While plug-in electric cars are making headlines (just YouTube Tesla car racing and watch this famous plug-in electric beat a $400,000 Porche), the trucking industry will need piston technology for years to come. Is there anything new on the horizon that can help turn trucks a little bit greener?
How about an entirely new diesel engine? What would you say about a new engine design that uses a single explosion of fuel to driv
e not just one piston (inside a cylinder) but two pistons at the same time? And just when you think you can figure this out, both pistons are in the same cylinder! Sound interesting?
An engineer, who came out of Volkwagen's high speed diesel developement, has designed a greener diesel engine that reportedly, at 2.5 liters, developes the same power of a traditional 6.5 liter engine and weighs about 300 pounds less. It uses two pistons per cylinder. A two cylinder engine (as pictured above) has four pistons, a four cylinder; eight. The cylinders lay horizontally. This allows better aerodynamics for the cab and a lower center of gravity for safety. Vibration is reduced as opposed pistons, moving in opposite directions, cancel out each other's vibrations.
Coupled with combining a turbo charger with a supercharger (instead of just one or the other), this super aspirating, low vibrating diesel has more power, is more fuel efficienct, puts out less emissions and is even a few pounds lighter.
If you are curious to see how you can efficiently fit two pistons working off a single explosion of fuel in only one cylinder, you can do what I did, and go to: www.ecomotors.com where you will see a cut-away animation that is quite simply engineering beauty in motion.
Be sure to come back and tell us if this is the kind of technology breakthrough for a greener earth you want to hear about.
Email me at: david@businessprnews.com
