h a l f b a k e r yRenovating the wheel
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spin head
A head that spins so no valves are needed | |
I am working with "paint" on a sketch, which is now at the link below. It is of a four cylinder engine in a V configuration with the heads off (the cylinders form a square). Now put on top a head with no valves and only one intake runner, one exhaust runner and a spark plug (not per cylinder but total).
The runners and plug are spaced so they are over each cylinder at the correct time because the head is rotating half as fast as the engine. The inlet to the head is in the center and the exhaust goes outward to take advantage of centrifugal forces.
Sealing the exhaust from a spinning head to a manifold and keeping the head on the block are probably deal breakers, but what do you think?
OX2's wab site
http://www.ox2engine.com/index.html
[BJS, Apr 22 2007]
"I think you mean 'website'"
http://www.xkcd.com/c148.html
[jutta, Apr 24 2007]
(??) Spinning Head Sketch
http://home.socal.r...m/cc2k/spinhead.bmp
Shows layout and firing order [carlcom, Apr 25 2007]
Square engine
http://en.wikipedia.../wiki/Square_engine
I think this idea would be much better suited to this engine layout. [BJS, Apr 25 2007]
[link]
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I can't really visualize the geometry you're describing, but I believe a scooter company in Asia has designed a spinning cylinder head engine. I'll try to find a link. |
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Sounds similar to the radial engines used in early aircraft. |
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This reminds me of Carroll Shelby's OX2 engine, but the pistons spin instead of the head and its an 8 cylinder. |
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Easier to build a rotary engine like the Mazda's use.
Not sure there'd be much advantage - a trade-off for less spark plugs, valves, etc, versus cost/complexity of spinning bits. Could be worth fleshing the idea out a bit further. |
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I think the block/head interface would be a nightmare to make work (if I understand it aright), but this idea has an unaccountable appeal to it [+] |
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I'm sure you can find a better free illustration package than "Paint". |
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Weird, but compelling. I look forward to the illo. I'd bun it just for the idea, but I'm also partial to V4 engines. |
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[head spins] [vomits on priest] |
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I agree with [Ned]. The block/head interface wouldn't work very well the way you have it illustrated. Is your idea to have one really big spinning head, or a spinning head for each cylinder? I'm sure there's a way to do this, it's just a matter of making the seals work and keeping the rotational inertia to a minimum. |
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I think that illustration should be included in the definition of "WTF?" |
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Sorry, I gotta ask - what is the mechanism for converting the motion of the crankshaft through 90 degrees to power the rotation of the engine? Or - for even more complexity - how would the crankshaft's rotation be used to power anything else? |
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WTF, indeed. The sealing issues would be a problem, yes, but I couldn't even figure out where the seals would go. That sketch is not much of a help. |
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My best understanding: A solid-body V4 engine looks like this from the top :: sorta. The one-piece head is machined off, leaving a cone pointing up, and replaced with a cap sorta like a frisbee, rotating around the cone's point. The frisbee seals off all the heads, (without a gasket, while spinning) and carries an intake port and an exhaust port over each cylinder at the right time. |
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Well, driving the cap is going to take some doing, seals would be impossible, a muffler wouldn't be possible, and the head would blow off quite soon. |
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It's not worth doing, even if it were possible. |
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I didn't fishbone until the sketch came up as a bitmap. My Paint program will save a bitmap as a JPEG, no problems. |
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Is it just me who keeps reading the title and thinking it must be a particularly acrobatic sex act? |
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What does the top left image in the "Sketch" represent? And what does CL mean? |
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It might work, but the OX2 design is WAY better. |
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One big spinning head sounds horrible but except for strength and sealing it would be good.
It wasn't meant to sound sexual.
The head could be spun with a belt and ring/pinion from the crank.
The CL in Crank CL is Center LIne which should be dropped when there is only one line showing the crank. |
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