In April, 2008, an article appeared in Design News, “Thirty Year Quest for Lean Burn” stating that significant progress had been made in lean-burn over the years. However, one year later, in 2009, the Holy Grail, the perfection of the “lean-burn” engine, became a reality. By “perfection” is meant a design that satisfies both the practical point of view and the theory, i.e. gives the lowest cost and simplest construction while giving the highest efficiency and power.  The existence of such an engine was not considered possible before, e.g. that makes the Miller Cycle work perfectly, under all conditions.  The Economist wrote about “lean-burn” as an engine which “promises more miles per gallon and less pollution”, not a very demanding requirement.  The newly discovered engine became the precursor for the perfect engine, the Holy Grail Lean Burn Engine. It goes by the name “2-Stroke Inverted Cross-Scavenged” engine, a complicated name that belies its great simplicity and high efficiency, i.e. needs little fuel, to reduce the intensity of the problems of climate change and global warming, to keep the price of oil low and stable, say at $35/barrel.

We are looking for a few good people who can believe in the Adjunct Purpose, (see the Home page) to back this new direction, whose goal is to quickly build and test this prototype of the “perfect engine”.  It is the only engine that uses a true Miller Cycle, and uses an expansion ratio of 18 to 1 for best efficiency, which it attains through the two valves closing at about 70º ABC. This is an invitation to build, in one year, the “2-Stroke ICS” engine, based on two provisional patent applications filed on May 22 and September 3, 2009.  The financial backers, i.e. Angel Investors, preferably located in progressive countries such as Brazil, or from innovative car makers such as SAAB.  They will be granted patent rights on engine related patents that issue in the United States from filings by 12/2010, and will have the right to license others for royalties until 12/2015, when the patents become royalty free. A second purpose of this new direction is to build units of the optimized coils and the halo-disc spark plug, existing as prototypes and developed in the last three years. We will preferably work with experienced coil makers to make production coils and with spark plug makers to make production halo-disk spark plugs.

At the end of 2010, we will begin the detailed design of a two-cylinder lean burn engine, shown on the right, and soon after we will begin to build it for a suitable car chassis. We plan to complete it and carry out preliminary tests in 2011. The car will be tested on our chassis dynamometer as well as on a dyno at an EPA test facility where exhaust emissions and fuel economy can be obtained. Fuel economy of 100 mpg is expected (efficiency > 55%).

The Angel Investors will get 60% of the first royalty payments, with 20% going to a worthy cause and 20% going to certain key persons, for a total of $6 million. Afterwards, until 12/2015, the Angel Investor will get approximately 40%, the other approximately 30% going to worthy causes, and 30% going to certain key technical and marketing persons, the conditions that define the exact level and sharing will be arrived at the time of executing this agreement. The level of investment sought is about $1.2 million for two years.

Dr. Michael Ward completed a second provisional patent application in September, 2009 with the detailed design of the 2-Stroke ICS engine showing that there is a unique and simplified way to build the ideal prototype engine. It uses a true Miller Cycle with an expansion ratio (ER) of approximately 18 to 1 for maximum efficiency, an effective compression ratio (CR) of approximately 10.5 to 1 for maximum power, with both valves opening at approximately BC and closing at approximately 70º ABC.  It is important to note that since the ER is high (about 18 to 1), there is no need to consider the complexity and expense of variable ER or CR (the effective CR being approximately 10.5 to 1). This is a result of the engine’s ability to operate as a true Miller Cycle, a rare capability.  Other detailed aspects of the engine are described in the Holy Grail Lean Burn Engine section of the Website.