Crazy Engines

[Dr Mordrid]

Right; the intake/ignition timing + the initial direction imparted by the starter motor should do it....

Dr. Mordrid

[cjolley]

No, no.
This is not a turbine engine.
The expanding gas must push against something in order to apply torque to the output shaft.
In the case of a normal piston engine that push is applied to the engine block via the roof of the combustion chamber and heads. which are all mechanically connected.

In this case the role of the heads is played by another set of pistons which are also rotating.

Look, in order for a piston engine to produce torque on a shaft, an equal but opposite torque must be applied to the engine block.

Think of it in reverse, if you hold the crankshaft stationary and start a normal piston engine, the block will rotate if it is allowed to because the expanding gasses push against it at the top of the combustion chamber.
In fact, I think there were some old aircraft engines that worked that way: the prop was attached to the engine block and the airplane to the crankshaft. The block was what rotated, not the crankshaft.

So, what in that mess imparts the opposing torque on the engine block?
Not that I don't believe it can work, I just don't understand how.
They need a better animation.

[edit]fixed my analogy (in bold)[/edit]

[Wombat]

I would imagine that it depends on which direction you started it first? Not sure though. Then it would keep on turning that way like a regualr combustion engine. But there's nothing that's stopping a regular combustion engine from spinning in the opposite diretion, is there?

Yes, there is, the combustion order enforces a sequence, and the fuel burn forces the piston down. In a standard combustion engine, the piston only has one direction it can go to expand the chamber. This MYT design instead has two moving walls, and no explanation as to how the "right" one always moves at the right time.

[ZokesPro]

Yes, there is, the combustion order enforces a sequence, and the fuel burn forces the piston down. In a standard combustion engine, the piston only has one direction it can go to expand the chamber. This MYT design instead has two moving walls, and no explanation as to how the "right" one always moves at the right time.

When the piston gets driven down it can go either way afaik but if the engine was started in the opposite direction, wouldn't it just continue in that direction though?

@cjolley: You and me both. I understand the main mechanism but the rest is enigmatic.

[Wombat]

When the piston gets driven down it can go either way afaik

No it can't, it's actually already past center, so the push can only go on one side of the crankshaft.

but if the engine was started in the opposite direction, wouldn't it just continue in that direction though?

Not in a modern engine, no. The timing isn't symmetric, so just spinning the camshaft the other way would not result in a working engine.

[Kooldino]

@Zokes - Only if the ECU and sensors, etc allowed the engine to run CW vs CCW, for example.

@Wombat - like I said before, if they have a ratchet-like technology, it would prevent the "blades" from ever turning clockwise, for instance.

[az]

Ha! Stirling powered generator hybrids!!11one

[VJ]

Just had to revive this thread:

6-stroke in stead of 4-stroke engine:

http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=467

Jörg