# Axial Engine. Very Cool.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axial-engine-very-cool/697585>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [September 5, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axial-engine-very-cool/697585 "2014-09-05T15:29:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axial-engine-very-cool/697585/1 "2014-09-05T15:29:27Z")

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I know there have been some other variants of this over the years but imagine this powering a generator for something like a Chevy Volt or as a marine engine.

[Duke Axial Engine](http://www.gizmag.com/duke-engines-axial/33631/#comments)

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**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axial-engine-very-cool/697585/2 "2014-09-05T21:44:09Z")

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There have been quite a few of these, going back over 100 years:

> **[Axial Internal-Combustion Engines.](http://www.douglas-self.com/MUSEUM/POWER/unusualICeng/axial-ICeng/axial-IC.htm)**
>
> Douglas Self, Axial Internal-Combustion engines, Smallbone engine, Macomber engine, Statax engine, Michell engine, Almen engine, Laage engine, Nedoma-Najder engine, Ali engine, Bristol axial engine, Sparost Cam Engine, Alfaro engine, Wooler engine,...

They list the Duke axial engine on there too, near the bottom.

This engine seems to have the cylinder block rotating relative to the head, with ports in the head acting as intake and exhaust valves. I wonder how they intend to accomplish the fairly challenging task of sealing the interface between the head and block? Seems like it would be a major source of compression loss.

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axial-engine-very-cool/697585/3 "2014-09-05T22:53:41Z")

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> [@AndrewL](#):
>
> This engine seems to have the cylinder block rotating relative to the head, with ports in the head acting as intake and exhaust valves. I wonder how they intend to accomplish the fairly challenging task of sealing the interface between the head and block?

That’s exactly what I was wondering.

> [@](#):
>
> Seems like it would be a major source of compression loss.

I wonder about wear too.

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**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2014, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axial-engine-very-cool/697585/4 "2014-09-06T00:06:10Z")

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I’d say the design is DOA unless they can show 200,000 mile reliability. Not only is there a seal problem but the ability to tune the intake and exhaust profiles are extremely limited and that’s what it takes to meet emissions standards. Sadly the reduction of parts often remove tune-ability.

I’ve seen the Almen engine at the AF museum. It looked viable compared to the engines of it’s day. Sadly it never went into production.