Atkinson cycle

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The Atkinson-cycle engine is a type of internal combustion engine invented by James Atkinson in 1882. The Atkinson cycle is designed to provide efficiency at the expense of power density. A variation of this approach is used in some modern automobile engines. While originally seen exclusively in hybrid electric applications such as the earlier-generation Toyota Prius, later hybrids and some non-hybrid vehicles now feature engines with variable valve timing. Variable valve timing can run in the Atkinson cycle as a part-time operating regimen, giving good economy while running in Atkinson cycle mode, and conventional power density when running in conventional Otto cycle mode.

Read on Wikipedia · Image Eric Gaba (Sting - fr:Sting), Public domain