Roger Richard’s protégé, Sky Huddleston, presented at the 2021 ESTC on the Bourke Engine and is the most comprehensive and authoritative presentation ever given on this technology.
Here is a relatively recent video demonstration by Roger Richard that you can watch here. Roger’s description is:
“I played with a trial video editor and got some interesting results. Sorry about the watermark, but I couldn’t wait to post it and used it anyway. The video is an overlay of two Bourke 30″ engines running about a second apart. Also, this run is with 87 octane pump gas . A slight modification of the original design made this possible. True homogenous charge compression ignition, HCCI. Russ Bourke was right and still is.”
Sky Huddleston’s full presentation is available here:
The Bourke Engine is the most important development in the field of gasoline-powered engines and it was invented back in the 1920s by Russell Bourke! With only 2 moving parts and a Scotch Yoke, which is the most effective way to turn reciprocating motion into rotary, it delivers more horsepower per pound than any other engine. Roger Richard is the world’s leading authority on this engine, he had 3 original 30 cubic inch Bourke Engines and one he had built, which under very special circumstances proved to have 85% thermal efficiency – that defeats the Carnot Limit.
At minimum, the Bourke Engine, under normal circumstances is easily 40% effiicient and that is being extremely conservative. A unit small enough to carry in one hand can power more than a 5kw generator.
Due to some health complications, Roger Richard was unable to present at the conference so he sent Sky Huddleston, his protege. Roger told me that Sky might even know more about the Bourke than he does and if so, that makes Sky the leading authority on this incredible engine. Sky delivered an incredible, knowledge-packed, 1 hour presentation and he had two original 30 cubic inch Bourke engines on hand. They were not running but one was assembled and one was partially disassembled so that everyone could see all the parts and how it was put together. Imagine an engine that the average person could rebuild in minutes rather than hours, literally!
We recommend getting the combo package so that you can get an authentic copy of the Bourke Engine Documentary, which is a book assembled by Lois Bourke, Russell Bourke’s wife. It’s a must read for anyone interested in the Bourke Engine, but also Engine science in general.
