For automobiles having basically two engines the systems become

complicated

but is technical feasible. Is it appropriate?  I have my own bias

on

what is

appropriate for people transportation so to I'll avoid going that

path. I

might be run over:)  Now for an airplane applications which this

discussion

group is usually about, I would tend to follow Marc's and Rob's

line

of

thinking IF the  aircraft is normally using a 20B.

Marc wrote:

So, if I deactivated the center rotor in a 3 rotor engine

while at

cruise will that be a cruise fuel efficency benefit? Disabling

the

injectors for the center housing could do that.

Rob wrote:

.... an auxiliary valve on the compression side. Not

super-feasible.

Sure  it is. My diesel tractor has one so I can start it easily.

So

do a

lot of the older motorcycles. Rotary compressors using the same

rotors

and

housing designs as our engines have exhaust valves on both sides.

About this time someone is going think "put that lazy middle

chamber

to work

and make him into a compressor. Again technically feasible but

IMHO

the

turbocharger driven compressor is designed specifically for that

purpose.

We are back to the question I raised a few weeks ago. Do you get

better BSFC

at running a 20B at 3,000 rpms or a 13B at 4200 plus rpms?
Assume

the

HP

output is the same.

In the disabled rotor config. the rpms would have to be higher to

overcome

the seal drag losses, though with compression losses eliminated I

can't

imagine this friction loss requiring more than a 1/4 hp to

overcome.

Would

think oil and water pumping requirements are the same.

Doug in Japan

But wouldn't  you lose power because the middle rotor was

compressing

air

that you're not using.
Clifton

I think a compression release is called a "Jake brake" on a truck,
You

would

be
way ahead if you just dropped rpm with the prop. - Vance

Just about, but in our case here you would have to open BEFORE the
rotor
even starts to compress.
A "Jake" is used to release the compressed air just before it returns
some
of the compressed energy with expansion.
It is a brake as you correctly stated, so it is very desireable to
get as
much compression as possible, before releasing the accumulated
pressure.
A Jake without a muffler is also used to annoy everybody and
everything in
the neighborhood, especially at 2 a.m.!!

Thomas J.

Power Sport, on their web site, is now claiming that their engine will
run on one rotor only and still produce 100 hp.  If true this has major
implications not only for fuel consumption but for safety as well.
Each rotor has its own ignition and fuel injection.  Jerry

 
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