Study of advanced rotary combustion engines for commuter aircraft

Performance, weight, size, and maintenance data for advanced rotary aircraft engines suitable for comparative commuter aircraft system evaluation studies of alternate engine candidates are provided. These are turbocharged, turbocompounded, direct injected, stratified charge rotary engines. Hypothetical engines were defined (an RC4-74 at 895 kW and an RC6-87 at 1490 kW) based on the technologies and design approaches used in the highly advanced engine of a study of advanced general aviation rotary engines. The data covers the size range of shaft power from 597 kW (800 hp) to 1865 kW (2500 hp) and is in the form of drawings, tables, curves and written text. These include data on internal geometry and configuration, installation information, turbocharging and turbocompounding arrangements, design features and technologies, engine cooling, fuels, scaling for weight size BSFC and heat rejection for varying horsepower, engine operating and performance data, and TBO and maintenance requirements. The basic combustion system was developed and demonstrated; however the projected power densities and performance efficiencies require increases in engine internal pressures, thermal loading, and rotative speed

Strict Liability for Individuals? The Impact of 3-D Printing on Products Liability Law

Although a relatively new technology, three-dimensional (“3-D”) printing has been pronounced an invention with “the potential to revolutionize the way we make almost everything.” As personal 3-D printing becomes more prevalent, the possibilities are truly endless, limited only by the users’ creativity. While this seemingly infinite potential is quite exciting, it also raises new legal questions: If individuals can 3-D print products, should they be held strictly liable for defective products that they manufacture and sell? And if not, what should be the scope of individual products liability? Drawing on the original rationale behind strict products liability, I explain that strict liability is not justified for individual sellers and manufacturers of defective 3-D printed products. Unlike commercial sellers, these individuals lack the expertise and resources to adequately inspect for and prevent defects in their products. Moreover, unlike their commercial counterparts, these individuals lack leverage over their buyers in price and warranty negotiations. Instead, I propose that these sellers should be afforded a “micro-seller” affirmative defense against a claim of strict products liability. Under this defense, the court will evaluate five factors to determine whether, in fairness, the seller should be subject to strict liability for the defective product. The micro-seller defense contemplates the modern marketplace of 3-D printed products and designs and addresses the policy inconsistencies resulting from personal 3-D printing. While it levels the legal landscape for sellers, the defense does not entirely eliminate recourse for consumers, who may still succeed on negligence or breach of warranty claims. 3-D printing offers immense opportunities for innovation and societal growth. In turn, the micro-seller affirmative defense strikes the balance between promoting such innovation and encouraging consumer safety

Performance, emissions, and physical characteristics of a rotating combustion aircraft engine

The RC2-75, a liquid cooled two chamber rotary combustion engine (Wankel type), designed for aircraft use, was tested and representative baseline (212 KW, 285 BHP) performance and emissions characteristics established. The testing included running fuel/air mixture control curves and varied ignition timing to permit selection of desirable and practical settings for running wide open throttle curves, propeller load curves, variable manifold pressure curves covering cruise conditions, and EPA cycle operating points. Performance and emissions data were recorded for all of the points run. In addition to the test data, information required to characterize the engine and evaluate its performance in aircraft use is provided over a range from one half to twice its present power. The exhaust emissions results are compared to the 1980 EPA requirements. Standard day take-off brake specific fuel consumption is 356 g/KW-HR (.585 lb/BHP-HR) for the configuration tested

Blurring Boundaries: Exploring Tweets as a Legitimate Journalism Artifact

This study explores journalists’ use of Twitter and what it means for their craft. Based on 8 weeks newsroom observation and more than a dozen in-depth interviews with reporters and editors at a big metro newspaper, the study found that journalists had contradicting views on whether or not to accept tweets, a form of snippet artifact, as a legitimate journalism artifact, leading to the blurring artifact boundary. Related, journalists faced uncertainties and ambiguities regarding the implications of such snippet artifact for the journalism craft and its core mission of informing the public

Testing of a one-bladed 30-meter-diameter rotor on the DOE/NASA Mod-O wind turbine

Tests were conducted on the DOE/NASA Mod-O 200-kW horizontal-axis wind turbine in a one-bladed rotor configuration. The objectives of the test were to evaluate the performance, loads, and dynamic characteristics of a one-bladed rotor, and then to compare these parameters with those of an aerodynamically similar two-bladed rotor configuration. Test operations showed that this intermediate-size (15.2-m radius) one-bladed rotor configuration can be operated successfully. Test results show that the one-bladed rotor had cyclic blade loads comparable to those of a two-bladed rotor. A moderate power penalty equivalent to a reduction in windspeed of 1 m/sec occurred with the one-bladed rotor when operated at a rotor speed 50 percent higher than that of the two-bladed rotor