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- Wankel Engine
-
- A Wankel or
- "rotary" engine has
- no pistons.
- Instead, a
- triangular rotor
- with a geared
- central hole is
- mounted on a geared
- crankshaft. As the
- crankshaft rotates
- the rotor moves in
- an eccentric path
- inside the airtight
- rotor housing.
- Inlet and exhaust
- ports are located
- in the side walls
- of the housing. As
- the rotor
- alternately
- uncovers the inlet
- and exhaust ports,
- fuel-air mixture is
- drawn in,
- compressed, ignited
- and pushed out the
- exhaust port.
- Compared to piston
- engines, rotary
- engines have fewer
- parts and are
- smaller and lighter
- for a given power
- output.
-
- -end-
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