Hi
I am new to this list (this is my first post) and have been following the
various discussions with interest.
With regards to the lightweight single rotor e shaft I have some very good
contacts in Asia (I work there) who can knock up stuff cheaply and of good
quality. George I am a fellow Aussie too, I would imagine that every CNC in
Aust is machining parts for the mining industry, probably easier and cheaper
to get the e/shafts done in Asia.

Anyway I started thinking that two issues with rotaries being widely
accepted in aviation are a) need for PSRU and b) cooling.
I know that my sources in Asia could knock out all the lightweight bits to
assemble a light rotary eng and with some engineering it should be able to
be assembled and offered for sale with a built-in PSRU.
However it is the cooling side of things that worries me. It is difficult to
offer an off-the-shelf ready to go engine when the reliability is dependent
upon the correct installation of a cooling system. So I did some searching
on ceramic rotaries and came up with the below. Forgive me if this info has
already been discussed/posted.
Does anyone know of any other companies attempting this? Are there other
ways to run a rotary at high temps and lose the cooling systems?
Forgive me if these sound ignorant questions. I am on a fast learning track.
It is my dream to build a plane and to use a rotary.

Regards Ron (In Japan)

Making An All-Ceramic Wankel Engine - Progress

from http://ceramicrotaryengines.com/

The image opposite is a photo of a small Wankel Rotor we ordered to
specification. It is made out of CeTZP (zirconia) ceramic. The ceramic
manufacturer shaped the CeTZP rotor in the green (soft) state and was
subsequently sintered (in a furnace).

The combustion chambers on the rotor faces and the slots at the apex where
the tip seals are to be located have yet to be machined. It is likely that
this will be done in the hardened state to ensure that tight tolerances will
be met. The gear will be made out of steel and fitted into the central
recesses. The low thermal conductivity of the CeTZP ceramic should ensure
that the steel gearing is kept from overheating.

We are considering making the Wankel housing out of CeTZP ceramic as well.
This should ensure that the heat generated during the combustion of fuel
will be retained within the walls of the combustion chamber. A CeTZP ceramic
Wankel engine should not require liquid cooling.

Great idea -- but think of the COST.

The one real advantage we've got is the ready availability of cheap
Mazda engines.  They do just about all of the expensive and difficult
stuff for us, all we have to do is figure out how to make that work to
suit our needs.

If that ceramic engine could be produced and sold for a price lower than
the competing reciprosaur, it would have great potential.

I remember when there were only three common options for experimental
aircraft engines -- buy a "real" airplane engine, or mount a VW or
Corvair conversion.  It wasn't until they started bolting 2-strokes on
hang gliders that any other options became popular.  The 4-stroke
Rotaxes wouldn't exist except for all the money that Bombardier got
selling 2-strokes for aviation.  This made them aware of the need for an
alternative.

But if you look at the costs of the 912 and 914, you see that there is
still an untapped market for a lightweight, inexpensive 100HP engine,
and this is a place that a ceramic engine could take over if it were
viable and proven.

I've emailed them for more information, and if this comes off will be
happy to note them as a developmental technology.

Thanks,
Keith


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