Turn of blood and tears flow: the tragic history of the rotary engine

RotaryEngine, referred to RE. Talking RE, believe that the vast majority of people will immediately be linked with the name of the Mazda. The first name of the Rotary Engine WankelEngine (Wankel engine), taken inventor Felix Wankel (FelixHeinrich Wankel) surname for naming. Rotary Engine was widely known, that Mazda really thanks. Since Mazda bought the copyright of the Wankel engine, the RE rotary engine as naming, and the birth of many of the legendary sports car "rotor engine also will be contingent caught on. This paper describes the rough road between the beginning of the Wankel engine / rotor engine development and even practical, full of thorns.The rotor engine Ganso, Wankel engine prototype DKM54.
Rotor engine is a piston roundabout engine, back in early 1900, has emerged in the field of aviation and motorcycle practical rotary engine. Turning to the rotor engine used in the automotive sector, it must be by the Wankel engine available in 1951 to begin with.
German inventor Felix Wankel (FelixHeinrichWankel), born in 1902, is the era of the rotary engine. During World War II, the Wankel once part of the German military technology development, focus on the development of airplanes and torpedo organs part of the rotary valve. As for Germany after the defeat of the Wankel were allies of custody for several months, and to prohibit the development of military supplies. Few years after the war, Wankel joined the German manufacturer NSU (1969 Audi acquisition) was started in 1951 in the automotive sector, the development of the rotary engine. 1954, invented by Wankel Wankel rotary-driven approach is successfully developed new varieties of engine instead of traditional reciprocating piston-driven engines, it is Ganso engine rotor Wankel engine DKM 54.The test for the type of KKM57.
Compared to reciprocating engines in terms of power output, prototypeDKM54 smoother ride, and the small size of the engine body, light weight, simple structure, sound noise low, the rotor revolution will be able to make a reciprocating engine The four-stroke operation of the double rotor DKM 54 has the capacity of a four-cylinder reciprocating engine. After news spread of this epoch-making engine, successfully attracted the eye of a world-class big depot. GM, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz and other world-class car manufacturers have a very strong interest in this epoch-making engine expressed.
Wankel engine cylinder wall, anti-wear, however, low capacity, the cylinder airtight poor lead cylinder fresh air contaminated, due to the high temperatures necessary supporting increased negative factors, resulting in the low contrast of its practicality. Test debut in 1957 Model KKM 57 in the first test exposed the Wankel engines fatal, it is durability. Starting test of KKM 57 with the upgrade of the operating speed, the wear of the cylinder the greater the Wankel engine proved unable to work long hours. In 1959, the Wankel engine still does not solve the wear problem premise experimental development stage to the world.