Robert Barnard wrote:

Paul,

Is the Mercury 2cycle based on the Orbital 2 cycle design/patents?

Yes I think it is.

Last time I checked, Orbital had around 300 engine technology patents.  A
business arraignment between Mercury and Orbital was reached several years
ago (when it looked promising Ford and GM were also going to use Orbital 2
cycle engine technology, Chrysler and Toyota worked on their own, lean burn
emissions derailed the programs).

(Note: An Orbital engine uses a piston.)

One of Orbital's biggest contributions is the high-pressure fuel injection
system that provides atomized fuel with significantly smaller droplets (says
the marketing glossies).

I recall a company working on a "stratified combustion front" process for
rotary engines to increase efficiency.  Could a high-pressure direct
injection system facilitate stratified combustion?

Rob Barnard

Yes it does. I think that is what is going into the new Curtiss Wright/John Deere/RPI 
rotary to be built in New Brunswick Canada.

Paul Lamar
 
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