The OX 2Engine Surprisingly Australia and Australians have been at the fore-front of innovative engine designs , one would have expected this role to have been taken up by the U.S.A or Europe. One of the most exciting design to come out of this is the OX2 engine. Aother interesting engine developed by the Australians is the Orbital Engine, a short write up on which is given here. The Orbital Engine
The Orbital Engine Company (OEC), a joint venture of BHP and Sarich Technologies Trust, has reached a turning point in its quest for world-wide commercialisation of its technologies following the recent signing of two Agreements in the USA. The first Agreement involves the manufacture and marketing of its unique fuel injection system and related components for use in automotive and marine engine applications. Under the second Agreement, OEC granted rights to Outboard Marine Corporation of USA to use the Orbital Combustion Process (OCP) in marine, lawnmower and certain other industrial applications. Outboard Marine makes Johnson and Evinrude outboard motors and is believed to be the largest manufacturer of out-boards in the world. It is claimed that the application of OCP technology to two-stroke engines in commercial production would result in fuel savings of 30 to 70 per cent. Fig. 11 shows the engine in cross-section. 11 Cross-section of the Orbital Combustion Process engine which is a total engine concept resulting from the application of a number of Australian innovations. Courtesy: Orbital Engine Company and BHP The OCP is a total engine concept resulting from the application of the Orbital pneumatic in-cylinder fuel injection system and novel charging and combustion processes to an otherwise conventional two-stroke engine. The concept retains the inherent advantages of two-stroke engines - simplicity, low cost, compactness and high power to weight ratio and, in addition, out- performs conventional four-stroke engines in fuel consumption whilst complying with exhaust emission regulations.
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