Power Density
Why Is Power Density the Holy Grail?
The internal combustion piston engine has been the primary means of automotive propulsion for more than a century. Today, thousands of engineers around the world are hard at work trying to improve this 19th century invention. Some are striving to make incremental gains; some are hoping for a breakthrough. For all of them, one measuring stick is the "acid test" for any engine: power density. Why is this so important? Because, if you achieve greater power density, a range of critically important attributes will result, including:
- Lower weight
- Smaller size
- Lower material costs
- Lower friction
- Greater fuel efficiency
- Lower emissions
- Lower heat rejection
This is why, at EcoMotors International, power density is our Holy Grail. Our first product targeted for commercial application is a turbo-diesel version of the innovative opposed-piston, opposed-cylinder engine. The opoc™ engine is based on an old idea, but its architecture and unprecedented power density make it new and unique. How well does the opoc™ engine do in terms of power density? This chart shows 75 years of incremental gains in diesel engine specific output.
And here is what the diesel opoc™ engine achieves.
For a given power level, the opoc™ engine is 30-percent lighter, one-quarter the size, and achieves 50-percent better fuel economy compared with a state-of-the-art, conventional turbo-diesel engine. Because of this breakthrough, we are enthusiastic about the internal combustion engine’s future. It’s a breakthrough based on the strength of extraordinary power density.
