Steam Wankel Engine: Could it Run Efficiently?

  • Thread starter Thread starter wolram
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Engine Steam
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
5 replies · 11K views
wolram
Gold Member
Dearly Missed
Messages
4,411
Reaction score
551
Could say a three rotor wankel engine run efficiently on steam? If heat heat loss was kept to a minimum may be by ceramic coating the rotors and chambers, i know some valving system would be needed to pass steam from the high pressuer chamber to the LP chambers, seems to me that i would have a semi turbine. :smile:
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Woolie, I've been planning to do that for about 20 years. Never had the funds available.
My main concern was lubrication, but I figured that oil could be injected into the steam the way air tools are set up. I also wasn't quite sure what bits, if any, would need to be rust-proofed.
 
You do understand that the classic triple expansion engines had increasing displacement volumes as steam moved from high, through intermediate, to LP pistons? Or, are you planning on stacking two or three Wankel rotors with increasing displacements?
 
I thought that the valves could be controlled electronicaly, a sensor on the engine would control a sevo motor which would opperate rotory valves, if i could find a engine and get it running on compressed air first, hmmmm.