Fire in the Hole!

That is pretty neat. I would have thought there was more 'fire' than there appeared to be. But one can also see, at least I think I am seeing, an uneven burning and how some some spots on the piston can be hotter than others.
 
That is really, really cool to see. I just wish it showed more of the exhaust stroke, instead of just getting to the point where it opens, and then cutting to the next cycle.

But man, that's cool. I was expecting a bigger explosion.
 
That's pretty cool. I'd be curious to see what they used for the optics to withstand the heat.
 
Very informative. It was cool to see what we talk about so much. I would have I saw a lot of orange especially on the intake valve side, I assume indicating a lower burn temp and more carbon. What causes the burn or perhaps just the carbon on one side of the cylinder?
 
My dad was an auto shop teacher and had some kind of 'transparent cylinder' engine that would actually run. 30yrs ago, and although I want to say it was plexiglass Im pretty sure its not - probably some other miracle plastic I did a google and couldn't find anything.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
My dad was an auto shop teacher and had some kind of 'transparent cylinder' engine that would actually run. 30yrs ago, and although I want to say it was plexiglass Im pretty sure its not - probably some other miracle plastic I did a google and couldn't find anything.
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I built the piston and Wankel rotary version of those transparent engines. But they were plastic, with battery operated motors to show the motion, there was no combustion. Are you sure your dad's was actually combusting?
 
That would have to be glass and some very strong and heat-sustaining glass at that. Perhaps something with a window and optics to the interior is workable but a glass cylinder? Don't forget, it would also have to be designed to hold a spark plug and withstand the friction of a piston on that glass cylinder.
 
Im fairly certain it was but admit 30yrs is a while so let me see what he remembers.
 
We can't see the entire cycle, but there doesn't appear to be any overlap on the valve timming... interesting...
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
My dad was an auto shop teacher and had some kind of 'transparent cylinder' engine that would actually run. 30yrs ago, and although I want to say it was plexiglass Im pretty sure its not - probably some other miracle plastic I did a google and couldn't find anything.
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Dave, didn't you see Star Trek IV or Battle Star Galactica?

It's transparent aluminum! What's interesting in this article is the suggestion of three different compounds that actually resemble what was in these sci-fi shows.

Thanks for the video. That was cool (er... HOT). Looked like the ignition stroke was drawing in more fuel from the intake valve... poor valve seal?
 
Finally got to talk to Dad and he said:
THE CYLINDER IS PYREX THE PISTON IS ALUMINUM WITH FIBER PLASTIC RINGS ALL BEARING ARE ROLLER WITH TWO CONTROLS ON THE CARBURETOR SO YOU CAN CHANGE THE FUEL MIXTURE WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING.

apparently he still has it! Hmmm how to talk him out of it....
 
Was this something he built or bought elsewhere?

If it's not in production there may be an opportunity to produce one. I don't see a specific patent on the USPO site but FreePatentsOnline had something.
 
Way, way, cool.

A few lessons learned.

I guess an explosion can look like a leisurely flame when slowed down.

I had to watch a few times when I figured out that what I thought was the exhaust cycle was the intake cycle. The fuel/air mixture is cloudy.

They edited out the exhaust stroke? I wondered why you don't see the piston come up twice. I'll bet they only had enough memory on the camera to record half of a cycle at that high speed.
 
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mikea said:
Way, way, cool.

I guess an explosion can look like a leisurely flame when slowed down.
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It is cool. As you noted, the difference between a flame and an explosion is the speed of the chemical reaction.
 
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