The name James Atkinson can be found in science, literary and engineering - actually at least three different people! The engineer (one of many it seems) is the focus of this article. Atkinson was born in 1846 in Lancashire in the north of England into a family of engineers - his grandfather owned the Hope Foundry that made many steam locomotives. As a young man, he went to … [Read more...]
Mercedes-Benz adds 48-volt Technology to New Vehicles
Last year I wrote an article about 48 volt batteries and that Audi had started to fit them to their SQ7 model. Batteries like other automotive technologies were stuck in a time warp for decades and recent developments have meant that the humble battery has been given some steroids to cope with the ever power-hungry systems on cars. Mercedes-Benz has announced they will use a … [Read more...]
Biofuels – an Update
All the media coverage today about fuel for logistics and personal transportation is centred on three sources: Diesel - being dirty and polluting, even though the industry is the cleanest it’s been for years. The issues with the VW Group have clouded that discussion. Petrol - and fossil fuels in particular being another source of pollution and political unrest. We have seen … [Read more...]
Charge Motion-Control Valve
As cars evolve, markets change and new propulsion methods come and go - electric is one that came, went and returned - the classic petrol powered internal combustion has had to evolve as well. Even some of the old technologies have returned to help with the balance of economy, emissions and power. Recently I wrote an article about variable valve timing, one method of keeping … [Read more...]
Variable Valve Timing
Engineers and designers have spent decades trying to figure out ways to get more power out of an engine. One question that all engineers have is what the motor will be used for - will it be for an economical commuting car, will it go into a supercar or will it be used in a wagon where torque is more important than raw power. Subsequently, the design of the motor will differ … [Read more...]