INTRODUCTION

The quest for an engine which having the same or more power with higher fuel
efficiency than the existing ones has started before many years. As a result of all these
researches a new engine concept is formed, which is a six stroke engine. Lot of
research works are conducting on this topic nowadays and already six types of six
stroke engines were discovered yet. Of these the recently developed three six stroke
engines, i.e., Beare head, Bruce crowers and Velozeta's are undergoing tremendous
research works.
During every cycle in a typical four stroke engine, piston moves up and down twice in
the chamber, resulting in four total strokes and one of which is the power stroke that
provides the torque to move the vehicle. But in a six stroke engine there are six strokes
and out of these there are two power strokes. The automotive industry may soon be
revolutionized by a new six -stroke design which adds a second power stroke,
resulting in much more efficiency with less amount of pollution.
CONCEPT
The majority of the actual internal combustion engines, operating on different cycles h a v e
o n e c o m m o n f e a t u r e , c o m b u s t i o n o c c u r r i n g i n t h e c yl i n d e r a f t e r e a c h
compression, resulting in gas expansion that acts directly on the piston (work) and
limited to 180 degrees of crankshaft angle. According to its mechanical design, the sixstroke engine with external and internal combustion and double flow is similar to the
actual internal reciprocating combustion engine. However, it differentiates itself
entirely, due to its thermodynamic cycle and a modified cylinder head with two
supplementary chambers: Combustion, does not occur within the cylinder but in the
supplementary combustion chamber, does not act immediately on the piston, and it's
duration is independent from the 180 degrees of crankshaft rotation that occurs during
the expansion of the combustion gases (work).
A six stroke engine describes a number of different approaches in the internal
combustion engine to capture the waste heat from the four stroke Otto cycle and use
it to power an additional power and exhaust stroke of the piston. Desi gns either use
steam or air as the working fluid for the additional power stroke. As well as extracting
power, the additional stroke cools the engine and removes the need for a cooling system
making the engine lighter and giving 40% increased efficiency ov er the Otto Cycle. The
pistons in a six stroke engine go up and down six times for each injection of fuel. The six
stroke engine has 2 power strokes, one fuel, one steam or air. The combustion chamber
is totally enclosed within the air-heating chamber. By heat exchange through the
glowing combustion chamber walls, air pressure in the heating chamber increases and
generate power for an a supplementary work stroke. S ev e ra l ad va nt a ges r es ul t fr om
t hi s , o n e v e r y i m po r t an t b ei n g t h e i n c r e as e i n

Thermal efficiency. In the contemporary internal combustion engine, the necessary

cooling of the combustion chamber walls generate important calorific losses. In six -stroke
engine the main cylinder, combustion takes place every turn as in a two -stroke
engine and lubrication as in a four -stroke engine. Fuel injection can take pl a ce i n
t he pi s t on charger, i n t he gas t ransfe r c hannel or i n t he com bust i on chamber. It is
also possible to charge two working cylinders with one piston charger. The combination
of compact design for the combustion chamber together with no loss of air and fuel is
claimed to give the engine more torque, more power and better fuel consumption.
The currently notable six stroke engine designs include Crower's six stroke engine, the
Bajulaz engine and the Six-stroke engine The Beare Head engine is called a six stroke
by its designer but stands apart from the others. It uses a second opposed piston in
each cylinder which moves at half the cyclical rate of the main piston, thus giving six
piston movements per cycle. It does not use any additional working fluid. In the si x stroke engine developed by the students of College of Engineering, Trivandrum,
India, the first four strokes are the same as a four stroke internal combustion engine.
After the exhaust stroke, instead of air/fuel mixture (as in case of petrol engines), fresh
air is sucked into the cylinder from the air filter, and is removed during the sixth
stroke. The valve overlaps have been removed and the additional two strokes have been
provided for better scavenging, using air injection. The engine shows 40% reduction in
fuel consumption and dramatic reduction in pollution. Its specific power is not less than
that of a four-stroke petrol engine. The engine can run on a variety of fuels, ranging
from petrol and diesel to LPG. An altered engine shows a 65% reduction in CO
pollution when compared with the four stroke engine from which it was developed.
TYPES
The term six stroke engine describes two different approaches in the internal
combustion engine, developed since the 1990s, to improve its efficiency and reduce
emissions,
In the first approach, the engine captures the waste heat from the four stroke Otto cycle
or Diesel cycle and uses it to get an additional power and exhaust stroke of the piston
in the same cylinder. The currently notable six stroke engine designs in this class are
the Crower's six stroke engine, invented by Bruce Crower of the U.S.A; the Bajulaz
engine by the Bajulaz S A Company, of Switzerland; and the Velozeta's Six-stroke
engine built by the College of Engineering, at Trivandrum in India.
The second approach to the six stroke engine uses a second opposed piston in each
cylinder which moves at half the cyclical rate of the main piston, thus giving
Six piston movements per cycle. Functionally, the second piston replaces the valve
m e ch an i sm o f a c on ve nt i o n al e n gi ne . T he c u rr e nt l y n ot abl e si x st ro k e en gi n e
Designs in this class include two designs developed indepen dently: the Beare Head

