This episode of Lexicon dives deep into the innovative world of LiquidPiston, where Alec Shkolnik, co-founder and CEO, shares his journey and unveils the groundbreaking science behind their revolutionary X-Engine. Discover how this engine design challenges conventional norms, pushing the boundaries of efficiency and application across diverse industries from military to sustainable transportation.
In our latest episode of Lexicon, we sat down with Alec Shkolnik, co-founder and CEO of LiquidPiston, to explore how revolutionary engine designs reshape power generation. Alec shared his journey, the science behind their innovative designs, and how they’re poised to reshape industries from military applications to sustainable transportation. \'If you look at your car engine as an example, it only converts about 15 to 17 percent of the energy in fuel into useful mechanical work.
From a physics perspective, that always bothered my father,' Alec explained. This dissatisfaction laid the foundation for LiquidPiston, which Alec co-founded with his physicist father, Nick Shkolnik, nearly 20 years ago. The company’s origins were deeply tied to their combined backgrounds. With a PhD in robotics and artificial intelligence from MIT, Alec and Nick, a seasoned physicist and inventor, brought complementary perspectives to engine design. 'We came at the challenge of engines from a perspective of physics and optimization, asking fundamental questions: What can we do to improve the engine?' said Alec. \LiquidPiston’s flagship innovation, the X-Engine, builds on the principles of rotary engines but with a transformative twist. 'We weren’t developing a rotary engine for the sake of it,' Alec explained. 'We got there because we think it’s easier to implement a more efficient thermodynamic cycle,' he added. This “inside-out” approach to the Wankel rotary engine is a key differentiator. Traditional Wankel engines feature a triangular rotor in a peanut-shaped housing, which Alec identified as a significant limitation: 'The long, skinny combustion chamber in Wankel engines leads to incomplete combustion and sealing issues. We created a stationary combustion chamber by flipping the design, enabling higher compression ratios and better sealing,' he told us. These changes allow the X-Engine to address fundamental issues with traditional engines. 'Instead of moving apex seals that are hard to lubricate, we have stationary seals, which improves durability and reduces emissions,' Alec explained. 'It’s essentially turning everything you know about rotary engines inside out,' he added. \At the heart of LiquidPiston’s innovation lies their patented High-Efficiency Hybrid Thermodynamic Cycle (HEHC). This cycle combines the best aspects of Diesel, Otto, and Atkinson thermodynamic cycles. 'We’re borrowing features from these cycles and combining them into one ‘super cycle,’” Alec explained.The HEHC cycle incorporates three key principles: high compression ratios (like Diesel engines), constant-volume combustion (like gasoline engines), and over-expansion to capture exhaust energy. 'More than a third of the energy in fuel is typically lost out the exhaust. With over-expansion, we can capture that pressure and convert it into useful work,' Alec told us. This focus on thermodynamic optimization is what sets the X-Engine apart. 'We didn’t invent any one stroke,' Alec said, 'but we cherry-picked the best elements of each cycle to create something entirely new,' he added. \LiquidPiston’s most significant breakthrough is a 10kW generator prototype developed for the U.S. military. This generator is approximately 75% lighter and five times smaller than current alternatives. 'If you look at the military’s current 10kW gensets, they’re over a thousand pounds,' Alec explained. 'Our generator weighs about 200 pounds, making it man-portable. Soldiers can lift it and throw it into a pickup truck,' he added.The implications are profound. 'Fuel and power logistics are critical for the military. Pushing one gallon to the front lines can take 100 gallons of fuel. And, unfortunately, fuel convoys are major targets,' Alec noted. 'By reducing the weight and increasing the efficiency of power systems, we’re helping save lives and resources,' he added. Beyond weight reduction, the generator’s fuel flexibility adds another layer of value. 'It can run on heavy fuels like kerosene and jet fuel, which are standard for the DoD. But it can also operate on gasoline, propane, hydrogen, and even vodka,' Alec explained, referencing a YouTuber’s experiment. \While military applications are LiquidPiston’s current focus, Alec sees vast potential in other industries. 'Anywhere we use engines today is a target for us,' he said, highlighting markets such as urban mobility, auxiliary power units (APUs), and sustainable aviation. For example, Alec shared an anecdote from his experience: 'On a flight, the pilot used the inefficient APU to burn fuel and reduce the aircraft’s weight. That’s a perfect example of where our technology could make a difference.’ Alec also envisions a future where the X-Engine powers hybrid vehicles
ENGINE DESIGN ROTARY ENGINE THERMODYNAMICS MILITARY TECHNOLOGY SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION LIQUIDPISTON X-ENGINE HIGH-EFFICIENCY HYBRID THERMODYNAMIC CYCLE (HEHC)
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