2007-12-27 08:51:38 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
It was designed by a man named wankel and uses a trilobed "piston" spinning inside an oval.
As it rotates the "piston" will compress the gasses because of the odd shape of the oval.
Pro Since it is spinning instead of moving back and forth it can go to higher rpms.
con much more difficult to seal the compression chamber.
2007-12-27 08:55:34 · answer #1 · answered by An Angry Viking 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A rotary engine does away with the need for connecting rods. Instead, it has a three-lobed "piston" that rotates in a three-lobed combustion chamber. The following link explains it better than I ever could:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/rotary-engine.htm
2007-12-27 16:58:37 · answer #2 · answered by Michael B 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
pistons can rotate in order to recirocate too, like 3 cylinders rotating, with 2 ball pistons rotating at an offsett to go in & out the cylinders. there are many rotary designs, a few work ok. Wankel was but one, and his cylinder is more fig 8, and the rotor is geared of center. Wankel runs very hot due to large surface areas exposed to combustion heat. Difficult to seal a square corner. Lousy fuel economy, not great revers, as the rotor mass is too great to throw about too much. Special oils req'd. light, cheap bang for buck-700hp 13B Mazdas very common on track/dragstrip.
2007-12-27 17:01:58 · answer #3 · answered by friedach 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
a rotary engine is an internal combustion aircraft engine, it is used mostly in the years shortly before and during World War I. It is also used in a few motorcycles and cars.
2007-12-27 16:59:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
This is where the piston rotates instead of reciprocates. The piston is a special rounded triangle shape.
2007-12-27 16:55:39 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