Exotic (Radial) Engine Designs

Until now, the most unique diesel engine design I have seen is the opposed-piston engines that Farbainks-Morse built. But in the last few days I've come across three more rare designs.

See also Radial Airplane Engines.

Old Engine posted

A 12-cylinder Nordberg diesel radial engine. This engine displaced 29,556 cu in (484.3 L) and produced around 2,000 hp (1,500 kW). Note the fuel injector in the center of the cylinder head.

The Nordberg radial offered several advantages over the stationary inline engines that were the current standard. With its cylinders horizontal, the Nordberg radial’s output shaft was in a vertical position. Although the engine was built primarily to generate power for the electrolytic reduction of aluminum, its arrangement was perfect for pumping applications. In addition, the configuration of the radial made it more compact and much lighter than a comparative inline engine. The Nordberg radial took up about half the space of an equally powerful inline engine and could be installed on a much lighter foundation.

The Nordberg radial was first introduced in 1947. The first engines were spark-ignition natural gas burning units that quickly established themselves as reliable and economical. These engines had two spark plugs located in the cylinder head. A single cam on the crankshaft actuated a gas valve for each cylinder. This gas valve allowed the natural gas into the incoming scavenging air for the cylinder.

Nordberg continued to develop the radial as its use spread to central power stations and various pumping applications, primarily for flood control and at sewage treatment plants. Nordberg soon developed a diesel version of the engine and a version that could run on a mixture of diesel and natural gas, which Nordberg dubbed Duafuel. The Duafuel engine could run on 100% diesel or as little as 5% diesel and 95% natural gas. This flexibility allowed the engine to operate with the most economical fuel mixture possible. In the diesel and Duafuel engines, the single cam now actuated a fuel pump for each cylinder, and the diesel fuel injector was in the center of the cylinder head.

Sean Brady posted

A 12-cylinder Nordberg diesel radial engine. This engine displaced 29,556 cu in (484.3 L) and produced around 2,000 hp (1,500 kW). Note the fuel injector in the center of the cylinder head.

The Nordberg radial offered several advantages over the stationary inline engines that were the current standard. With its cylinders horizontal, the Nordberg radial’s output shaft was in a vertical position. Although the engine was built primarily to generate power for the electrolytic reduction of aluminum, its arrangement was perfect for pumping applications. In addition, the configuration of the radial made it more compact and much lighter than a comparative inline engine. The Nordberg radial took up about half the space of an equally powerful inline engine and could be installed on a much lighter foundation.

The Nordberg radial was first introduced in 1947. The first engines were spark-ignition natural gas burning units that quickly established themselves as reliable and economical. These engines had two spark plugs located in the cylinder head. A single cam on the crankshaft actuated a gas valve for each cylinder. This gas valve allowed the natural gas into the incoming scavenging air for the cylinder.

Nordberg continued to develop the radial as its use spread to central power stations and various pumping applications, primarily for flood control and at sewage treatment plants. Nordberg soon developed a diesel version of the engine and a version that could run on a mixture of diesel and natural gas, which Nordberg dubbed Duafuel. The Duafuel engine could run on 100% diesel or as little as 5% diesel and 95% natural gas. This flexibility allowed the engine to operate with the most economical fuel mixture possible. In the diesel and Duafuel engines, the single cam now actuated a fuel pump for each cylinder, and the diesel fuel injector was in the center of the cylinder head.

Frank Duncan: Long ago, in the early 1970s, in a place far away, I worked at the Kaiser aluminum plant in Chalmette, Louisiana for 18 months just before they shut it down. Lines 1&2 at the aluminum refinery used Norbergs like this! They ran continuously 24/7/365 and were REALLY quiet. They ALWAYS ran them at 105% capacity! I stood by the cylinder head of one and all you could hear was a muted chuff as it fired. They were on the second floor, and the generators that looked like huge green pears were under each one on the first floor. There was a huge bank of radiators to cool the lubricating oil on the outside of the building. I think we averaged about 1,100,000 pounds of aluminum every day. Good times and fond memories.
The History of Mechanics posted
Nordberg Radial Stationary Engine. In the photo below, A 12-cylinder Nordberg diesel radial engine. This engine displaced 29,556 cu in (484.3 L) and produced around 2,000 hp (1,500 kW). Note the fuel injector in the center of the cylinder head. Details in the first comment.
Details: https://amazing.caphemoingay.com/nordberg-radial.../

Sean Brady posted two photos with the comment:

A 12-cylinder Nordberg diesel radial engine. This engine displaced 29,556 cu in (484.3 L) and produced around 2,000 hp (1,500 kW). Note the fuel injector in the center of the cylinder head.

