Duke's small, light & valveless axial engine

StepUP! · 14th September 2014, 16:40

I came across this video about Duke engines:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c19kn3drdFU

I found it impressive and different than gnome or rotary engines. Piston follows a path of a sinusoidal wave producing power, rotating central crankshaft.

As claimed, 5 cylinder engine is equivalent to produce power of 6 cylinder conventional engine with only 3 spark plugs, fuel injectors! This is achieved at 30% reduction in weight! Other benefits being higher compression ratio and less space.

Mods: Request you to merge this thread with existing if I have posted in a wrong section. I couldn't find any thread on this.

nitin.rai · 14th September 2014, 17:20

Wow! This just may be the next revolution for IC engines which seemed to not have improved by leaps and bounds for the last 2-3 decades.
This also may be a breather for petrol engines over diesels due to a higher compression ratio possibility for petrols as there are no exhaust ports causing detonation.
Thanks for sharing!

Jaggu · 16th September 2014, 14:13

Very interesting design, so what is the downside of such a design? Looks quite complex with that spinning design. Vibration and how it is controlled comes to my list of concerns.

mayankk · 16th September 2014, 14:43

Seems to have a much larger surface moving against another. Friction, and seals, wonder if they have some new products to deal with that. I'm sure in the pre nanny state f1 days, someone would have picked it up and developed the heck out of it.

srishiva · 16th September 2014, 14:52

Can it do variable timing etc with that design or its not required? Looks very compact compression ratio is very good for a petrol.

14th September 2014, 17:20	#2
nitin.rai BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: New Delhi Posts: 332 Thanked: 271 Times	Duke Engines! Wow! This just may be the next revolution for IC engines which seemed to not have improved by leaps and bounds for the last 2-3 decades. This also may be a breather for petrol engines over diesels due to a higher compression ratio possibility for petrols as there are no exhaust ports causing detonation. Thanks for sharing!
	(2) Thanks

16th September 2014, 14:13	#3
Jaggu Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20,319 Thanked: 16,669 Times	Re: Duke's small, light & valveless axial engine Very interesting design, so what is the downside of such a design? Looks quite complex with that spinning design. Vibration and how it is controlled comes to my list of concerns.
	(1) Thanks

16th September 2014, 14:43	#4
mayankk Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: New Delhi Posts: 5,195 Thanked: 8,393 Times View My Garage	Seems to have a much larger surface moving against another. Friction, and seals, wonder if they have some new products to deal with that. I'm sure in the pre nanny state f1 days, someone would have picked it up and developed the heck out of it.
	(1) Thanks

16th September 2014, 14:52	#5
srishiva Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 4,375 Thanked: 2,256 Times	Re: Duke's small, light & valveless axial engine Can it do variable timing etc with that design or its not required? Looks very compact compression ratio is very good for a petrol. Last edited by srishiva : 16th September 2014 at 14:53.
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