TourEngine™ is a patented split-cycle combustion engine with substantial efficiency gain and reduction in noxious emissions over common engines. Measurements from a running gasoline-based prototype, developed by Tour Engine Inc. (www.tourengine.com), and simulations done by independent consultants predict the performance leap. The unique opposed-cylinder configuration of TourEngine™ allows superior thermal management and an efficient gas transfer compared to other split-cycle designs. Notably, the TourEngine™ design is based on current cylinder/piston technology reducing barrier for its adoption, and having similar productions costs. TourEngine™ presents an opportunity to cost effectively revolutionize the way IC engines are built, increasing their efficiency and reducing their harmful emissions.

The Problem: Current gasoline IC engines use less than 30% of the potential energy, while over 70% of the fuel’s energy is lost to the radiator cooling the engine, and to the atmosphere through the exhaust. This huge energy waste is associated with high CO2 and NO’x noxious emissions. Much of this wasted energy and harmful emissions are due to compromises inherent in current 4-stroke IC engines design, which hosts all four strokes in a single cylinder.

The Solution: The TourEngine™ design tackles these two major losses and enables superior thermal management as it splits the conventional 4-stroke cycle between two opposing cylinders: The Cold-Cylinder that hosts the intake and compression strokes and the Hot-Cylinder that hosts the combustion and exhaust strokes. Consequently the energy wasted on cooling the engine decrease dramatically as the Cold-Cylinder is less heated (it does not host the combustion stroke) and the Hot-Cylinder does not require as much cooling (it does not host the compression stroke that requires cool environment). In addition, by increasing the volume of the Hot-Cylinder more of the energy wasted today via the exhaust is exploited. More information about the TourEngine™ cycle and advantages is available at http://www.tourengine.com/technology/cycle.html

The Potential: IC engines are expected to continue to dominate the engines industry in the next two decades. More than ever, increased IC engines efficiency becomes a critical need and an important competitive factor to industry leaders. We plan on rapidly producing the next fully tested prototype utilizing existing relationships with leading academic institutions and subcontractors from some of the world’s top engine-engineering firms. This prototype will demonstrate the leap in efficiency and reduction in harmful emissions. Following this demonstration, through partnerships and technology licensing, Tour Engine, Inc. will identify potential IC engine applications and participate in product developments to realize the full business potential.

Milestones achieved to date:
• Successfully built a running gasoline-based prototype proving the concept feasibility. A movie of the running prototype (http://www.tourengine.com/prototype.html) demonstrates the engine responsiveness and smooth operation.
• Granted 3 US patents (7,273,023; 7,383,797 and 7,516,723) • Positive Technical Feasibility Report from leading provider of IC engine engineering consultancy.
• Favorable independent Thermodynamic Feasibility Studies completed by independent consultants indicating the potential for a quantum leap improvement in efficiency of at least 30%.
• Communication with major OEMs who expressed interest in the technology and are in the process of evaluating it.