Blog Tools
Edit your Blog
Build a Blog
RSS Feed
View Profile
« February 2009 »
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
You are not logged in. Log in
Entries by Topic
All topics  «
Cam
Fuel Efficiency
John Robertson
RadMax
RPM
Website
The Rand Cam Engine
Friday, 16 January 2009
4 Vane Solution Variant
Mood:  a-ok

The main reason for the two vane design was to overcome the static inertia of the air mixture.  In piston designs the air gap in the combustion chamber reduces volumetric efficiency and they dont get reasonably efficient until high rpm.

A four vane solution variant would have 45 degrees of overlap.  The 3 vane version would have 15.  Overlap is when the engine begins to work against itself thus reducing efficiency.


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 5:06 PM PST
Updated: Friday, 16 January 2009 5:42 PM PST
Post Comment | Permalink
Solution Variants
Mood:  a-ok

In engineering design one of the key steps is finding as many solution variants as possible to provide a complete picture of the design space.

The original patented design was for 2 Vanes and was optimized for diesel fuel at low rpm.

This is a 3 vane solution variant.


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 4:58 PM PST
Post Comment | Permalink
Third Generation Cam
Mood:  a-ok

Finally got the cam to a true solid in Solidworks.  I worked everything out to a tenth of a degree.  So the number of xyz coordinates was over 3600.  Pushing the limits of poor excel.


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 2:53 AM PST
Post Comment | Permalink
Thursday, 15 January 2009
Third Generation Cam
Mood:  bright

Wheww 16 hours later... :)  be nice to get some training in Solidworks or ProEngineer.  I found a way to program mulitple engine sizes but have to learn the macro programming language for its parametric capabilities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 7:55 PM PST
Updated: Friday, 16 January 2009 3:26 AM PST
Post Comment | Permalink
Wednesday, 14 January 2009
Velocity - Acceleration - Jerks
Mood:  a-ok

Found a good program that calculates important values for the proper cam profile design

 Notice how steep acceleration and jerk are at only 60 rpm.  Contrary to popular belief sinusoidal profiles are not the best profiles...:)

* I couldnt get a true constant velocity their are little transitions so it looks like the solution that I provided Jim.  I am gonna try plug in my profile to see if it get reasonable results.


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 6:07 AM PST
Updated: Wednesday, 14 January 2009 6:30 AM PST
Post Comment | Permalink
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Solidworks Version
Mood:  caffeinated

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This latest version of Solidworks is way better than the earlier version.  I was able to export the double heilix curve out of Excel.

 I am gonna try out both Pro/Engineer and Solidworks.  My main goal is to model the motion of the vanes and calculate the various parameters.

 


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 2:53 AM PST
Updated: Tuesday, 13 January 2009 3:01 AM PST
Post Comment | Permalink
Saturday, 10 January 2009
Second Generation Cam
Mood:  caffeinated
Topic: Cam

This is a rough draft of the the second generation cam illustrating how the transition area was not enough.

There are a number of mathematical areas that have to be geometrically proven.  It is a given that there is a double helix spiral.  But there is another geometric feature that has to be proven.  On top of that there is two other geometric features on top of that.  All of a sudden we are getting into multi dimensional problems.

When I asked Jim how do you verify if the program works?  He said all you have to do is put the two cams together and see if there is any gaps.  I knew it was geometrically correct because I never failed to provide my high school geometry teacher the correct proof of any challenge geometry problem.  I thought that was worth at least an A...but all he gave me was a B....   :)

 


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 7:08 AM PST
Post Comment | Permalink
Radian Cam
Mood:  cheeky

I had a good look at Radians cam profile and seems to me they are trying that sinusoidal cam profile.

  Radian MILPARTS P/N: 10313
Name: Front Cam
Description: Front End Housing and Cam
Material: Titanium
Dimensions: 6.00 x 6.00 x 2.35
Unit Weight: 11.02 lb.
Quantity/Assembly: 1
        Radian MILPARTS P/N: 10314
Name: Back Cam
Description: Back End Housing and Cam
Material: Titanium
Mat’l Spec: AMS 4928 (6-4 Ti)
Dimensions: 6.00 x 6.00 x 2.35
Unit Weight: 11.02 lb.
Quantity/Assembly: 1
     

But it does look like their is some flat spots and thus is more of a modified version of my cam profile.  I can tell you right away that there is something wrong because the angles appear to steep for the intended rpm.


