Air-Hybrid Blog

Geneva gets its jolt

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0000

If you've seen one auto show, you've seen them all. Right? Well, on the show circuit this year, we're starting to see a pattern here...

This dispatch today from the Geneva Auto Show coming out of Reuters describes the scene and sentiment similar to what we've been hearing on the floors of the car shows in Detroit, Washington, Paris, Frankfurt, and now, last week's automotive spectacle: Hybrid and electric cars are the stars of the motor shows, but the expensive and limited technologies could take more than a decade to really hit the roads. And even then, the market showing will be minimal. Internal combustion engines is still the most realistic path to emissions rules compliance in the near future.

As Chang-Ran Kim and Christiaan Hetzner report in the article, among the various debuts of the new electric vehicles, "most of the automakers gathered at the Geneva Auto Show said the most practical road to meeting Europe's 130g/km C02 emissions target by 2015 was to improve conventional gasoline engines, downsize their cars, or offer more diesel engines, which are 20-30 percent more fuel-efficient than their petrol cousins."

An interesting read if you've ever wondered, "Why Diesel?"

Checking in on the engine

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

One of the great things about participating in the events that we do is having the opportunity to speak with the engineers and give updates on the engine's progress and what's been happening in the lab. At this year's SAE Hybrid Symposium in San Diego, we were fortunate to speak with Lindsay Brooke of Automotive Engineering International magazine. With testing continuing to match or exceed the initial computer simulations, this article gives a good synopsis of the the work occurring at Southwest Research Institute.

Click here to read his article.

The Scuderi Engine under test in the lab.

Speeding down the superhighway

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:30:00 +0000

A big element of this year's Washington Auto Show is the "Advanced Technology Superhighway" that is set up to feature the innovative technologies of today that will power the automobiles of the future.

While the Scuderi Engine exhibit anchors the "Advanced Petroleum" section, other new and exciting technologies are on display. There are clean diesel cars, ethanol optimized, electric vehicles, and one of the most interesting: the truck that is powered by organic trash.

But while all of these technologies help to increase efficiency and reduce C02, the reality is that their high costs make them extremely difficult for the driving consumer. Most of who can't justify the expense these vehicles carry.

That's where the Scuderi technology offers yet another advantage. A Scuderi vehicle would be close to the same cost of a conventional auto. This is significant because it gives automakers the ability to give their customers a drive cycle that is more powerful, far more efficient, and less polluting, but at a fraction of the cost of what would be required with other "new" technologies.

A public view

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:47:00 +0000

Our second day here at the Washington Auto Show and SAE Government Meeting brought with it crowds of local automotive enthusiasts - mixed with the agency officials - to see the latest vehicles and talk automotive policy.

The Auto Show exhibit welcomed various officials, including U.S. Congressman Edward Markey (D-MA), senior member of the House Energy Committee. Taking in all the energy-saving innovations featured on the show floor, Mr. Markey stopped by the booth to see the model of the newly-proven thermodynamic process, the Scuderi Cycle.

"This is exciting technology that shows a lot of promise," he said. "We'll be keeping an eye on your progress."

U.S. Rep. Edward Markey and a congressional aide discuss the new Scuderi Engine.

Washington is seeing green

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:00:00 +0000

Today was Public Policy Day at the Washington Auto Show where policy makers and government officials seemed to see only one color: Green.

Like many of the auto events we attend, electric vehicles, biofuels and hybrids continue to be the main promotional themes. However, like the auto industry itself, the name of the game is still petroleum and internal combustion engines. The 750,000 square feet of exhibition space here is holding over 700 new models from more than 42 domestic and foreign manufacturers. Most of which run solely on gasoline or diesel fuel.

Anchoring the show's new "Advanced Technology Superhighway," the Scuderi Engine attracted a lot of attention because of its air-hybrid capability and the promise of historic reductions in C02. Officials from the EPA, Transportation and Air Quality, Defense Department as well as Congressional staffers came by the exhibit to see the engine.

"This is very interesting technology," said one transportation official. "We need to stay updated on this."

Stephen Scuderi introduces the Scuderi Engine to the Washington motor press.

Podcast: Advantages of the Air-Hybrid Design

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 14:17:00 +0000

In the following podcast, Scuderi Group President Sal Scuderi talks about some of the advantages the Scuderi Engine's Air-Hybrid Design, how it compares to electric hybrids, and how it can be used.

