Felix Wankel

Dr. Felix Wankel

Felix Wankel was born in 1902 in Lahr, in the Black Forest region of Germany. His father died when he was 12, killed by shrapnel in the First World War. As such, he could never pursue a university education, being forced instead to start work to support his family. However, Wankel did show great interest in and aptitude for engineering, mathematics, and vehicle propulsion.

His greatest contribution to physics was the creation of the rotary engine, to this day referred to as the Wankel engine. He began developing it in 1927, and received his first patent on the plans in 1929. He also joined the National Socialist German Worker�s party around this time, but left in 1932, before the Nazis came to power. A year later he was arrested by them, and detained for several months.

Upon his release he began work for the German Aeronautical Research Establishment, where he refined his design for the rotary piston engine. However, this research was held interrupted by the war. During the period between 1939 and 1945 he was pressed into aeronautical design before being captured in 1945 by the Allies and held in France until 1946 as a prisoner of war.

The Wankel Rotary Engine

It took several years to rebuild his research program in post-war Germany, but in 1951 he gained the support of motorcycle manufacturer Neckarsulm Strickmaschinen Union (Neckarsulm Knitting-machine Union, or NSU). With this support he was finally able to complete the first working prototype of a rotary engine, which he exhibited in 1956. Other people had theorized the development of such an engine, but none had so rigorously researched every technical aspect of the technology, and so he suceeded where others had failed. For an explanation of how this engine works, please see the technical information page. A year later he formed his own company, Wankel GmbH, which he used to license out the engine design on a royalty basis. He sold the company in 1971, and it exists to this day as a maker of rotary engines for aircraft and go-carts. He then created the Technische Entwicklungsstelle (Center for Technical Advancement) in 1976, which he then sold to Daimler-Benz in 1986.

The Mazda RX-7

The Wankel engine has been used commercially by several large companies internationally. The NSU used it to power luxury cars in the 1960s, but had trouble dealing with the combined problems of high fuel consumption, high pollution and poor durability. The engine has also been used in motorcycles. However, the company best known for its work with the Rotary engine is Mazda. It has used the engine since the 1960s, notably in its RX-7 sports car of the 1970�s to 1990�s. In its last iteration this car produced 255 hp out of only 1.3 liters. For an explanation of this feat please see the technical information page.

The Mazda RX-Evolv Prototype

Although major use of the Wankel engine died with the RX-7, we can expect it to play a big part in the future of the automobile. Mazda expects to bring out the successor to this car, the RX-Evolv prototype of which is seen here, within the next few years. A new use for the rotary engine has also been found - it�s characteristics have been found to be ideal for the use of hydrogen fuel. (see the technical page for an explanation) This could become very important with the current pressure being applied by the US government to develop environmentally friendly cars, and with dwindling fossil fuel supplies. The big advantage that these hold over fuel cells is that they are relatively cheap to produce - cheaper, in fact, than conventional engines.

In spite of his humble beginnings, Felix Wankel achieved great recognition within his lifetime. In 1969 he received an honorary doctorate from the Technische Universit�t M�nchen. Later that year he received the Federation of German Engineers Gold Medal, and the Grand Federal Service Cross - Germany�s highest civilian award - a year later. He also received numerous other medals, and received the title of professor in 1987. There are now many streets named after him all over Germany - an interesting irony in that he never obtained his driver�s license. He died in 1988.