> > PATS is a company making APU's for biz aircraft.
> > I took these pictures at a biz aircraft show about 10 years ago.
> > My son is scanning a bunch of old pre digital camera negatives for me.
> > This engine was based on the Norton engine just like
the Midwest/Diamond was.
> > It was intended for APU use on a biz jet burning jet A..
> > --
> > Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.
>
> What would happen if you turbo compounded a diesel rotary engine
like this one?
>
> Les
>
> I am not sure this engine ever worked well. It did not go into
production as far as I know. It is hard to get a high
> compression ratio with a Wankel.  It might work better if they turbo
charged it but they did not as it would be much more
> expensive and complicated for an APU.
>
> Diesel compound piston engines have been built and gone into
production.  They don't pay off big time because there is so
> little waste energy in diesel exhaust to begin with.
>
> Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.



Dear Paul:

Thanks for the info: I didn't know that there was so little waste energy
in diesel exhaust.

SO, I have another question about increasing the efficiency of a diesel
rotary engine: instead of turbocompounding a rotary diesel engine, how
about you add propane to the fuel mix injected into the engine?

I ask about this because of what the magazine /DieselPower/ wrote in
their June 2007 issue:

"With propane injection, the propane acts like a catalyst and makes the
diesel fuel burn more effectively.  The difference between propane and
an actual catalyst is that the propane is used up during the combustion
process.  During normal combustion (/in piston diesel engines, JP/),
about 75-80 percent of the diesel fuel is burned, and the use of propane
increases that number to nearly 100 percent.  Propane is also a fuel in
itself, so it can help make more power because it's extra fuel--plain
and simple.  As the engine becomes more efficient (/YES! --JP/) through
the use of propane, /large fuel-mileage increases/  (like can be seen
when you lean a rotary engine?) can be seen in addition to power gains.
You'll save some money at the diesel pump, but remember, you still have
to get the propane tank filled periodically.  With propaine injection,
gains of 75-100 hp are typical (/in piston diesel engines -JP/)."
*DieselPowerMag, DieselTech, How-It-Works, Propane, p. 140, June, 2007
edited for emphasis by JP*

So, since turbocompounded diesel engines don't pay off, how about make
more efficiency with propane added to the fuel?  Since,as W. D. Leonard
remarks in his web page about lubricating tip seals in his
rotary-powered RV-6: "(a)irplane owners however, are not so finicky.
They are used to having to tinker and baby their old aircraft engines.
Adding a second oil to a reservoir (or the oil to the fuel itself) is
not a big detractor", perhaps adding propane, in exchange for more
efficiency, range and power, would "not be a big detractor".

What do you think?

Les :-)


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