The Nordberg radial offered several advantages over the stationary inline engines that were the current standard. With its cylinders horizontal, the Nordberg radial’s output shaft was in a vertical position. Although the engine was built primarily to generate power for the electrolytic reduction of aluminum, its arrangement was perfect for pumping applications. In addition, the configuration of the radial made it more compact and much lighter than a comparative inline engine. The Nordberg radial took up about half the space of an equally powerful inline engine and could be installed on a much lighter foundation.

The Nordberg radial was first introduced in 1947. The first engines were spark-ignition natural gas burning units that quickly established themselves as reliable and economical. These engines had two spark plugs located in the cylinder head. A single cam on the crankshaft actuated a gas valve for each cylinder. This gas valve allowed the natural gas into the incoming scavenging air for the cylinder.

Nordberg continued to develop the radial as its use spread to central power stations and various pumping applications, primarily for flood control and at sewage treatment plants. Nordberg soon developed a diesel version of the engine and a version that could run on a mixture of diesel and natural gas, which Nordberg dubbed Duafuel. The Duafuel engine could run on 100% diesel or as little as 5% diesel and 95% natural gas. This flexibility allowed the engine to operate with the most economical fuel mixture possible. In the diesel and Duafuel engines, the single cam now actuated a fuel pump for each cylinder, and the diesel fuel injector was in the center of the cylinder head.

Bert Smith: https://oldmachinepress.com/2014/01/12/nordberg-stationary-radial-engine/

Steve McPhail: I find it interesting that this engine produces only 4.1 HP per litre , whereas typical car engines produce more like 100 HP per litre. I'm guessing it's rated for high reliability long service.

Ronald Harder: Horsepower is a function of torque and RPM. Presumably this motor operates at a fairly low rpm.

I actually looked it up and found that these motors ran at 400 rpm. So that explains it.

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PlaneHistoria posted
[The comment is the same as Sean's comment above.]

Noela Richardson: they made two and four stroke engines. Also conventional master rod designs.

Even number of cylinders were two strokes and odd number obviously four stroke.

So many options, not just the fuels.

Bernard Brown: I would guess that the diesel is used to start and run the engine at idle. All the rest of the power is introduced by adding NG.

In many places like sawmills and sugarcane farms there’s lots of biomass spoils. In those places a generator was started on diesel, but attached to an incinerator/ burn chamber, and the smoke after being filtered was used to the intake of the diesel generator to run it at full power.

Patrick O'Donnell: Wait a minute...these really have that many cubic inches, yet over 10 times the displacement of an R2800 radial aircraft engine, that also has 2,000hp?? It's all torque?? That must be an impressive number....

Scott DeWitt: Patrick O'Donnell an R2800 needs an overhaul after 2000 hours, and in some applications as little as 350 hours. These Nordbergs will run constantly for 10-20 years without an overhaul.

Ed Mellinger: I don't suppose a recording exists of the sound of one running? Because it seems like that would be awesome.

What was the RPM for rated power?

Andrew Billington: Ed Mellinger From my recollection of the three I once saw rated speed was 400-500RPM but I might be incorrect it was a long long time ago.

Johan Schuilenburg: Ed Mellinger https://youtu.be/u5p7GIJ9fz0?si=g45XXZhH0kX7qy2M

[Several comments asked about the torque, but there were no answers.]

Terry Trump posted
This cutaway illustration of the Napier Deltic diesel engine by illegible, shows the triangular arrangement of the piston banks and the opposed-piston design.
TJ Ziegler: That looks like a lubrication system nightmare waiting to happen, and i cant even imagine doing internal engine repairs on that.
[A comment indicated it was used by the Navy, and it was started with an explosive cartridge.]
Paul Jackson: Cummins is developing an opposed piston diesel for military applications. Pretty interesting concept.
Geoff Rodwell: Paul Jackson Cummins need to get along to the Air and Space museum at Dulles airport, D.C. and have a look at the "Napier Nomad" thats on display there (smile). A very nice compound diesel that acts as a gas generator for its turbine, depending on operating condition - old technology, lightweight and powerful.
Chris Rust: Paul Jackson very common on big (I mean big as a house) marine diesels in the past, I sailed with Doxford and Burmeister and Wain engines in the 1960s. I even saw some with different size bore for the top and bottom cylinders.

TheDrive
INNengine of Granada, Spain is developing an 85lb engine with 500cc that can generate 120hp as a range extender for EVs.
[This is from an animation. It is worth clicking the link to see this in action.]

I need to research the Nordberg company. I'm going to "park" this photo here in the meantime.

Sean Brady posted
Turning 44’ long, 80,000 lbs Hoist shaft on 60” engine lathe at Nordberg Plant Milwaukee, 1930s. Pond lathe is from the 1800s.

Stephen Marshall commented on Sean's post
Another old Nordberg. This one located in the powerhouse, Broken Hill, New South Wales.

If you are hear because of radial airplane engines, they were moved to these notes.