> > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iiiDcFH-IM
> >
> > This is an English version of the excellent NSU
> > video on the Principles of the Wankel engine.
> > By far the best explanation of how the rotary works.
> > Every person in the world needs to see this.
> > It was translated by Rolf and narrated by my son James Paul.
> > Thanks to Rolf Pfeiffer and Paul Jr.
> >
> > I got the video on a trip to Germany about 10 years
> > ago and converted from PAL to NTSB. It was on my web site for
> > about two years.
>
>
> Thanks Paul,
> Well done, well narrated.
> It sure is a good explanation of the Rotary.
> Hope everyone will enjoy it.
>
> Rolf
>
> Thank you Rolf. You did a great job.
>
> --
> Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.

Thanks very much Paul, Rolf, and James.  That's a very helpful film.

Felix Wankel was a genius.  It is all I can do to get my mind around the
relationship between the various rotations of the rotor and the
eccentric shaft, and I have the benefit of knowing beforehand that such
a mechanism is possible and actually works.  How much harder it would be
to think of it the first time.

When you look at the animation and stop the film at the instant of
ignition, it would seem that the expanding gases would be more likely to
drive the rotor in the opposite direction (due to the rotational center
of the assembly and the relative location of the expanding gas pocket).
Obviously, it does not do this, so there's something I still don't quite
understand (unless the direction of rotation is just due to the momentum
of the already moving rotor and the influence of the other rotors in a
multi-rotor engine).

I'll stare at the film some more.

Mark W.

It has to do with the rotational inertia of the engine's internal parts
combined with the flywheel.