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 5:32 AM PST
Updated: Tuesday, 13 January 2009 3:07 AM PST
Post Comment | Permalink
Friday, 9 January 2009
ProEngineer
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Cam

Shopping around for CAD/CAM/CAE software.  I was impressed on how ProEngineer was able to model the original cam profile.  I may do a simulation on the infinite acceleration but we already know that this version did not work.

 

 


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 4:46 PM PST
Post Comment | Permalink
Thursday, 1 January 2009
I have a good feeling about this year
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Fuel Efficiency

MOLLER INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVES BREAKTHROUGH IN ROTARY ENGINE PERFORMANCE

These guys are on the right track.  This is a summary of the press release;

Davis, CA, May 14, 2008 – Moller International (OTC-BB: MLER) announced today that it has achieved a major breakthrough in rotary engine performance. A version of the Company’s Rotapower® engine is designed in such a way that the engine’s two rotors operate in series rather than parallel. This design allows the first compressor/expansion rotor to supercharge the second power rotor while the exhaust from the power rotor is further expanded in the compressor/expansion rotor, extracting additional power. In effect, the engine operates in what is termed a compound cycle. Because of the additional energy captured from the exhaust gases, engine noise is reduced by 93% and exhaust temperature is reduced by 47%. Moller International’s non-compounded Rotapower® rotary engine has already demonstrated a fuel consumption 12% below that of the new Mazda Renesis rotary engine. Compounding is expected reduce the Rotapower® engine’s fuel consumption by an additional 25%.

The Wankel still suffers from a geometry problem that is similar to the piston engine and it would be difficult to over come with super charging or turbo charging.  However the compounding effect is a step in the right direction.  My version has this effect but it does not need the exhaust recirculation.  This wasted exhaust is from the bad geometry and to get rid of the waste the geometry has to be changd.


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 12:39 AM PST
Updated: Thursday, 1 January 2009 1:35 AM PST
Post Comment | Permalink
Thursday, 25 December 2008
Seals, Seals and Seals
Mood:  incredulous
Topic: RadMax

Bah Humbug....

I hate this time of the year

I was leafing through the press releases and came across the Regtech announcement of the hiring of Paul L Porter as Chief Engineer.  I guess the other one couldn't deliver the goods.

Rob from Radian is high on him stating Paul has "tremendous metal seal expertise"...

It took Mazda $17 million in 1970 dollars to complete the Wankel engine and it was the seals that gave them the most problem.  Even today if you look at the primary cause of Mazda Wankel failures - apex seals.

Of course Mazda was using the Edison development methodology, ie try every available material and go through them one at a time. 

Jim used low quality iron in Pakistan, higher quality iron in Canada, RadMax used M2 Tool Steel for the seals and all failed.  M2 Tool Steel is awesome material and can't understand how that didn't work...:)

I tend to take the Tesla approach and simulate the invention in the mind and when you build it, viola it runs the first time around.  The brain is most powerful computer on the planet and I would put money on it instead of the high priced computer aided engineering software such as COSMOS. (Paul is going to use it)  And I am not a betting man, I only put money on a sure thing.  Bet the ranch baby...Money mouth

Radian MILPARTS P/N: 10321
Name: Vane Seal
Description: Seals Between Rotor and Vane
Material: M2 Tool Steel
Mat’l Spec: ASTM A597
Dimensions: 1.60 x 0.099
Unit Weight: 0.004 lb.
Quantity/Assembly: 48

Radian Vane Seals

Radian MILPARTS P/N: 10311
Name: Vane
Description: Axially Movable Plates
Material: M2 Tool Steel
Mat’l Spec: ASTM A597
Dimensions: 2.270 x 0.25
Unit Weight: 0.37 lb.
Quantity/Assembly: 12

Radian Vanes


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 9:27 PM PST
Updated: Thursday, 25 December 2008 9:56 PM PST
Post Comment | Permalink
Sunday, 21 December 2008
RadMax
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Rehash of old Site
Topic: RadMax

This is what happens when you put a technical geek in charge of Web Development.  But thats alright I am one myself.

http://www.radmaxtech.com/

I had a close look at their technical strategy and give them a 25 percent chance of success.

