxer engine, the cylinders are horizontal and the pistons move in opposite directions. EcoMotors designers have placed two pistons in each cylinder, which are directed towards each other. Crankshaft is located between the cylinders, and connecting rods of different lengths are used to move the pistons in one cylinder. This arrangement piston group reduced the weight of the engine, since massive cylinder heads are not required. The piston stroke in the boxer unit is also significantly less than in a traditional gasoline engine. According to EcoMotors engineers, a car with an OPOC engine should consume about 2 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers. Pinnacle Powertrain
Another one advanced development made on the basis boxer engine... In a Pinnacle motor, two pistons move towards each other in the same cylinder. Between them, the fuel mixture is ignited. The engine has two crankshaft and connecting rods of the same length. This design allows for tremendous energy savings at a low cost of the power unit. It is assumed that efficiency gasoline engine can be increased by 50%. Scientists all over the planet are looking for new approaches to creating powerful, economical and environmentally friendly ICE models. Some developments look quite promising, while others have a less cloudless future. However, only time will judge who will bathe in glory, and whose developments will end up on the dusty shelves of the archive. 
