Date:         Thu, 18 Jul 2002 20:09:00 -0400
Reply-To:     SpaceKommander <jboldway@BEE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         SpaceKommander <jboldway@BEE.NET>
Subject:      Running on tap water - didn't work!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I'm angry. I filled my tank with water and tried to run it to get some fuel
economy benefits but the damn engine quit after only a few seconds on
running on tap water. Who thought up this idea?
Seriously, in 15-20 years there will be a change in engine design as people
realize designs from the 1930s are the best way to assemble and run
engines. Two words - sleeve valve. Everybody is familiar with poppet valves
which get roasted in exhaust gasses. WWII engines such as Centaurus and
Perseus and Knight auto engines of the 1930's used something called sleeve
valves. It's waaaay too complicated to go in to but just say the poppet
tulip shaped valves which bang in to the heads were eliminated and a
circular sleeve surrounding the cylinder with ports machined in the sleeve
and cylinder did the job. Much better efficiency than any poppet valve
engine could ever give, and much more power. Steel and aluminum Sleeve
valve engines are complicated and extraordinarily expensive. However,
ceramics make the sleeve valve engine seem like a likely candidate for any
new engine development as they can operate at much higher engine
temperatures than any poppet valve engine could ever stand without
introducing failed valve heads or detonation due to excessive exhaust valve
temperatures - there are no "valves!" - and no shock of valves slamming on
to cylinder head - a smooth sliding action. Ceramics don't suffer the
thermal expansion problems. Plus some things like a steel connecting rod
surrounded by a ceramic which puts the steel under constant stress loading
can be made using concepts of SPG style pressed together cranks and a one
piece connecting rod of lightness and strength. Imagine an engine without a
complicated cooling system. Ceramic sleeve valve engines also allow things
such as no valve springs and operating at temperatures far in excess of
anything currently running as the thermal distribution is much more even -
no super hot exhaust valves. Sleeves that contact the cylinders most of the
time or form a "port" to relieve exhaust without much thermal transfer.
That, folks, is the future of gasoline internal combustion engines. We
still have the 14.7/1 air/gas ratio, but operating at higher temperatures
gives more power.

Next is the conspiracy to repress the soda carburetor.