DAIR Diesel

OK Guys,
If you are looking for an efficient diesel this should be the one.
http://www.dieseltech.cc/ Note that the parent or licenceing company is in the UK. This engine is a new copy of a 2 cycle diesel produced by Fairbanks-Morse. They built marine and locomotive diesels in the mid fourties. These engines are very efficient because of a very effective scavenging system. The intake is on one crank end and the exhaust is on the other with a supercharger or turbocharger blowing down the cylinder. These are opposed piston engines, think of a conventional aircraft engine or subaru turned inside out! The 2 (count 'em 2) cranks are on the outside and the 2 pistons per cylinder "meet" in the middle. This is a new take on a old and established idea. If reasonably compotent engineering was done this should be the engine to beat for efficient aircraft use. Note it is water cooled, but being very compact it should be easy to fit radiators in.
Bill Jepson

Due credit

I should mention that DeuSkid, John mentioned this new engine entry in the Thilert thread. I found it signifigant enough in its own right that I brought it to the top in a thread of its own. Very interesting engine. I couldn't find cost listed on the US based site. It may be mentioned on the /UK site.
Bill Jepson

Opposed piston Diesel

In the 70's we ran a patent search for Bill Lear on an opposed piston configuration for a steam engine application for CALTRAN and found that Caterpillar had this engine configuration and a triangular version (three cranks)
patents pretty much tied up. Don't know if they still apply or not.
RRR
N2800X

I thought patents expired after 20 years?

Patents

Patents are now up to 25 years for original ideas I believe. The owner must maintain the patent as well. The Dair engine isn't going to be a problem because there is much older ICE use of this configuration. Fairbanks-Morse in the USA, Rolls Royce in the UK, also Napier in the UK. There may be others. The concept isn't new (started in the late 30's) so it is only the execution that differs. No patent infringements are likely.
A steam version would be interesting to view. I don't even understand how the 3 crank Cat version might work unless they use it to do multi expansions like some of the later industrial and marine steam engines.
Bill Jepson