After A 30-Year Quest, Karnes Dyno-rev Engine Becomes A Reality
Apr 30,2009 00:00
by
Paul B. Hayes
Inspiration for a new idea or a new product can come from a variety of sources, and at any time day or night.For Mark Karnes, his "idea light" was turned on one day about 30 years ago when he was helping his grandfather, Allen Karnes, bale hay in a field in Adair County.
The hay baler was an antique powered by its own V4 Wisconsin engine, which was used to turn a large torque wheel to start the baling process.
Studying the motion of the engine and wheel as he worked, Karnes decided that there had to be a better way.
"I thought of how I might make a large wheel spin from the outside in, instead of the inside out," he said. "If I could get the wheel to spin from the outside in, without an external power source, it would create a tremendous amount of torque."
Already well-versed in tinkering with and repairing small engines such as those found on go-carts, motorcycles and lawn mowers ("I tore up a lot of go-carts and motorcycles, I had to learn how to work on them so I could continue to ride," he noted.) Karnes began working on his dream to invent a new type of internal combustion engine.
For the next 20 years, Karnes devoted a good portion of his spare time to his dream, making thousands of drawings, designing plastic models, doing hours and hours of research, etc.
By 2001, his dream had reached the point where it was time to test his concept, so Karnes joined with Keith Livermore, and started putting together a company. A patent was applied for, and a patent search conducted (to ensure Karnes' idea hadn't been conceived and patented by someone else - it wasn't), and late that year, his design was given a patent pending.
On, Jan. 1, 2002, Karnes Dyno-Rev Engines, Inc. was formed, and work on building the first prototype began.
The next seven years were spent constructing two different prototypes of the engine - building parts, doing research and development, testing this, testing that, etc.
Now, in the spring of 2009, Karnes 30-year old dream of creating a new engine has become reality - the Prototype #2, Model CSVS 1 (Constant Velocity Variable Stroke) engine is running, and could revolutionize the internal combustion engine.
The CSVS 1 engine's most unique feature is what it doesn't have - pistons and rods. It is the only engine that utilizes a gate and arm assembly to generate its power and torque.
It generates tremendous torque by running at a very high rpm (revolutions per minute). It is designed to constantly run in the range of 20,000 rpm.
As a result, the CSVS 1 prototype, which has 200 cc, the same capacity as a 5 hp Briggs and Stratton engine, is capable of generating 150 ft. lbs. of torque, compared to the eight ft. lbs. produced by the 5 hp Briggs.
Due to this tremendous amount of torque, the Karnes Dyno-Rev engine can replace a much larger engine and do the same or better job.
"Our goal all along has been to make an engine that gets at least 100 miles per gallon in a 3,000 lb. car, and at the same time reduce emissions by at least 60 percent," Karnes explained.
The key to the tremendous capabilities of the Dyno-Rev engine, and its ability to operate more efficiently than your standard internal combustion engine, is the fact that it runs at a constant speed (rpm), thus burning fuel more efficiently and greatly reducing emissions.
"When you drive your car, count how many times your foot goes up and down on the accelerator," Karnes explained. "Every time you push the accelerator down, you are putting more fuel into the engine than it can burn because the compression rate is not high enough.
"All this excess fuel goes out the tail pipe, and that's why all cars in the United States have to have catalytic converters," he continued. "The raw gases that go out through the catalytic converter are what we are having trouble with today.
"Our engine turns at a constant speed, which allows it to be much more efficient."
Karnes calls the CSVS Dyno-Rev engine the "ultimate hybrid engine."
"It can be used in cars - to charge batteries to generate power, or to generate power by using a hydra static system. This engine could be adapted to power virtually any vehicle.
"It's the perfect engine for bulldozers and other pieces of heavy equipment," he continued. "It can be used for helicopters, small airplanes and boats, or it can be reduced in size to run a weed eater or leaf blower. The potential is unlimited."
If the Karnes Dyno-Rev engine proves to be the success experts feel it will be, it will join very rare company - a truly different type internal combustion engine.
"Piston engine technology is derived from steam engine technology that was developed in the 1750s," Karnes explained. "While there have been a lot of improvements on it since then, the basic concept remains the same.
"The only two other engines to come along since then are the jet engine and the Wankel rotary engine," he noted. "Ours will be the third." Photo:MARK KARNES, inventor of the Karnes Dyno-Rev engine, explained how the revolutionary internal combustion engine works prior to starting it up and running it in front of a large audience for the first time at the company headquarters Tuesday afternoon. In the back is company executive vice president Keith Livermore.(Photo by Paul B. Hayes)