Click here to subscribe to the podcasts

Report: Plug-Ins Very Costly to Manufacturers, Minimally Effective on Reducing Fuel Consumption

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:34:00 +0000

This headline from Monday's press release issued by the National Research Council, which functions under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering, summarizes the conclusions of a 130-page report: “PLUG-IN HYBRID VEHICLE COSTS LIKELY TO REMAIN HIGH, BENEFITS MODEST FOR DECADES”

According to the press release, with the current plug-in electric vehicle manufacturing costs estimated to be as much as $18,000 more than an equivalent conventional vehicle, their impact on oil consumption and carbon emissions prior to 2030 is expected to be insignificant. In addition to high manufacturing costs, limitations of current battery technology and the nation’s power grid are also unresolved major obstacles.

The National Research Council’s report clearly states that “increasing the fuel efficiency of conventional vehicles” needs to be part of the nation’s long-term success. The conclusions of this report add emphasis to the importance that the Scuderi Cycle technology offers. Along with its capability to reduce both oil consumption and toxic emissions, a Scuderi Engine requires only minimal retooling costs by the manufacturer.

Obtain the full report by clicking here.

Engine is readers' choice

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Now that the holidays are upon us, that also means the start of the look-back, 2009 news round up articles are also appearing in our December magazines. So when we opened our mailbox this morning it was a great surprise to find the Scuderi Engine a top technology story of the year as voted by the readers of one of the auto engineering world's most respected publications: Automotive Engineering International.

With readers choosing Yamaha's 'Big Bang' motorcycle engine success as the year's top story, the Scuderi Engine took the second spot. Other top stories include the Mercedez-Benz S-class safety vehicle, tailpipe music technology, and Arnold 'pumping up' the SAE World Congress.

Indeed, 2009 was a landmark year for Scuderi Group and especially for the Scuderi Family. After seven years of research and development at the independent laboratory after many years of intense design and study by Carmelo Scuderi, the first model of the Scuderi Engine prototype was finally unveiled. Further work eventually proved the new "Scuderi Cycle" thermodynamic process and its revolutionary "Firing After Top Dead Center." As testing continued, the running Scuderi Engine not only purred like a kitten, but began to match, and sometimes exceed earlier computer projections.

Click here to read the entire feature.

But they might be on to something...

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:22:00 +0000

The last line of the article could be the most important: "The researchers don't completely dismiss the technology, however. They say a hybrid using an air tank recharged by an internal combustion engine is more efficient and 'could eventually compete with hybrid electric vehicles.'"

This comes from a recent story out of Wired.com that discusses a study from Environmental Research Letters about vehicles that run on compressed air. The cars that have been touted to be the "ultimate green vehicles" may have its issues. It's the same technology often confused with the Scuderi Air-Hybrid Engine. But there's a big difference: The "air cars" just run on compressed air. The Scuderi Air-Hybrid Engine is an internal combustion engine that stores wasted energy in the form of compress air. And then reuses that wasted energy to supplement the combustion process taking place in the Scuderi Cycle.

Indeed, there will be a use and niche for air cars. But in the meantime, the researchers believe that the technology has a long way to go before being considered a viable option to the vehicle technology on the road today. The main reason for falling short: "Thermodynamic efficiency loss."

Vive La France!

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Scuderi Engine made its French debut today with the opening of the 2009 Spark Ignition Engine of the Future International Conference in Strasbourg, France, that was organized by the Société des Ingénieurs de l'Automobile (SIA) and the Institute for Reciprocating Engines of Universität Karlsruhe (TH).

The conference focuses on providing the opportunity for experts from the automotive industry (OEMs and their suppliers), research laboratories and universities to exchange their points of view and information on the potential of the future spark ignition engine while reponding to the combined low CO2 and electrification challenges of the future.

The Scuderi Engine prototype model running at the stand in Stransbourg.

So it was no surprise the steady attention the Scuderi Engine prototype model received as the exhibit welcomed engineers from the French and European automakers. The Scuderi Engine has the potential to give OEMs new abilities for emission law compliance, and many of the engineers at the SIA conference took notice.

"The Scuderi Engine emits up to 80 percent less N0x than any conventional engine on the road today and the C0s emissions are reduced greatly as our fuel efficiency increases," Lutz Deyerling, Scuderi Group vice president of European Operations told the visitors to the stand. "Engineers we've been talking to see this as a very realistic solution to meeting the regional emissions standards while still being able to give the driving public the powerful engines they demand."

The conference continues for one final day on Dec. 3.

Pressure is Everything

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:08:00 +0000

One of the most notable differences between the Scuderi Engine and the conventional Otto Cycle engines is the air pressure.

Today's conventional gas engines get between 10-15-to-1 compression ratios; around 15-18-to-1 in Diesel engines. But the Scuderi Engine can achieve compression ratios of 75-to-1. An enormous difference.

