Once a month SZP opens the airport for visitors.
Those of us with unusual air planes open our hangar doors and people
stroll by and ask questions.
Many are questions I have heard over and over again.
The rotary powered RV4 with the cowl off is prominent and draws a lot
of people,
I am scheduled to give a talk about rotaries at AusFly in Narrowmine NSW
Aus next week. To speed the process I am getting a large poster printed
with some of those questions.
Here is a preliminary version. Comments are welcome.
Paul Lamar
I don’t envy your task. The misinformation about the rotary engine is
worldwide, it is surprising even amongst those that run rotary's in
their cars, as to how the media can lead them down the wrong path. Just
2 days ago a college told me he was installing an electric water pump in
his rotary powered car, even after giving sound reasoning not to do it,
the advise was ignored.
I am new to the powered aircraft scene but have found that the
reluctance to accept new concepts is very high. On several occasions I
have been told that the rotary doesn’t sound like a real aircraft
engine. I'm not sure how to overcome this mindset.
I hope the time to climb project will help to awaken some more aviators.
Maybe a life size picture of a rotary with its weight and power may also
be useful.
Andrew. Campbell
The BSFC is now within 5% of a piston engine
The car problem has more to do with the gear box chosen by Mazda than
the BSFC
of the rotary.
My RX8 is doing 3000 rpm at 80 while my 250 HP Honda Odysseys is doing
1800 RPM.
This the same reason the 400 HP Corvette gets 25 MPG on the free way.
My 1994 Mercury Cougar was doing 1900 at 80 MPH.
At a steady 70 MPH the RX8 is getting 25 MPG. The same as my old RX2
and the two RX7s I have owned. All had the wrong gearing.
All you need do is look at the OBD data attached.
Another factor is when the Mazda computer leans the engine and when it
does
not. Leaning improves the BSFC. Honda circumvents the NOX emissions laws
by not leaning the engine during the smog test. The rest of the time
they lean it
frequently. Nox is a big problem for diesels as nox increases when
running lean.
Mazda never leans the RX8 engine no matter what.
I have developed and patented a high speed MSD ignition system that I
hope will
knock a few points off of the BSFC.
The exhaust valve, in a 4 stroke, waste 20% of the of the recoverable
energy
in turbo compound use. The exhaust normally waste 50% of a gallon of gas.
Harvesting in F1 speak. A turbo compound rotary would therefore become the
most efficient IC in the world maybe short of some diesels.
The F1 hybrid scheme is not the most efficient for free way use,
http://www.rotaryeng.net/Oxford-TC-talk.mp4
If Mazda does not build a turbo compound rotary they are not informed.
Mercedes, Renault , Ferrari and Honda will.
We now have a RB 650 HP 2 rotor that weighs less than 200 pounds
in a time to climb project air plane. It has a controlled leak in the
exhaust manifold because there is too much energy in the exhaust.
In other words it would over boost the engine. This is in addition to
the waste gate.
Mazda ought to hire me as a consultant. I would straighten them
out damn quick
Paul Lamar
Many people are referring to and quoting problems that were an issue
40 years ago and have been solved. Mazda uses the Zoom Zoom sales
philosophy across the models. That means a lower final drive ratio. Check
the gearing in older models as compared to the Skyactiv models. Final
drive is still the same as well as gears 1-4. OD gears are taller allowing
a highway RPM reduction of about 500RPM. If you put a Tremec TR 6060
in the RX8 with 2.66, 1.82, 1.3, 1.0, 0.82, 0.68 or 0.63 ratios I am
sure the
fuel economy would be improved. With Paul's ignition and turbo compound
the economy may be as good as or better than recip engines.
Dale Davies
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