They are on the right track and have advanced a step in the right direction but still 8 steps behind me :)

Decided to down grade chance of success after doing some research into the HERE version that they are high on.

By focusing on Heat they are just like any ol school or even new school engineers.  A gasoline piston engine has converted 80 percent of its potential energy to heat and work before it reaches 10 degrees after top dead center (TDC).  Most is converted to heat as the mechanical advantage is not to great near TDC.

It is sorta like we have been down this road before developing the Turbine Engine.  A turbine engine has very bad fuel consumption, I was watching a show on Discovery Channel and it mentioned that a big jet can burn as much as 45 gallons per minute.  A turbine engine converts almost 100 percent of its potential energy to heat before it starts to produce useful work.

So I would say it has less than a 10 percent chance of success.  Lucky only Uncle Sam could afford to develop technology like this.


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 9:42 AM PST
Updated: Tuesday, 23 December 2008 5:38 PM PST
Post Comment | Permalink
Saturday, 20 December 2008
10 Dollars a Gallon
Mood:  mischievious
Topic: Fuel Efficiency

With the rise of gasoline to almost 7 dollars a gallon in my home town it won't take long for consumers to demand more fuel efficient vehicles.  Also Governments will have to legislate in manditory fuel efficiency.

 I set a time table in my mind that once fuel hit 10 dollars a gallon I will be able to raise the necessary capital to build my version of the RCE.

Update: even though the price of fuel came down recently, it was only because the Americans dropped their driving by 30 percent in response to the high prices.  In my home town it is still 6.67 a gallon and is affecting the food prices all round.

Unless Uncle Sam legislates mandatory efficiency it is still business as usual...


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 1:12 PM PST
Updated: Tuesday, 23 December 2008 5:37 PM PST
Post Comment | Permalink
Sunday, 30 December 2007
Solid Model of Student F1
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: Next Step CAM Programming


 


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 11:48 PM PST
Updated: Sunday, 30 December 2007 11:54 PM PST
Post Comment | Permalink
Saturday, 29 December 2007
Student F1
Mood:  bright

Cam Profile designed for the Student F1 Challenge in the

Formula Student Alternative Energy Class 1A

www.formulastudent.com

Engine size = 250cc or 15.25 CID

Turbo or Supercharging permitted

Estimated Power

@  1 HP/CID = 15

@  2 HP/CID = 30

@  3 HP/CID = 45 (Current Maximum for Production Engines)

@ 5.5 HP/CID = 84 (Current F1 Power to displacement ratio)


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 1:57 PM PST
Updated: Saturday, 29 December 2007 3:37 PM PST
Post Comment | Permalink
Friday, 21 December 2007
TetraCam
Mood:  happy
Now Playing: Refined Model

I refined the model and just have to verify it on a CAM program.  I also have some new books on Kinematics and Dynamics so I have some bedtime reading to do :)

 

 


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 9:43 PM PST
Updated: Friday, 21 December 2007 10:20 PM PST
Post Comment | Permalink
Sunday, 16 December 2007
Draft Cam Model
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: Learning Solid Modelling

 


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 12:00 PM PST
Updated: Sunday, 16 December 2007 12:06 PM PST
Post Comment | Permalink
Thursday, 13 December 2007
Matlab Plot
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: Matlab Plot

 

Was teaching myself Matlab the language of geek technical computing.  After 5 hours of fooling around I came up with this plot.

I verified the geometry myself and would need to find engineer bright enough to verify my work.... :)

 


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 3:01 AM PST
Updated: Friday, 14 December 2007 3:53 PM PST
Post Comment | View Comments (1) | Permalink
Friday, 7 December 2007
Open Source Engine
Mood:  chatty
Now Playing: Open Source Engine
Topic: RPM

Just a thought, contemplating releasing algorithms to open source...

any comments?


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 6:36 PM PST
Post Comment | Permalink
Tuesday, 18 September 2007
The Engine that Stopped the world!
Mood:  happy
Topic: RadMax


History of First Generation Prototypes
October 31, 1982 development of prototypes begin in Pakistan. Several prototypes built but none achieve "successful technical operation" as specified in contract with Sarhad Development Authority. Reasons for failure of prototypes were; low quality wrought iron, imprecise machining tolerances, incorrect machining procedures, and impact loading of vane and cam.