Several design factors of the Scuderi Cycle thermodynamic process go into accomplishing such a result. Clearance volume, valve speed, and the crossover passage all play a role.

In this podcast, Scuderi Group Vice President and Patent Attorney Stephen Scuderi explains how the engine is able to maintain those compression levels.

"Pressure is everything," says Stephen. In an internal combustion engine, "if you have high pressure, you have good performance. The better the compression, the better the torque. The Scuderi Engine has very high compression and very high torque."

Meow…

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 06:00:00 +0000

It's a moment worth noting for those of you following the Scuderi Engine. Since the beginning of the Scuderi Engine prototype's development, one of the most frequently asked questions has always been: "What will the engine sound like?"

Everybody's had his or her theories, but it remained one of the biggest question marks. Until now! Thanks to the video posted today.

The running prototype proves Carmelo Scuderi's concept of splitting the four strokes of the Otto Cycle and Firing After Top Dead Center. The new Scuderi Cycle achieves in one rotation of the crankshaft what conventional engines can only do in two - all the while increasing efficiency and emitting up to 80 percent less NOx.

However, when Stephen Scuderi walked into the test cell to see and hear the Scuderi Engine running for the first time, he was more than pleasantly surprised by what he heard. Up until that time, when the valve train of the Scuderi Engine was tested as a sub-assembly, the sound was rather loud. So there was some concern that when the engine was finally running, much of that volume would carry over.

"As the test engineers made their adjustments and fine-tuned some of the controls," recalled Scuderi, "I noticed that the sound of the room's ventilation system was obscuring the actual sound of the engine. We couldn't hear it!"

After shutting off the ventilation system's fans, Stephen was then able to hear the true sound of the engine running, unmuffled and distraction free.

"Once they got our engine up to speed," he said, "it sounded much less percussive than a conventional research engine. In fact, the Scuderi Engine purrs like a kitten."

Efficiency is in the air…

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:16:00 +0000

Scuderi Group capped off the fourth and final day of its exhibit at the Frankfurt Car Show with a reception celebrating the introduction and proving of the Scuderi Cycle and the revolutionary concept of firing after top dead center.

Guests included auto engine manufacturers, press, and other members of the global automotive community, who are becoming increasingly aware of the significance of this new engineering development and the potential to be the biggest advancement in internal combustion engines in over 130 years.

"What you see here today, we believe, will give the OEMs the ability to meet future emission standards sooner while not compromising an engine's torque and power," said Lutz Deyerling, VP of European operations. "Further, the fact that the engine only produces up to 80 percent less NOx than a conventional engine and could have significant gains in fuel efficiency, will mean auto makers will have new-found abilities in design flexibility and will be able to give the driving consumers the efficient and less-polluting cars they demand."

A Visit by The Ambassador

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:14:00 +0000

Day Three of the Frankfurt Car Show brought more attention to the Scuderi Engine, highlighted by a special visit by the U.S. Ambassador to Germany Philip Murphy who made a special trip to see the engine he's been hearing so much about.

Ambassador Murphy accompanied German Chancellor Angela Merkel to officially open the show, which will hold two "industry days" prior to opening to the public Saturday. He arrived at the Scuderi booth immediately following Chancellor Merkel's address, accompanied by the embassy's State Department entourage and press.

Announcing his arrival with a booming "Go Sox!," the Ambassador said he was very interested in seeing the engine, given his Massachusetts roots and the engine's potential to be a realistic solution to meeting tough emission standards automakers are struggling mightily to comply with. President Sal Scuderi walked Ambassador Murphy through the workings of the engine and briefed him on the technology's status. The Ambassador was intrigued -- not only by what the new Scuderi Cycle can do and its impact on the auto world, but also by the Scuderi Group's uniquely American story.

The visit was one of Mr. Murphy's first activities since becoming Ambassador. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in August and presented his credentials Sept. 3.

Sal Scuderi (right) provides U.S. Ambassador to Germany Philip Murphy (second from right) and U.S. Frankfurt Consul General Edward Alford a briefing on the Scuderi Engine.

One word: HUGE

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:34:00 +0000

Press day two of the Frankfurt Car Show today was a continuation of the massive amount of the world's automotive media corps streaming through the fair grounds. As the world's largest car show, the event is held within a campus of a dozen, with Mercedes-Benz occupying two entire buildings.

Naturally, given the current state of the industry, numbers are down for the event compared to previous years. But all one has to do is stand in the middle of the compound to realize that the auto industry is still extremely strong. Further, passion and enthusiasm for the moving vehicle is in abundance, making it obvious the world loves their cars.