engine, invented by Australian farmer Malcolm Beare, and the German Charge
pump, invented by Helmut Kottmann.

First
Category
Griffin six stroke engine

Bajulaz six stroke engine

Crower six stroke engine

Beare head engine

German charge pu

Velozeta Six stroke engine

First category
GRIFFIN SIX STROKE ENGINE
Griffin engine was the first six
stroke engine developed in the
w o r l d . It i s d e v e l o p e d b y t h e
engineer Samuel Griffin in 1883.
The key principle of the "Griffin
Simplex" was a heated exhaust jacketed external vaporizer,
into which the fuel was sprayed.
The temperature was held
around 550 F (288 C),
sufficient to physically
vaporize the oil but not to
break it down chemically. This
fractional distillation supported
t he us e of h eav y o i l fuel s, t he
unusable tars and asphalts
separating out in the
vaporizer. In 1886 Scottish
steam locomotive makers found a
future in Griffin's engine and

Figure 1: Griffin Simplex

T h e y l i c e n s e d t h e G r i f f i n p a t e n t s a l s o m a r k e t e d t h e e n gi n e u n d e r t h e n a m e
`Kilmarnock'. They used this engine mainly for electric power generation. Only two known
examples of a Griffin six-stroke engines survive today. One is in the Anson en gi ne
m us eum . Th e ot h e r wa s bui l t i n 188 5 a nd fo r som e ye a r s wa s i n t h e Birmingham
Museum of Science and Technology but in 2007 it returned to Bath.
BAJULAZ SIX STROKE ENGINE
The Bajulaz Six Stroke Engine was invented in 1989 by the Bajulaz S A Company, based in
Geneva, Switzerland. The Bajulaz six stroke engine is similar to
a regular combustion engine in design. There are however
modifications to the cylinder head, with two su ppl em e nt ar y
fi x e d c ap a ci t y c h a m be rs : a co m b ust i o n c h a m b e r a n d a n
a i r p r e h e a t i n g c h a m b e r a b o v e e a c h c ylinder. The
combustion chamber receiv es a charge of heated air from the
cylinder; the injection of fuel begins an i s oc h o r i c b u r n w h i c h
i n c r e a s e s t h e t h e r m a l e f f i c i e n c y c om p a r ed t o a bu rn i n t h e
c yl i nd e r. Th e hi gh pr es su r e achieved is then released into the
cylinder to work the power or expansion stroke. Meanwhile a
second chamber which b l a n k e t s t h e c o m b u s t i o n c h a m b e r ,
h a s i t s a i r c o n t e n t heated to a high degree by heat passing
through the cylinder wall. This heated and pressurized air is
Figure 2: Actual
then used to power an additional stroke of the piston. The
prototype of Bajulaz
advantages of the engine include reduction in fuel
engine
consumption by 40%, multi -fuel usage capability, and a
dramatic reduction in pollution.
CROWER SIX STROKE ENGINE T h i s
e n g i n e i s i n v e n t e d b y B r u c e crower
of California in USA in the year
2004. Bruce C rower is actuall y a
race car mechanic with his own
workshop. In his six -stroke engine,
power i s obt ai ned i n t he t hi rd and
sixth strokes. Fi rst four strokes of
this engine are similar to a norm al
four stroke engine and power is
d e l i v e r e d i n t h e t hi r d s t r o k e . J u st
prior to the fifth stroke, water is
injected directly into the heated
c yl i n d e r v i a t h e c o n v e r t e d d i e s e l
engine's fuel injector pump. The

