Who is the inventor of the rotary engine?
2 Answers
The rotary engine is also known as the Miller cycle engine or the Wankel rotary engine. This engine was invented by German engineer Felix Wankel, who built upon previous research achievements and solved several key technical issues to successfully develop the first rotary engine. Here is more information about rotary engines: 1. Working principle of rotary engines: It uses the rotational motion of a triangular rotor to control compression and exhaust, which is fundamentally different from the linear motion of traditional piston reciprocating engines. The internal space of the cylinder is always divided into three working chambers, and these chambers move as the rotor rotates. The four processes of intake, compression, power, and exhaust are sequentially completed at different positions within the cycloidal cylinder. 2. Motion characteristics of rotary engines: The motion characteristics of rotary engines are: while the center of the triangular rotor revolves around the center of the output shaft, the triangular rotor itself also rotates around its own center. As the triangular rotor turns, the internal gear ring centered on the rotor meshes with a gear fixed on the cylinder (which does not rotate), with a gear ratio of 3:2. This motion relationship causes the trajectory of the rotor's apex (i.e., the shape of the cylinder wall) to resemble a figure "8". The triangular rotor divides the cylinder into three independent spaces, each sequentially completing intake, compression, power, and exhaust. For every full rotation of the rotor, the engine ignites and produces power three times. Due to this motion relationship, the output shaft rotates at three times the speed of the rotor's rotation, which is completely different from the 1:1 motion relationship between pistons and crankshafts in reciprocating engines.
The founder of the rotary engine was German engineer Felix Wankel, who invented this unique engine in the 1950s. I really admire this guy's innovative spirit. When chatting about cars with friends, I always love to tell Wankel's story—he was a self-taught inventor who started tinkering with rotary designs as early as the 1920s and eventually created a pistonless engine. Mazda later used it in RX models, which delivered insane performance, but unfortunately, due to high fuel consumption and poor emissions, it gradually faded out. I think such innovations inspired many modern hybrid technologies—for example, Toyota's Prius system drew inspiration from this efficient design. Next time you encounter a similar question, dig into automotive history books—it’s absolutely eye-opening. Remember, the persistence behind inventors is the key; Wankel’s dedication is truly worth learning from.