The Mercedes-Benz "booth"

Frankfurt Car Show Day One: It Works!

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:55:00 +0000

Today as the auto world descended on Frankfurt for the start of the world's biggest car show, Scuderi Group made their official announcement that they have proven the new thermodynamic process, the Scuderi Cycle, and the revolutionary concept of "firing after top dead center."

Speaking at a press conference attended by dozens of automotive journalists from around the world, Sal Scuderi and European VP Lutz Deyerling introduced the new cycle and explained the inner workings of the Scuderi Engine. "This could be the biggest advancement in internal combustion engines since the Otto Cycle, which has been the main way pistons have worked - along with the Diesel Cycle - for well over a hundred years," Sal said.

Day One of the event is considered a "press day" with only auto media and industry analysts attending. Having already fixed itself firmly on the radar of the auto engineering community, Scuderi Group is taking the opportunity in Frankfurt to introduce to the driving enthusiasts worldwide that the Scuderi Cycle is getting closer to being an on-road reality.

"This is a realistic solution for complying with higher emissions and efficiency standards - all while using conventional parts, and not requiring large retooling investments," Lutz told the press. "The Scuderi Cycle will enable better vehicles to be made less costly, and allows car makers to give consumers and governments the fuel efficient vehicles they demand."

Sal Scuderi addresses the automotive media at today's press conference in Frankfurt.

Back at the booth, it was all about The Engine.

Podcast: Scuderi Cycle To Be Announced Next Week

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 02:05:00 +0000

Scuderi Group will make its IAA debut next week with an announcement introducing the Scuderi Cycle and the proving of the revolutionary concept of "Firing After Top Dead Center." A press conference with executives and engineers will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday 15 Sept. at the International Automobile Association's Frankfurt Car Show in the CongressCenter Messe Frankfurt. A working, cutaway model of the prototype engine will also be on display in Hall 4.1, Stand No. A9.

The naturally aspirated, 1-liter prototype is currently running and undergoing testing at an independent laboratory where preliminary test results have matched earlier computer simulation projections. Further testing will occur over the next several weeks as engineers continue to fine tune and adjust the prototype.

Learn more about the IAA announcement here.

In the following podcast, Sal Scuderi talks about next week's announcement and what it means for the company.

Podcast: Why Doesn't the Scuderi Engine Need Twice the Cylinders?

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:58:00 +0000

As the Scuderi Engine continues to draw interest and attention around the world, we continue to hear a few of the same questions again and again. One of the most frequently asked questions we hear is this one: If the Scuderi Engine uses two cylinders to do the same thing that a four-stroke engine does with one, why doesn't it take twice the number of cylinders to power the Scuderi Engine? In this podcast, Sal Scuderi explains why.

Report shows electric hybrids devouring Earth's precious metals

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Reuters is reporting today that despite the electric hybrid's mass appeal for better fuel efficiency, the impact on the world's supply is quite devastating.

According to the story, this guzzling of metals makes the gasoline-electric hybrids vulnerable to a supply crunch predicted by experts as China, the world's dominant rare earths producer, limits exports while global demand swells. Among the metals that would be affected in a shortage is neodymium, the key component of an alloy used to make the high-power, lightweight magnets for electric motors of hybrid cars as well as in generators of wind turbines.

But with the more efficient Scuderi Air-Hybrid Engine, no such worry exists. Even though the Scuderi Engine incorporates a completely new thermodynamic process - the Scuderi Cycle - the engine only uses conventional parts. Further, besides producing less CO2 and up to 80 percent less NOx than any conventional engine on the road today, efficiency levels are expected to surpass those engines as well.

Lab update: A successful startup

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:00:00 +0000

It's been a busy - and hot - summer down at the independent laboratory building and testing the Scuderi Engine as engineers continue the early stages of the testing process of the naturally aspirated prototype. And so far, they like what they see.

After completing the assembly of the prototype earlier this year, the primary objective of this phase of testing is to verify combustion and the revolutionary Firing After Top Dead Center and to compare the measured data of the prototype with the predicted data of the computer simulations. Using the most sophisticated software in the industry, engineers spent several months simulating the Scuderi split-cycle design, including turbocharging and adding the Air-Hybrid components.

The first reviews are very encouraging. Not only is the preliminary test data matching earlier computer projections, but in some areas, there are signs that the measured data may even exceed earlier expectations. The pressure volume curves produced from firing after top dead center are showing positive results and the torque levels are strong.

Prototype Test Cell