[Ducati] engine efficiency

[mark middleton]

I must admit enjoying this thread.
   I'm an engineer working on marine slow speed diesels. They are 120RPM, 
crosshead design, two stroke engines with a six foot stroke and approx two 
foot bore. The newest ones have no cam, engine oil opens the one exhaust 
valve and pneumatics close it. We run almost 40 PSI boost and burn about 20 
gallons a min. of bunker C.  The efficiency is further enhanced by a waste 
heat boiler in the exhaust stack. Steam produced is used to, among other 
things,  heat the fuel to a point we can inject it. Last I read was that 
combined cycle gas turbines were giving slow speed diesels a run for their 
money in the thermal efficiency game.
Sorry for the excursion, now back to Ducatis. . .


    Mark M

       2000  748