A Wankel engine is a type of internal combustion engine that uses a rotating triangular rotor to convert thermal energy into mechanical energy. The rotor spins inside a figure-eight-like housing and creates a four-phase cycle similar to a traditional piston engine. The four phases are intake, compression, power, and exhaust.
Here’s how a Wankel engine works:
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RotorThe rotor has three sides, each acting as a separate combustion chamber. As the rotor turns, the combustion chambers increase and decrease in size.
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FuelFuel enters the chamber through an intake port and is compressed as the chamber size decreases. A spark plug ignites the fuel at the appropriate time.
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Kinetic energyThe combustion of the fuel-air mixture creates pressure that is converted into kinetic energy.
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Rotational energyThe kinetic energy is converted into rotational energy, which spins the car’s transmission and propels the car.
The Wankel engine was first tested for use in automobiles in 1956. It’s also used in industrial applications, such as driving air compressors.
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