The net effect is that the rate of fuel consumption goes down. "We do that by reducing the negative work of the engine," Scuderi told us. "That's very simple to do, once you have a well run split-cycle. So our engine ends up being smaller but has higher power, better torque, and much better efficiency."
In simulations by Southwest Research Institute, Scuderi's split-cycle engine has performed well. When tested on several European economy-class vehicles (including an Audi A1 and a Citroen C1), the engine boosted fuel efficiency from an average of 53.5mpg to 65.4mpg, Scuderi said. It also lowered CO2 emissions from 104g/km to 85g/km.
Automakers are aware of the technology. "We are currently in discussions with about 15 of the 16 top auto manufacturers," Scuderi said. "Our first licensee will either be this year or early next year."
It's unclear how any of those companies would use the split-cycle engine, but it could easily work in conventionally powered vehicles, as well as in hybrids as a "range extender," he said. The engine could ultimately push the efficiency of so-called super-mini vehicles to 80mpg.
"Liquid fuel is still the best way to store energy," Scuderi said, comparing his engine's energy characteristics to those of an electric vehicle battery. "The amount of energy stored in a battery, even the largest lithium-ion battery, is still less than the energy that's available in a single gallon of gasoline."
Still, don't expect to see the Scuderi engine in a production vehicle anytime soon. Auto companies are notoriously slow to test and accept new technologies. And even when they do, they tend to work years ahead of their release dates.
"We know we have a long way to go," Scuderi said. "But we believe this engine will eventually provide a 50 percent increase" in fuel efficiency.
I think this is going to be a good technology to watch. With the government mandating higher fuel efficiencies and "good enough" battery technology still a few years away, this might be the technology that gets us there.
Proving this works in high output engines will be an important factor. It does have some interesting characteristics, for one, the hot side of the engine stays hot and the cool side does not heat up too much. This is in contrast to the Otto cycle characteristics.
I would be very curious as to just why the retardation of the spark helps so much in this design compared to the Otto cycle. And another obvious question to me is if the split cycle is amenable to creating a split Diesel cycle? Would there be any benefits in that?
Seems to me that any kind of technology that has the potential to advance the cause of fuel efficiency is to be taken seriously. Glad to hear that analyst groups and automotive OEMs have this on their radar screens even if it's some time out before we see the actual technology in production vehicles.
This sounds a lot like our two stroke engine, except for being more complicated and having six valves. Clearly it allows much more variation in timing of all the several parameters like when to start the air intake portion and when to inject the fuel. Depending on the timing requirements, the same functions could possibly be delivered by a standard two-stroke engine, even better if it had direct fuel injection. Such an engine might possibly also fare better in emissions testing, although efficiency and low emissions seldom peak at the same time. But as the split stroke is compared to a two stroke, it is clear that they are similar.
This is likely to be what gets the automakers to the 54 mpg 2025 limit. If automakers are foreward thinking enough, they can trumpet they got there 10 years early, too.
Still, this takes away from the goal of weaning off fossil fuels. The innovation that DOES make a storage battery approach the power density of liquid fuels is what is needed.
Hello to all. Scuderiengine.com answers many of your questions. THIS innovative engine technology will definitely shange the engine world (ICE) forever. Lets NOT be "Car-Centric" here. There are ICE Internal Combustion Engines in many other applications and not only the automobile. Lawnmowers, tractors, big generators, boat engines (large + small) basicly ANY ICE with piston technology. As a former Rubber+ Plastics engineer and a youthful "Motor-head",,,, I knew this project was a winner within 30 minutes of a complete inspection of their technologies and developments...
Go to the web-site. This concept "ATDC" is not only central but its been their focus for many years; at Team Scudei. I immediately invested upon being offered the opportunity to get on board with this "Gamechanger" ..
In my opinion....look at the progress and then the depth and gameplan that Scuderi employs. They are asked...they answer beyond expectations and then they engineer beyond expectations. Right now...at 65 mpg proven via simulation,,,there is talk in the 80 mpg range and a longer view of 100 mpg. Will they breach these barriers? I do not know; but they have repeatedly pushed foward beyond their expectations many times before.
Right now....I await the announcement of our 1st leassee of the technology and I am preparing for the push to "Go Public " as Sal Scuderi has stated may times in the past; as the GOAL of Scuderi Motors. The time has come for a real world demonstration. The significant strides foward can no-longer be kept in the closet. It's time to show the public and get ready for the stampede !!!!
"..at 65 mpg proven via simulation,,,there is talk in the 80 mpg range and a longer view of 100 mpg."
In other words, they haven't built anything that performs, but the investors are dreaming big dreams of selling out and the PR machine is cranked up to 11.
Having a long history of watching these various technologies I am very skeptical until they actually build one and run it on a dyno or an instrumented vehicle. They need to build it and test it, otherwise it is just another idea that is good on paper but will never materialize. The world is full of failed attemps. like the ECOmotor. So far no one has been able to violate the laws of thermodynamics
Currently the most efficient practical engines are the direct injected European Diesels at over 30% actual dyno efficiency. We cannot use these in the US becaus of the high combustion pressures and temperatures (the key to efficiency) causes too much NOx
Isn't this essentially an internal supercharger? Seems a traditional supercharger would have less parasitic loss, no fricton from extra pistons and valve train, and would accomplish exactly the same thing....
I suspect that we will be using fossil fuels a lot longer than many people suspect or desire. Reducing emissions is a laudable goal but the world is going to use up all the fossil fuel we can no matter what the green climate folks would like to see happen.
I would really like to see the EV replace ICE powered ones but the target to beat is still the ICE and the availability of fossile fuels is still good enough. How good and for how long is difficult to say but we keep finding more and figuring out how to get it in a relatively cost effective manner. Oil, coal, natural gas, methane hydrates, we are going to use them all.
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