When the rotor spins, its unique shape means that these three volumes of gas expand and contract, drawing more air and fuel into the system. Compression – a triangular-shaped rotor inside the chamber creates three gas-tight seals these effectively do the same job as the pistons in a normal engine.

Intake – like a standard piston engine, air is drawn into the engine through an intake valve, before being pushed into an interior chamber through the intake port.

So, just how do rotary engines work? Here’s a step-by-step look at what the combustion cycle looks like in a rotary engine: However, they work completely differently from the standard engines we’re used to. Just like a conventional piston engine, rotary engines carry out four jobs to power a vehicle: intake, compression, combustion and exhaust. Rotary engines have been around for decades, and were one of the most widely used types of engine up until around the 1920s.

Are There Any Benefits to Rotary Engines in Cars?Ī rotary engine is a type of internal combustion engine that’s been used to power all kinds of vehicles, from cars and trucks to boats and planes.

Use the links below to help navigate the guide. To find out, we’re taking an in-depth look at rotary engines, including how they work, what their benefits are, and which cars run on this type of engine. But with news that Mazda is developing a new rotary engine for its hybrid models, could this type of engine be about to make a comeback? Once considered the most efficient and elegant engines around, they were replaced by piston-powered engines decades ago, mainly for cost and environmental reasons. Rotary engines might sound like something from a bygone era, and that’s because generally they are.

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