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Figure 3: Crower six stroke engine

In j e c t e d w a t e r a b s o r b s t h e h e a t p r o d u c e d i n t h e c yl i n d e r a n d c o n v e r t s i n t o
superheated steam, which causes the water to expand to 1600 times it s volume and
forces the piston down for an additional stroke i.e. the second power stroke. The phase
change from liquid to steam removes the excess heat of the engine As a substantial
portion of engine heat now leaves the cylinder in the form of steam, no cooling s yst em
radi ator is required. Energy that is dissi pated in conventional arrangements by the
radiation cooling system has been converted into additional power strokes. In
Crower's prototype, the water for the steam cycle is consumed at a rate approximately
equal to that of the fuel, but in production models, the steam will be recaptured in a
condenser for re-use.
VELOZETA SIX STROKE ENGINE
In a Velozeta engine, fresh air is injected into the cylinder during the exhaust stroke,
w h i c h ex p a n d s b y h e a t a n d t h e r e f o r e f o r c e s t h e p i s t o n d o wn f o r a n a d d i t i o n a l
Stroke. As well as extracting power, the additional
stroke cools the engine and removes the need for a
cooling system, making the engine lighter and
giving an estimated efficiency of 40%. The pistons in
this type of six-stroke engine go up and down six
times for each injection of fuel. There are two power
strokes: one with fuel, the other with steam or air.
The valve overlaps have been removed and the two
additional strokes using air injection
Provide for better gas scavenging. The engine
Figure 4: Velozeta six stroke engine
Seems to show 40% reduction in fuel consumption
and dramatic reduction in air pollution. Its specific power is slightly less than that of
a four-stroke gasoline engine. The engine can run on a variety of fuels, ranging from
gasoline and Diesel fuel to LPG. An altered engine shows a 65% reduction in carbon
monoxide pollution when compared with the four stroke engine from which it was
developed. The engine was devel oped in 2005 by a t eam of mechani cal engineering
s tudents , Mr. U Krishnaraj, Mr. Boby Sebastian, Mr. Arun Nair and Mr. Aaron Joseph
of the College of Engineering, Trivandrum.
Second category
GERMAN CHARGE PUMP
The second approach to the six-stroke engine uses a second opposed piston in each
cylinder that moves at half the cyclical rate of the main piston, thus giving six piston
movements per cycle. Functionally, the second piston or piston charger replaces the valve
mechanism of a conventional engine but also increases the compression ratio. The piston
charger charges the main cylinder and simultaneously regulates the inlet and the outlet
aperture leading to no loss of air and fuel in the exhaust. In the main

C yl i n d e r , c o m b u s t i o n t a k e s p l a c e e v e r y t u r n a s i n a t w o - s t r o k e e n g i n e a n d
lubrication as in a four -stroke engine. Fuel injection can
take place in the piston
Charger, in the gas transfer channel or in the combustion
Chamber. It is also
Possible to charge two
W o r k i n g c yl i n d e r s w i t h
One pi st on char ger. The
Combination of com pact
Design for the combustion
Chamber together with no Fi gure 5:
Ger man charge l oss of ai r and f uel i s
Pump claimed to give the engine more
t o r q u e , m o r e p o w e r a n d b e t t e r f u e l consumption. The
benefit of fewer moving parts and design is claimed to lead to
lower manufacturing costs. Good for hybrid technology and
stationary e n gi n e s . T h e e n gi n e i s c l a i m e d t o b e s ui t e d t o
al t e rn at i v e fu el s si n c e t he r e i s no c or ro si on o r deposits left on
valves. The six strokes are
1. Aspiration
2. Pre-compression
Figure 6: German charge pump
engine parts
3. Gas transfer
4. Compression
5. Ignition and
6. Ejection.
This is an invention of Helmut Kottmann from Germany, while
working 25 years at MAHLE GmbH piston and cylinder
construction.
BEARE HEAD ENGINE
Malcolm Beare, an Australian
wheat farmer is the inventor of
t hi s s ix s t roke engi ne at t he
age of 47. Actually th e name
six stroke engines was
introduced by Malcolm Beare.
Bea re c reat ed an i nnovat i ve
hybrid engine, combining twostrokes in the top end with a
four-stroke above the middle
portion. So by adding this four
plus two equals six, he derived
Figure 7: Beare head engine

Six strokes of the engine.

