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WW1 Aircraft Modeling => WW1 Aircraft Information/Questions => Topic started by: Squiffy on August 31, 2014, 07:19:02 AM

Title: Le Rhone 80HP rotary engine
Post by: Squiffy on August 31, 2014, 07:19:02 AM

I've not really paid that much attention to engines until building the engine for my WNW Pup - 72nd scale engines being too small to really see the detail. I noticed that there's only one pushrod (and, I assume one valve) per cylinder. I presume this is the 'monosoupape' engine?

I've looked these engines up in Janes Fighting Aricraft of World War One but, apart from photos and specs. it doesn't say a great deal.

What I'm wondering is were they two-strokes, or were they four-strokes and is there some other internal method of opening whichever valve isn't served by the pushrod?

Title: Re: Le Rhone 80HP rotary engine
Post by: uncletony on August 31, 2014, 07:26:17 AM

They were four stroke, but like many engines of the day, the intake valve was a reed valve, forced open during the intake stroke by suction in the compression chamber as the piston moved down.

http://www.animatedengines.com/gnome.html

Title: Re: Le Rhone 80HP rotary engine
Post by: uncletony on August 31, 2014, 07:44:46 AM

This is a good article -- seems to have provided some source for the earlier link:

http://www.pilotfriend.com/aero_engines/aero_rotary.htm

Regarding the reed valve -- it was located in the top of the piston because the air/fuel/castor oil mixture was drawn thru the crankshaft and thru the con rod to the piston and then the combustion chamber.

Some rotaries had conventional valves and intake plumbing... Le Rhone for example

Title: Re: Le Rhone 80HP rotary engine
Post by: uncletony on August 31, 2014, 07:50:40 AM

Duh, the motor on the pup is a Le Rhone not a Gnome :)

In the case of the Le Rhone, separate conventional overhead valves for intake & exhaust, but they were activated by a single push-pull rod

Title: Re: Le Rhone 80HP rotary engine
Post by: Des on August 31, 2014, 08:33:58 AM

Thanks for the links Bo, they give a pretty good explanation of the principles of the rotary engine operation.

Des.

Title: Re: Le Rhone 80HP rotary engine
Post by: joanblaue on August 31, 2014, 05:39:48 PM

Hello,
Here is a link to the book " Les moteurs d'aviation" by Martinot-Lagarde / 1918 :

http://issuu.com/chestnuts/docs/moteurs_aviation_1918

To understand the subject ( including German engines ) // Le Rhone engines are on page 207.

I am the lucky owner of a sample of this book so feel free to ask for more details if necessary.
I also have the "Instructions sur le Montage et le Reglage des moteurs "Le Rhone" type C 80 HP ( HP in english ?! ...) and type J 110 HP.
I will leave scans of the drawing sheets.

both books are in french. I can translate if necessary.

cheers
olivier 

Title: Re: Le Rhone 80HP rotary engine
Post by: Squiffy on September 01, 2014, 03:31:01 AM

Thanks for the links. A valve in the piston - well, I never knew that!