Researchers over in the USA have developed a prototype petrol engine with a difference, it has no transmission, crankshaft, pistons, cooling system, fluids, or valves, according to Discovery News.
Called the Wave Disk Generator, it is hoped that it could decrease tailpipe emissions up to 90% compared to the current petrol-hybrid cars on the road.
Michigan State University is working on the device, and have created an engine which uses a rotor that’s equipped with wave-like grooves that trap and mix oxygen and fuel.
The Wave Disk Generator uses 60% of its fuel for propulsion, while standard car engines use just 15%, which means that the new engine is potentially 3.5 times more efficient than a standard internal combustion engine. This could lead to much smaller engines in the future powering our cars, the researchers estimate that up to 1000 pounds of weight could be stripped out of a car thanks to this new design.
Michigan State’s team of engineers hope to have a car-sized 25-kilowatt version of the prototype ready by the end of the year.
For the full story and video head over to Discovery News.