M4+2 ENGINE
The M4+2 engine is based on the combined working of a two stroke and a 4 stroke
engine simultaneously. The success of this type of six -stroke engine is based on the
cooperation of both modules. The air load change takes place in the two-stroke section
of the engine. The piston of the four-stroke section is an air load exchange aiding system,
working as a system of valves. The cylinder is filled with air or with an air-fuel
mixture. The filling process takes place at overpressure by the slide inlet system. The
exhaust gases are removed as in the classical two -stroke engine, by exhaust windows in
the cylinder. The fuel is supplied into the cylinder by a fuel injection system. Ignition is
realized by two spark plugs. The effective power o u t p u t o f t h e d o u b l e - p i s t o n e n g i n e i s
t r a n s f e r r e d b y t w o c r a n k s h a f t s . T h e characteristic feature of this engine is an
opportunity of continuous change of cubic ca pa ci t y a nd c o m pr es si o n r at e du r i n g
en gi n e wo r k b y c ha n gi n g t h e pi st on 's location. The m echani cal and thermo
dynami cal models were meant for double -piston engines, which enable to draw up new
theoretical thermodynamic cycle for internal combustion double pistons engine.

DETAILED WORKING PRINCIPLE

Among the different types of six stroke engines described above the ones from the
same category have no major fundamental difference in their working principle.
Here the working principle of Bajulaz six stroke engine will be explained as an
example.
The parts of the engine as numbered in figure 10 are:
1. Intake valve
2. Heating chamber valve
3 . C o m b us t i on c h a m b er v a l v e
4. Exhaust valve
5. C ylind er
6. Combustion chamber
7. Air heating chamber
8. Wall of combustion chamber
9. Fuel injector
10. H e a t e r p l u g

FIRST STROKE

During the first stroke the inlet valve is opened and air or air-fuel
mixture is sucked into the cylinder.
SECOND STROKE
During this stroke air or air fuel mixture compressed to the
maximum pressure.
THIRD STROKE
This is first power stroke of the engine. This is given by primary
fuel (petrol or diesel or LPG). During this stroke all valves are remains closed.
FOURTH STROKE
During this stroke exhaust valve will be opened and burned gases
send out to the atmosphere through the heat recovery system for warm-up the water.
FIFTH STROKE
In this stroke, Water is injected into the hot cylinder through the steam
valve. By absorbing the heat from cylinder wall, the steam expands causing the piston to
move down.
SIXTH STROKE
The expanded steam escapes through the opened exhaust valve and
hence the piston moves upward. These exhaust steams also send via heat recovery system
for warm-up the water.

 FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO INCREASED THERMAL EFFICIENCY, REDUCED

FUEL CONSUMPTION AND POLLUTANT EMISSIONS.
1)The heat that is evacuated during the cooling of a conventional engine's cylinder head is
recovered in the six-stroke engine by the air-heating chamber surrounding the combustion
chamber.
2) After intake, air is compressed in the heating chamber and heated through 720 degrees of
crankshaft angle, 360 degrees of which in closed chamber (external combustion).
3) The transfer of heat from the very thin walls of the combustion chamber to the air
heating chambers lowers the temperature and pressure of the gases on expansion and
exhaust (internal combustion).
4) Better combustion and expansion of gases that take place over 540 degrees of crankshaft
rotation, 360 of which is in closed combustion chamber, and 180 for expansion.
5) The glowing combustion chamber allows the optimal burning of any fuel and calcinate
the residues.
6) Distribution of the work: two expansions (power strokes) over six strokes, or a third
more than the in a four-stroke engine.

7) Better filling of the cylinder on the intake due to the lower temperature of the
cylinder walls and the piston head.
8) Elimination of the exhaust gases crossing with fresh air on intake. In the six
stroke-engine, intake takes place on the first stroke and ex haust on the fourth stroke.
9) Large reduction in cooling power. The water pump and fan outputs are reduced.
Possibility to suppress the water cooler.
10) Les s i ne rt i a due t o t he l i ght ness of t he m ovi ng part s.
Lower oil temperature. With combustion taking place in a closed chamber, the high
temperatures less stress the oil and the risk of dilution is reduced, even in cold
starts. Since the six-stroke engine has a third less intake and exhaust than a four
stroke engine, the depression on the piston during intake and the back pressure
during exhaust is reduced by a third. The gain in efficiency balances out the losses due
to the passage of air through the combustion chamber and heating chamber v a l v e s ,
d u r i n g c o m p r e s s i o n o f f r e s h a n d s u p e r h e a t e d a i r . F r i c t i o n l o s s e s , theoretically
higher in the six-stroke engine, are balanced by a better distribution of pressure on
the moving parts due to the work being spread over two strokes and the elimination of
the direct combustion.

ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES

Advantages

1. R educt i on i n fuel co nsum pt i on b y at l ea st 40%

2. Two expansions(work/Power stroke) in si x strokes
3. Dram atic reducti on i n pollution ( up to 65%)
4. Hi gher overall effi ci enc y
5. Lower engine temperature 85 noise level
6. Due to more ai r int ake, the cooling s ystem is improved
7. Better scavenging and more extraction of work per cycle
8. Less inert i a due t o li ghtness of m ovi ng parts
9. Less fri ct i on - so , l ess wea r and t ea r
10. The six-stroke engine does not require any basic modification to the
existing engines. All technological experience and production methods
remain unaltered

11. Cost comparable to those of a four-stroke engine

Disadvantages

1. Brake power 85 indicated power per cycle per cylinder is

comparatively lesser
2. Engine size increases due to many number of cylinders 85
additional components

COMPARISON
Apart from the advantages and dis advantages mentioned earlier there are some more
features of six stroke engine that can be said in comparison with two stroke and four
stroke engine:

>

Lower m aintenance costs due to l ess wearing parts (c ylinder head)

>

Longer servi ce i nt ervals possible due t o l ower operati ng t emperatures

recorded

>

In c r e a s e i n t h e r m a l e f f i c i e n c y

Comparison in exhaust:
Four Stroke
Diesel Engine

Six Stroke Diesel

Engine

Nitrous Oxide [ppm]

( % improvement)

768

113
(85.3%)

Soot [%]
(%improvement)

6.8

28.8
(- 323.5%)

Indicated specific heat consumption

bi' [MJ/KW-h]

7.51

6.61
(12.0%)

(% improvement)

APPLICATION
1) Motorboats might offer a big outlet for this type of engine. Their characteristics are
perfectly suited to its use. Furthermore, the use of fuels other than gasoline would
greatly reduce the risks of explosion.
2) Using non-fossil fuels of vegetable origin, natural gases and others, in simple,
robust engine, operating with a minimum of adjustments and non -pollutant.
3) Motor-pumps, generator sets, stationary engines, etc....intended for agriculture and
industry.
4) Automobiles, heavy goods, construction -site and farm vehicles.
5) Man y more appli cati ons ma y also be envi saged.

CONCLUSION
Billions of explosion engines are running worldwide at this time, and this era is not
about to end. It is commercially obvious that the big market is for automobile,
heavy goods, construction -site and farm vehicles. This is a priority for the six -st roke
engi ne. Drasti call y reduci ng fuel consum pt ion and pol lut ion wit hout radically
affecting performances would allow the current concept of the automobile to be
reassessed.
T h e r e i s , a t t h i s d a y, n o w o n d e r s o l u t i o n f o r t h e r e p l a c e m e n t o f t h e i n t e r n a l
com bu st i o n e n gi ne . Onl y i m p rov e m e nt s of t h e c ur r en t t e ch n ol o g y c a n h el p
i t progress within reasonable time and financial limits. The six -stroke engine fits
perfectl y into this view. Its adoption by the automobile industry would have a
tremendous impact on the environment and world economy, assuming up to 40%
reduction in fuel consumption and 60% to 90% in polluting emissions, depending on
the t ype of fuel being used. Fuel consumption for mid -sized cars should be w i t h i n 4
a n d 5 l i t e r s p e r 1 0 0k m . a n d 3 t o 4 l i t e r s f o r t h e sm a l l - si z ed c a r s . Automobiles
equipped with the six -stroke engine could appear in the market within 3 to 5 years.
REFERENCES
Information: Wikipedia, sechstaktmotor.de, peswiki.com, authorstream.com ,
sumitshrivastva.blogspot.com , wordpress.com etc.
Images: Google images and some other sites.