I saw a program on TV the other day about the Rand Cam engine.
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2005/05/09/070069.1-lg.jpg

It's basicly another version of the rotery motor, but on TV they say it's designed to burn any type of fuel. So basicly if Diesel is cheapest that day fill up with Diesel.

They claim that it only weighs a fraction of what our engines do, and produces more power.

Here's a link
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2005/05/09/070069.html

Personally I think that they just re-invented the rotery motor with a different name. I don't really think that we'll really see any hit the streets for 50+ years.

What are your opinions on it?

<img src=http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2005/05/09/070069.1-lg.jpg>;

Southern Comfort, if you'r trying to post pictures you almost have it

before the picture's address you need this
and after the pictures address you need theis

So that picture would look like this
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2005/05/09/070069.1-lg.jpg
without any spaces, otherwise it's the same

Look into what is called a "Rotary Turbine". You will find that these exciting new engine developments parallel one another nicely. It is only called a turbine because of the effect of constant indraft and outgassing of spent fuel and air. They are not screamers like turbo jets, but rather variable chamber, roller-wiper type setups similar to the wankel/Mazda rotary engine. They also claim low to no oil consuption over the life of the engine because...well, it doesn't use any. The speeds it whirls about at would allow for use of another recent inventions that works WELL - Air bearings.

Rotary (Quasiturbine) Turbine: http://www.eureka.findlay.co.uk/archive_features/Arch_Power_transmission/quasi/quasi.htm
Our Brothers and sisters in the Great White North have something hot on their hands!

Foil Air Bearings:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/fs14grc.html

They are suitable where there is moderate loading and considerable end thrust, requiring little to no lube/maintainance at all during their lifetime. However, under the pressures and temperatures of jet craft, they still need cooling - but it is a step in the right direction.

Okay folks - discuss!

i dont get how you can switch fuel without switching injectors if it is a spark ignighted moter, the a/f is added, compressed burned, exhausted (4 strokes, even though it has a reed valve) while an ignitonless burn the air is added, compressed, injector fires into the high pressure, HOT as hell enviornment, get power immediatly, and then exhaust, i see how it could be either or, depending on reedvalve/injector position, but roterys have fairly low compression to a piston styled moter...

1 word that I tend to shy away from when it comes to cars DM

Electronics!

Electronics should be able to sense and compenstae for any fuel changes.

But that is just my guess. It might be way more simple than that.

way more complex, a gas injector isn't strong, it fires into atmosphereic pressure, then the air and the fuel is compressed and a spark burns it, while a disel moter takes in the air, and only the air, and compresses it untill the air is so compressed it is around 1000 degrees farenheite (538 celcius for you notherners) THEN the injector fires, over the tramendous pressure right into the cylender, and the extream heat from the air is what ignights the fuel, and if this were a rotery engin, say for conversation sake its round (i know its eliptical, this is for visual reference in the head) the circul is divided into 1/3rds, the first third is the intake stroke, the second is the compress and fire stroke, and the third is the exhaust stroke, a gas moter needs to fire the gas into the intake stroke, while a diesle needs to fire it into the very last milla second of the compression stoke, so the placement of the injector would need to be different depending on what fuel is used, and even if it was a piston moter, injectors aren't out of a bushel basket at a dime a dozen, they are designed for the fuel they need to run on, you will clog your gas injector trying to put D through it and the D injector will not seal up right with gas in it... im sure some rich ass engeneer has thought of the way by this, but you would need 2 gas tanks, and 2 injectors, with a way of telling what it needs to run on, and for a d moter you would need a turbo on it to gain compression on the rotery style moter

Well they designed a compressor into the system that'll run a rigs reefer, so they might be using that to blow compressed air through the system.

It's a BC based company.
I might have to drive buy the shop in the next couple of months, and if I can make arrangements I might stop in there for a shop tour and to chat with them a bit. They might not tell me anything, but you never know until you ask.

I had a tour of Ballard enginering (fuel cells) once just from asking