Cam-less engines. What're your thoughts?

[Blackthou]

Aren't Formula 1 car engines somewhere along those lines now? Their valves are open and closed by compressed air so that there's no valve bounce for a set duration. No sure that they have conventional camshafts but a rotary device instead?

 

[barbagris]

You like a good Wankel then?

Beats a 2-stroke

 

[DodahMan]

The Camless Engine of the Future Is Almost Ready for the Real World

Years ago there was a new engine design that featured double sided pistons called "dynacam". It was based on a WWII torpedo engine design and it worked brilliantly. It was superior but failed in the market.

What Happened to the Dynacam (Revolver-Cam) Engine?

 

[ChrisACT]

Aren't Formula 1 car engines somewhere along those lines now? Their valves are open and closed by compressed air so that there's no valve bounce for a set duration. No sure that they have conventional camshafts but a rotary device instead?

F1 engines use a conventional camshaft but the valve springs are essentially pneumatic. They do have a very lightweight spring to assist in holding the valve closed. The pneumatic valve springs enable very high RPM. The downside is that they require a tank of compressed gas (usually nitrogen), to keep the system at pressure. This is not very pratical in a road car as if the pressure in the system is lost, the valves won't close in time to avoid hitting pistons. Fine in a race car that only runs for two hours between top ups.

 

[1K9]

I'll admit to not reading your article just yet, but... Anytime rotational mass is reduced, efficiency is increased in both power output and fuel consumption.

The actuators could be electromagnetic. There is a lot of that out there. Wow, can you imagine the reduction in weight and internal friction! Infinite valve timing and valve excursions. Food for engineers.

 

[geno]

I'm not sure camless tech is ready to keep up with 118 cycles PER SECOND that's required at 14,200 RPM as shown in this S1000RR cutaway...

Same idea but viewed from inside cylinder looking up at the valves

That was very impressive; "Thanks and Be Safe!