May 7, 2009

Engine of the Future?

An independent engine development firm called Scuderi Group has unveiled a cutaway model of the first proof-of-concept prototype for its Scuderi split-cycle engine, an engine whose efficiency might change the way we power our vehicles. The engine prototype was introduced to news media, automotive engineers, auto manufacturers and the general public at a news conference at the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) 2009 World Congress, in Detroit. The engine cutaway is an exact duplicate of the proof-of-concept prototype undergoing testing and analysis by an independent laboratory in San Antonio.

The Scuderi engine is a split-cycle design that divides the four strokes of a conventional combustion cycle over two paired cylinders: one intake/compression cylinder and one power/exhaust cylinder. By firing after top-dead center, it produces highly efficient, cleaner combustion with one cylinder and compressed air in the other. Unlike conventional engines that require two crankshaft revolutions to complete a single combustion cycle, the Scuderi engine requires just one. Besides the improvements in efficiency and emissions, studies suggest that the Scuderi engine is capable of producing more torque than conventional gasoline and diesel engines.

The 1-liter, naturally aspirated gasoline prototype is expected to produce up to 80 percent fewer toxins than a typical internal combustion engine, according to Scuderi Group. When fully developed with its turbocharged and air-hybrid components, the engine is expected to achieve significant gains in fuel efficiency, perhaps the most since the inception of the Otto cycle internal combustion engine over 130 years ago. The original Scuderi engine was designed and invented by Carmelo Scuderi, an engineer and innovator who died in 2002. His family has been shepherding the development of the engine ever since.