Paul,
The reason I like the Rotrex is because it's a fully developed product
and if it can be adapted in a simple solution that would save a lot of
R&D effort. If you could just mate that unit to a nice off-the-shelf
turbine, you'd be all set -- all you would need is a pulley on the
engine. A very simple and elegant turbocompound engine with minimum fuss.
However, this does not appear to be easily doable.
Looking at the pictures I have of the Rotrex, it is obvious that the
pulley and the compressor wheel turn counterclockwise when viewed from
the front. I guess in order to install these in cars with engines that
turn clockwise, the unit would have to be turned end-for-end with the
pulley facing rear.
In order to mate this to a turbine wheel, the turbine shaft would have
to go in through the pulley side. The only way this could be done is to
hollow out the pulley shaft (which is also attached to the annulus drive
ring) and have a common shaft going straight through. This shaft would
support the turbine wheel and the compressor wheel and would also be the
sun shaft for the gearbox.
The turbine would be on one end, then the gearbox in the middle and the
compressor on the other end, with that inlet facing forward unobstructed.
Obviously this would require substantial modification of the Rotrex unit
in order to accommodate this shaft. A hole would have to be drilled in
the pulley end of the gearbox housing for the shaft to pass through and
some way of sealing that hole to the shaft in order to prevent oil
leakage. Plus you would have to make a suitable shaft.
Regards,
Gordon.
The traction drive is not as hard as it looks.
I have a lot of experience designing mechanical things,
building them and making them work. The principle
is hundreds of years old. There is a another company that will
deliver a unit to our exact requirements.
I feel largely responsible for Doug buying the Rotrex in the first place.
Sorry Doug.
Unfortunately I was at first suckered into the Rotrex thing
due to their clever publicity and a smoke screen patent they where
granted by some incompetent patent examiner.
After Doug got the unit it turned out there was absolutely no new
ideas in the unit and the patent had absolutely nothing to do
with the way it actually worked. Similar devices have been available
off the shelf for years. They merely copied some one elses product.
So much for a fully developed product by Rotrex.
I was too ignorant to know about this company that Dale Mahan
on here discovered. Thanks Dale. Here is his actual message.
"Subject: Traction Drives
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2006 09:13:47
From: Dale Mahan
To: Rotary Engine
<rotaryeng@earthlink.net>"
"Hi Paul,
What do you think about a traction drive being used as as a PSRU?
The Nasvytrac drive has been with us for decades, originally designed
as a helicopter turbojet to main rotor powertrain component
(
http://www.nastecinc.com/traction.htm)."
Lately, some of the diagrams that have been shown on the Rotary Engine
group look like they may be able to offer a low cost alternative to
planetary gears. Sometimes, the PSRU costs about as much as the engine
itself.
Thank you,
Dale Mahan"
Here is an excerpt from their web site.
http://www.nastecinc.com
"Nastec, Inc. is a Cleveland, Ohio based designer and manufacturer
of specialty transmissions and bearings. During the past twenty years,
we have established ourselves as one of the world's technical leaders in
the design, fabrication, and manufacture of traction drives, roller-gear
drives, and wave bearings."
I'll get a quote from them on Monday.
If I were Doug I would sell the Rotrex unit to someone that
needed a supercharger instead of kludging it up to make it
work.
Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.
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