Well, we all know that Jan is already at the top of his game with the Mini, and always trying to better himself. Here you go, incorporate this into the Mini head!

http://www.coatesengine.com/technology.html

 

Thanks for sharing and very cool, happy to be a Beta tester!

Come on Jan, I am happy to replace your obsolete head I installed a few months ago for this next gen.

 

Pretty cool, put me on the Beta tester list!!!

 

Sign me up too.

I love radical redesign of conventional technology.

 

Jan
Your behind the 8 eight ball again. About a $10000.00 head?

 

File this under "patents I wish I owned".

 

-very interesting

 

Please send me all your outdated RMW heads for disposal... PM for address.

 

Why not just leave the valves, and cam, and use a solenoid to open/close the valves 100% electronically. You can tune the duration and lift, and rely on a valve timing computer, which can be more reliable than changing/breaking a timing belt or chain. Put that in your VTEC and smoke it!
Think about it. You lose the friction caused by having to force a heavy valve spring open, and you eliminate further rotating mass. and use the computer to switch open and closed the valves. maybe even close them by compression (but this might make the valve seats get bashed by the valves every power stroke. get the metallurgy right and it could last a long time!)

 

Awsome!!.... now if those darned lottery numbers would just line up

 

That would be good. BUT...there's still more moving parts though and it still has the potential to smack valve/piston, and the solenoids will fail...but it would still be a great achievement

 

I think there is some engine that already uses solenoids to control the valves. Not sure where I heard about it, but have fun googling it.

 

This idea has been around since at least the 80's, the issue always being getting the sealing right(leaks, big problem) and 100,000mi type durability. Don't you think if the F1 guys could eek out a slight margin, they'd have copied this or bought the patents if need be to win?
As far as the solenoid idea, same issues. Popping a low mass fuel injector open is one thing, but the power needed(electrical) and mass of the solenoid and mass of a valve(plus valve spring) have been too much to overcome in the past. You need an awful lot of power to push the valve open fast enough and overcome the spring as well. Now that's not to say with new material technologies and and ECU controls something like this won't become more feasible in the future.
On the motorcycle tab of the website, they claim the world of their engine, but don't post and back to back engine tests/dynos to show the benefits of the valvetrain?? Maybe I missed it.

Currently, about the best technology you can get is variable cam phasing, Vtec, and pneumatic valve closing.

 

As of a few years ago there was a small fleet of deisel powered 'big rigs' using electronic valves. Havent heard anything of it in a long while though. IMO it sounds much more adapt to the future then what was originally posted. Can you say $3000 for a simple cam swap ? Very cool looking, but i dont see that much improvement.

 

Why just use a rotating valve? Cut holes in a tube and spin it against the "valve" holes, when the holes line up air goes in or out.

 

Same principle as the first post, big issues with sealing the "valves". Poppet valves seal better(in principle) the more cylinder pressure you generate. Just the opposite with the rotating designs.

 

International engine company had a running prototype 10 years ago. High pressure oil opened the valves. I believe they still used a spring to close them. A solenoid controlled when oil pressure opened the valve. Unfortunately it proved too problematic and was never put into production.