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Camless engine production ready?


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http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-technology/news/a31657/koenigseggs-camless-engine-getting-close-to-production-in-china/

 

I think the software learning curve will be steep to get it to perform optimally under all scenarios and at higher rpm and power levels.

 

The ability to change the valve timing and duration individually is very interesting. You get the option of changing the engine from a 2 valve to a 3 valve or 4 valve or any combination in a millisecond.

 

It certainly reduces the amount of oil required to lubricate the top end and the parasitic engine drag.

 

It will be interesting to see how it scales in size and power and longevity, although I assume you could change out valve bodies just like injectors.

 

I wonder why they went port and not direct injection. Seems that would yield more immediate co trio over the fuel.

 

I don't see anything that would be prohibitively expensive either.

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I read this article when it was first published. It's a very interesting concept.

 

Now if they can perfect the software to be able to change timing on the fly or with the flip of a switch, you could potentially have the most versatile engine ever.

 

Go from hi torque towing to hitting the drag strip at the flip of a switch, what a concept.

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Not much detail there. Does this use an electric actuator on an otherwise normal-ish set of intake and exhaust valves or are the valves completely different? I'm just wondering what longevity is going to be like with the electric actuators, especially on the exhaust side. Obviously one of the issues that would need to be solved before mass implementation.

Edited by Sevensecondsuv
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Not much detail there. Does this use an electric actuator on an otherwise normal-ish set of intake and exhaust valves or are the valves completely different? I'm just wondering what longevity is going to be like with the electric actuators, especially on the exhaust side. Obviously one of the issues that would need to be solved before mass implementation.

The YouTube video shows pneumatic/hydraulic valves with electric controls. If nothing else, it looks very expensive...

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The YouTube video shows pneumatic/hydraulic valves with electric controls. If nothing else, it looks very expensive...

Pneumatic valves sound like an, ummm, "interesting" choice of mechanism for something that has to cycle upwards of 60 times per second. Not saying they didn't make it work, but it just seems to me that the mechanical camshaft is a far better solution to the problem. Of course independent electronic control of each valve opens up some very interesting options for tuning.

Edited by Sevensecondsuv
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I read this article when it was first published. It's a very interesting concept.

 

Now if they can perfect the software to be able to change timing on the fly or with the flip of a switch, you could potentially have the most versatile engine ever.

 

Go from hi torque towing to hitting the drag strip at the flip of a switch, what a concept.

Or an opportunity to further downsize capacity and take the added fuel efficiency.and weight saving.

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I don't think the software is really that big of a challenge. Start be simply mimicking what is there and then just add cylinder-by-cylinder intake/exhaust advance retard. Worst case, 2 processors with shared memory would be required. Maybe 3 for Vee engines or if quad valve engine have different timing for the pairs.

 

Of course a true hardware cam angle detector, acurate to +/- 1/2 degree would help by being a second "clock" onside the processor.

Edited by theoldwizard
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I don't think it will be difficult to get software that allows the engine to run. But optimizing performance under all conditions and learning how to individually control the valves to get the max performance, durability and mpg is going to take years if not decades. Look at the auto-manual trans - how long did it take to get it driveable under normal circumstances and not herky-jerky. There is always a learning curve.

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In a training session for the International 466E back in 1997 or so the instructor told us International was working them on a camless diesel. He also said to expect it within the next 5 to 10 years.

Never happened.

Perhaps the technology is much better 20 years later? After all it is an intriguing idea and concept. There are some videos on You Tube about camless engines

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In a training session for the International 466E back in 1997 or so the instructor told us International was working them on a camless diesel. He also said to expect it within the next 5 to 10 years.

Never happened.

Perhaps the technology is much better 20 years later? After all it is an intriguing idea and concept. There are some videos on You Tube about camless engines

I heard about camless engines around the same time, but someone I know (an EE who worked for Ford at the time) said that it wasn't likely any time soon, mainly because of the inadequacy of the available materials.

 

Materials science has advanced quite a bit over the last 20 years.

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