In 1985 a prototype was built in Canada by Universal Machining and Engineering. This prototype also didn't achieve "successful technical operation". Reasons for failure were incorrect machining procedures and impact loading of vane and cam. The color picture of the Rand Cam-Engine is an example of the first generation engine. This engine had sufficient compression but only operated for several minutes, hardly a working engine.

History of Second Generation Prototypes
This generation of engine incorporated a transition area on the Cam that allowed for a smoother change in direction. It was redesigned to eliminate the impact loading of the vane and cam. Also Devron Hercules was contracted to use its Computer Numerically Controlled Machine tools to machine the new cam design. However Devron Hercules gave up after two weeks, their programmers said that cutting the new cam profile was mathematically impossible. Dale Robinson (dbrobinson (at) hotmail.com) reviewed the programming problem and provided a valid programming solution. Devron Hercules then cut the new cam design on their CNC machine tool. The new cam was verified as correctly machined and installed in the engine. The new design lasted five minutes of operation and then failed. The reason was impact loading at the same location on the cam. The cams were redone and then ion nitrided to harden the surface. The engine operated for ten minutes then failed. Inspection revealed impact loading at the same location and Dale Robinson could have warned James McCann the inventor and the engineering team that the Cam Profile was incorrect. However there was no contract involved in providing the correct cam profile so that information was withheld from the development team. The correct cam profile and timing of the Rand Cam Engine is outlined in this report and can be mathematically proven by a qualified engineer.

Third Generation Engine Prototype The University of West Virginia totally redesigned the Rand Cam-Engine and proceeded with their development effort. There redesign radically changed the theory of operation of the Rand Cam-Engine. Specifically four vanes were added and the vane tip was rounded off. This translated into only 60 degrees between each vane. This means that there is no 45 degree pauses at the intake and exhaust stroke.
Also since the power stroke is greater than 60 degrees there is a substantial amount of overlap between power strokes. This means that the engine begins to work against itself. Present estimates of fuel efficiency of this new design is about 70 mpg. University of West Virginias' design clearly violates the original concept and has severe sealing problems because of these changes.


Fourth Generation Prototype
The RadMax™ engine is also based on the four-stroke "Otto" cycle. However instead of requiring two complete revolutions of the crankshaft to process the “Otto” cycle’s four strokes (Intake, Compression, Power, and Exhaust), the RadMax™ engine implements Rand Cam™ Diesel engine technology. This means that it is a positive displacement, compression ignition machine that consists of a rotor with multiple axial vanes. These vanes form combustion chambers as the rotor and vanes rotate in a cam shaped housing. The cam housing is referred to as a stator, which contains a toroidal trough of varying depth machined into each stator.

"This engine is a technological breakthrough!" a particular German viewer was overheard to say. How much of a breakthrough? Well it's been almost 20 years in development, but until Radian MILPARTS accepted the challenge to finish the development, it basically was just a dream. A dream of many, many folks. But now it's a reality.

Radian took down their RadMax site because of concerns from Tony Cuthbert, because the RadMax is very similar to his turbine design.

I had read some articles regarding Watchtower owns the Rand Cam Engine and actually got a call from some one interested in finding out more about this.  I had left my phone number on an online resume at Tripod, I thought it was to talk about the engine but it was to stir up trouble.  My take on the situation is that Jim made a promise to himself that he was going to put a percentage of the RCE into trust for the Watchtower.  However if you ask the Watchtower if they got any money when Jim sold out to RegTech ---i doubt it...

I read the Watchtower's press release on the matter and was sort of honored that they mentioned two brothers were developing it and they had nothing to do with the Rand Cam Engine.

I tried to get into meaningful conversations with investors that put money into the RCE but was called all sorts of names.  So now I just watch RegTech try pump up their stock prices, from a distance.

I was hoping to talk to Rob Grisar from Radian about making the RadMax a viable design but he got gunshy after Tony Cuthbert's lawyer got hold of him I guess. 

Archived RadMax webiste

http://www.radmax.easyitis.net/

 Cuthbert Turbine

http://www.cuthbert-physics.com/hybridTurbine.html

 


 

 


Posted by sharpshooter6543210 at 12:46 AM PDT
Updated: Tuesday, 18 September 2007 2:15 PM PDT
Post Comment | Permalink

Newer | Latest | Older