Subject: Spectrum Power 4-rotor-SP-160
From: ACRE NL
Date: 9/29/2002, 6:50 AM

The rating on this aircraft version is a conservative 400 HP
at 6400 RPM. Cruise power is 357 HP at 5000 RPM. Fuel 
consumption is .43 lb/HP/hr. Basic engine weight 401 
pounds. Width 18" Height 20". Length 39 inches.
Further intake manifold and porting development could improve
the power as there could be some strange aerodynamic goings on in
this Y intake manifold design.

In  180 Kw generator use TBO is set at 8000 hours
@4500 RPM. I suspect ceramic apex seals are specified
to achieved this life. Claimed spark plug life is 1,500 hours.

Scott Duffy told me he is still experimenting with the engine 
structure as he is noticing high main bearing temperatures.
There are several possible reasons for this. An aluminum four rotor 
is not very stiff in bending so the block could be moving
around and causing local contact between e-shaft and main
bearings. Perhaps the e-shaft is bending slightly.
Perhaps the clearance is too small. Larger clearances
could be tried with higher oil pressure and the expenses of
a bit more fuel burn. Works for the Mazda racers. Mazda used 
honeycomb sandwich panels on the top and bottom of their 
four rotor to stiffen it in bending. A thick wall carbon 
fiber pan and carbon fiber bar on the top of the engine
would stiffen the engine in vertical and horizontal bending.

Another possibility is the engine is assuming a banana shape 
as one side of the engine is hot and the other side cold.
Further work with coolant passages and coolant distribution can 
solve this problem if it exist. 

How many people are interested in these aluminum end housings?
There is a possibility that they will be made available for
one rotor use. Either milled down with donor Mazda end housing
cast iron wear surfaces or with expensive detonation gun coatings
of carbide particles and then surface ground for minimum weight.

That is Jerry Hey taking a picture :-)

 
Paul Lamar
 
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