The End of Petrol Engine _Research ?
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HAS the petrol engine reached the peak of its efficiency, or is there another form of prime mover being developed of which we in this country know nothing as yet? We are prompted to ask these questions by reason of information which has been communicated to us to the effect that, in the United States, there is to be no further research work carried out on the petrol• engine.
It is well ,known that during the war years considerable developments with two-stroke-cycle oiI engines have taken place in America, and there is little doubt that the petrol engine has had its day in so far as heavy goods and passenger vehicles are concerned, but the fact remains that there is still scope for increasing its efficiency.
It may be taken that the petrol unit has an overall efficiency of about 30 per cent., no less than 70 per cent, heat losses being suffered in radiation and via the exhaust. Regarding the latter, it has been shown that it is possible to obtain an increase in power up to 50 per cent. by utilizing the pressure of the exhaust gases to drive a turbne and fan-type blower.
This principle has been employed in Switzerland, and we believe that some types of aeroengine have also adopted it, but, strangelyenough; the system has never been developed to a stage that would warrant its practical application as a commercial proposition Again, we believe that there is scope for considerable improvement in the present accepted systems of carburation, and that the petrol engine should show far greater economy in fuel consurription than is normally obtained. Whilst we are conversant with some of the snags encountered in the employment of direct injection, there is no great evidence of much research in this.
No doubt the petrol engine will remain with us, in the smaller ti.p, ranges, for some years to come, but, nevertheless, our present conceptions of prime movers of the future will, undoubtedly, be changed within the next five years.
Although scientists closely connected with developments of atomic power have said that it may be 50 years or more before it becomes possible effectively to harness its vast potentialities, we are going to be so bold as to forecast that, judged by the rate of recent progress, practical results of this nature will be achieved within a few years.
We also believe that the unit that will ultimately be designed to utilize the energy available will be of the purely rotary type, which would, at once, lead to enormous simplification in design, and, by reason of the high degree of balance it .would be possible and necessary to obtain, such a unit should be second only to the electric motor in its freedom from trouble and maintenance problems.