[Strongt]

Bruce Crower has made a name for himself with his aftermarket performance parts business Crower Cams, but at 75 years old Crower may have done the most remarkable thing in his life. Crower has developed a six-stroke engine that may just forever change the automotive world.

Using a modified single-cylinder diesel engine Crower converted it to use gasoline, then machined the necessary parts to create the worlds only six-stroke engine. The engine works through harnessing wasted heat energy created by the fuel combustion to add another two-strokes to the engine cycle. After the combustion stage water is injected into the super heated cylinder and steam forms forcing the piston back down and in turn cools the engine. The result is normal levels of power using much less fuel and no need for an external cooling system.

Crower is now trying to develop a working diesel version of the motor which he feels will be even more efficient and could see the most promising usage in semi truck applications where huge amounts of fuel are wasted in the cooling systems for large trucks.

Much more testing is needed to be preformed on the six-stroke motor but at this early stage it looks as if it could be a very promising power plant for the future saving both on fuel costs and proving more beneficial to the environment.

Source: Autoweek

 

[Axle]

There has been thought of using systems similar to this, and while not truly a 6-cycle engine if we use the standard definition for an internal combustion engine "cycle," there is a lot of good possible from using a system like this.

Water injection is nothing new for engine cooling performance. The trouble is executing it on a large scale.

 

[froggy81500]

I first read the title and was like "WTF?" But after reading this I gotta say its a very interesting concept. Very good idea to re-use the heat from the normal combustion process. Much of the energy from combustion is wasted as heat and to actually use that heat energy to further power the vehicle is a good step toward even greater efficiency.

 

[froggy81500]

Now you got me thinking about this stuff. Here's a nother article I found with more about it from Crower.

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060227/FREE/302270007/1023/THISWEEKSISSUE

And here's a quote from the article about how inefficient gas engines really are:

But the inventor sees overriding benefits. “Can you imagine how much fuel goes into radiator losses every day in America? A good spark-ignition engine is about 24 percent efficient; ie., about 24 cents of your gasoline dollar ends up in power. The rest goes out in heat loss through the exhaust or radiator, and in driving the water pump and the fan and other friction losses.

“A good diesel is about 30 percent efficient, a good turbo diesel about 33 percent. But you still have radiators and heavy components, and fan losses are extremely high on a big diesel truck.”

Bottom-line, Bruce estimates his new operating cycle could improve a typical engine’s fuel consumption by 40 percent. He also anticipates that exhaust emissions may be greatly reduced. It’s all thanks to the steam.



So like I said and have read in the past, a great deal of energy is lost as heat.

 

[hardwareguy]

Hmmm.... Maybe I can put my Seafoam away!

That steam has another interesting benefit: a CLEAN engine!

Really hot steam will dissolve carbon deposits and varnishes.

 

['98-ESer]

Sounds like a re-invention of the original Wankel prototypes before the rotary mechanics and cylender configurations were finalized.

 

[froggy81500]

That steam has another interesting benefit: a CLEAN engine!

Really hot steam will dissolve carbon deposits and varnishes.

Yup, I was thinking along those lines also. Probably don't want to be standing too close to the tailpipe though!

 

[TERMINATOR101CA]

So you would have to carry a tank of water too ....or have some other kind of condesating system in order to reuse the vapor.

 

[Trytic]

So you would have to carry a tank of water too ....or have some other kind of condesating system in order to reuse the vapor.

all they have to do is add a condensing system to the exhaust, and they can suck in all the vapors and and use that as the liquid.

 

['98-ESer]

Think sterling cycle engine...

 

[Nathan Clarke]

that's acctually a really good idea

 

[MikeW]

You have to fill a suplementary tank with DISTILLED water equal to the volume of gasoline, according to the article.

That sounds like that Chrysler concept minivan that had a borax tank to carry some kind of slurry for hybrid powertrain.
That went real far.

 

[froggy81500]

Well a few considerations of such a system is colder climates, like yours truly. A tank full of water here in NY will be frozen probably 6 months or better. Also, how well will injecting water into a cold engine work? The concept doesn't sound too bad but as a widespread application, I think it'll be very limited.

 

[buffalo r/t]

bmw has this on a couple of their cars now (though not for general public) one of the car & driver editors just did a write up on it and how bmw likes this system better than using regenerative braking and that it actually still has efficiency at constant hwy speeds which current hybrids do not. they were getting like 15% increased mpg. i wouldnt call this six stroke though as its not part o the piston revolution cycle