X-Mozilla-Keys:                                                                                 
Bill Freeman wrote:

Zachary Carter wrote:
       SNIP      the rotary

engine cycle actually is more efficient than the carnot cycle,

Zack

   Zack,

   Don't mean to be rude, but it is best not to use vague terms 
like "Carnot cycle".  This is a general thermodynamic term for ANY
type of heat engine operating between a high temperature source and
a low temperature sink.  Sadi Carnot developed the formula which
governs the maximum possible thermal efficiency that can be obtained
for any device converting heat into mechanical power, based only on
the high and low temps used in the cycle.

You seem to imply that a 'carnot cycle' is a piston engine, which is not
anywhere near true.  All heat engines are subjected to Mr. Carnot's
observations, regardless of the actual mechanical hardware - gas turbine,
piston, Stirling, steam turbine, Wankel, etc.  Hardware type does not figure
in the computation, which is an unattainable upper theoretical limit.

Bill

 
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