Scientists Claim Major Leap in Engine Design 775
An anonymous reader writes "Purdue researchers say they have made a major advance in the design of the internal combustion engine, one that could seriously boost fuel efficiency and cut emissions. A key portion involves building intake and exhaust valves that are no longer driven by mechanisms connected to the pistons, a departure from the way car engines have worked since they were commercialized more than a century ago. 'The concept, known as variable valve actuation, would enable significant improvements in conventional gasoline and diesel engines used in cars and trucks and for applications such as generators, he said. The technique also enables the introduction of an advanced method called homogeneous charge compression ignition, or HCCI, which would allow the United States to drastically reduce its dependence on foreign oil and the production of harmful exhaust emissions. The homogeneous charge compression ignition technique would make it possible to improve the efficiency of gasoline engines by 15 percent to 20 percent, making them as efficient as diesel engines while nearly eliminating smog-generating nitrogen oxides, Shaver said.'"
Re:Nah (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Killed in "development"? (Score:5, Funny)
"What's the chance the EVIL OIL COMPANIES will buy this out and kill it?"
They can have my dual overhead cams (Score:1, Funny)
Har, har, har!!! (Score:5, Funny)
Editor doesn't know much 'Murkins, does he? This will be used to create higher-horsepower, heavier cars, not more efficient ones. Coming soon: The Hummer Canyonero-Magnum!
Re:Nah (Score:4, Funny)
Re:What will they do with this efficiency, though? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Nah (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Killed in "development"? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Nah (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Variable valve timing (Score:2, Funny)
Pistons are fundamentally flawed, they go up and stop then down and stop... what's up with that?
Anyway a 15% improvement in efficiency will only result in 15% bigger SUV's.... I know how you Americans think!
Re:What will they do with this efficiency, though? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Nah (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Har, har, har!!! (Score:4, Funny)
Do they make that in an F-series?
Re:Nah (Score:5, Funny)
Actually, I need the horsepower of a large car to drag along my jaw-droppingly huge penis. That, or a powerful motorcycle with a sidecar.
Re:Ah, the mandatory conspiracy theory (Score:1, Funny)
49581-39
ALL:u7zvWaDvpBHuoicYEySyZxKBQIjYJYIIb16avEjhUUVit
In Related News, Reduced Radiation Hydrogen Bombs! (Score:1, Funny)
that want to "go green". The bomb can flatten entire cities while generating
only one third of the radiation of conventional warheads.
Of course, a slightly more efficient gas-burning SUV is still a gas-burning SUV,
and isn't going to solve anything. We need to stop using SUVs.
Re:Nah (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Nah (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Nah (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Nah (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Nah (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Nah (Score:4, Funny)
I find THAT hard to believe!
Re:Nah (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Nah (Score:3, Funny)
Does that mean you can survive the ride down Niagara Falls?
Re:Nah (Score:2, Funny)
I'm confused. Are we talking about cars, or Ted Kennedy [jasoncoleman.com]?
Re:What will they do with this efficiency, though? (Score:2, Funny)
When are you killing yourself?
Re:Nah (Score:1, Funny)