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Laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) has been used to make ensemble averaged and root mean square (RMS) velocity measurements at a crank shaft speed of 675 rpm in a motored rotary engine assembly. Sapphire windows on both ends of the side housings allowed forward scatter optical access. Measurements were taken during the intake and compression strokes. Also, measurements were made in the major plane (defined by the major axis and the normal to the side housing) near the central housing wall to quantify the blowby that has proven to be a dominating feature in the intake flow pattern. This phenomenon has not been previously reported in the literature and has a major impact on how the Rotary Combustion Engine (RCE) combustion process can be numerically simulated. The intake stroke flow pattern was found to be dominated by a large scale vortical structure circulating in the opposite direction from the rotor motion.

Laser Doppler anemometry measurements have been made in a motored rotary engine assembly. The purpose of this study was to compare the flow fields of two different rotor pocket geometries experimentally. Two-dimensional measurements were taken over a central plane grid during intake and early compression at a shaft speed of 2000 rpm and wide open throttle. This data is to be used to quantify the central plane flow field and to provide experimental data for comparison with current analytical models. Two rotor pocket geometries were examined. The first rotor pocket geometry was a leading deep recess, and the second was a centrally located symmetric pocket. The same production apex and side seals were used for both rotors. The reduced velocity data was displayed as vector field plots within a computer animation to facilitate observation of the flow field and comparisons to analytical models.