Mazda Files U.S. Patent for New-Gen Rotary Engine ? News ?*Car and Driver | Car and Driver Blog

(Sorry, that's "from.")

 

Interesting how they flipped the intake and the exhaust. Curious to see the turbo setup. I think this should be in the general rotary section instead of 3rd gen, considering its not a 3rd gen.

 

I read the entire patent today. It's written in patent jargon but I think I got the main points. Here are my notes:


1. Side exhaust ports like a Renesis

2. Port fuel injection shown, even though the 16X concept was direct injection

3. 4 port air induction. Renesis was designed as a 6 port, and a 4 port was released as the "budget" option without some of the variable intake manifold stuff

4. The intake ports are on the lower side, rather than the upper side of the side housing as we are all used to. This allows a longer intake manifold for better low end torque.

5. The exhaust ports are on the upper side, in the area we are used to for the intake ports. That helps shorten the passage length and restriction.

6. The exhaust port passageway exits diagonally from the housing, into a 4-to-1 turbo manifold and single turbo, with what's implied to be a single scroll inlet. Mazda studied exhaust ports that go right out the side (like a Renesis) and ones that go out vertically, but the best flowing port was diagonal.

7. The turbo is mounted above the engine. This reminds me of V8 engines with turbos inside the V, or some really old single turbo engines from the 60s and 70s.

8. The engine uses an underfloor main cat and a direct fit precat with secondary air injection. The secondary air presumably runs like an Rx-8 where it's just for a few seconds after startup for better emissions. The secondary air injection flows through a passage cast into the housings.

 

can't tell if the center exhaust port is still siamesed or independent.

 

can't wait to disable it!

 

 

patent diagrams are really hard to interpret, but I'm inferring that the center ports are also diagonal-ish and have a gradual radius to the bend coming from each rotor.

On the Renesis the ports take a hard turn out of the combustion area where they are really choked down (especially for the center iron) before coming straight out the side of the block. I think part of that was to not have much departure from the older side housing castings. The side exhaust ports were definitely 'shoe horned' into the Renesis.

yeah and if you did disable it, it would still be cleaner than a brand new FD ever was when stock with a brand new cat and all emissions equipment functioning.

these new emission regulations are extremely strict.

 

I hope this isn't it, because it's really disappointing. It is simply a patent, after all.
It's high, and not going to fit in that low long hood. I figured with the long hood it'd be in front.
It also looks like it'll have crazy cooling problems. Were lessons not learned there?

I was hoping for a split turbo (the compressor many inches away from the turbine so it doesn't absorb the turbines heat and spew out hot air) which would save on plumbing since you put the turbine on the exhaust end that's coming out at 60 degrees, and the compressor far away right at the opening of the intake manifold.
Could have mounted it sideways with the intake at 60 degrees as well with that set up which would improve intake flow just like the 30-60 degree exhaust improves exhaust flow.
Spark plugs on the bottom would have been a pain, but whatever, you get the transmission mounted lower that way and more engine weight down lower.

Or even better, a hybrid-electric turbo that's also split and gives instant boost when you go down on the throttle, increase efficiency, and make good extra use of i-Eloop.

If they're going to keep the car so simple, low tech, invite overheating problems, and not package to the nice looking concepts proportions, I don't know what the selling point is unless it's fairly cheap, like $35k. If they're just basically increasing it from 1.3l to 1.6l, improving the exhaust flow, and making it a single turbo instead of twin, I just don't get it.
But I want a reason to get this car besides "because rotary". I want it to be awesome.