Notice: Since RKM GbR sold all patents to an investor, this website serves as a historical record to document 16 years of development in mechanical engineering by Dr. Boris Schapiro and his team of supporters. The information presented here reflects the state of knowledge in 2009 and might not be accurate any more. Please contact Dr. Boris Schapiro for further details or information about his latest innovations.

This website is in no way affiliated with the new owner of the patents that where formerly held by RKM GbR. The new owner's Internet presence can be found at http://www.rotaryecomachines.com/index.php?lang=en.

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

A. THE TECHNOLOGY

1. What is the RKM Technology?

The RKM Technology is a new type of rotational machines with a fundamentally new geometry and a new principle of power transfer. At this time, the RKM Technology includes four types of machines. They are the low-speed machines with jumping instantaneous axis of rotation RKM-1 (with a single power-transfer shaft) and RKM-2 (with two power-transfer shafts and jumping instantaneous axis of rotation) and several related inventions. The RKM Technology also includes the newest inventions, high-speed RKM-3 and RKM-4 (not yet patented and not shown on the RKM web site).


2. Is the RKM Technology just another high tech?

The RKM Technology is low tech. Unlike emerging high technologies requiring fundamental research, new materials and production methods, substantial R&D time and huge funding, the RKM Technology can be developed utilizing existing materials and production techniques, and be introduced to user markets in comparatively shorter time and at a substantially lower cost.


3. How may the RKM Technology be applied?

The RKM Technology is a rare example of a new basic technology in mechanics. As such, it can be utilized in thousands of different ways: in pumps, compressors, drives, motors and in numerous other devices used in all areas of human endeavor.


4. What if the RKM Technology does not work?

The fact that the RKM Technology works is proven beyond any reasonable doubt. The RKMs' innovative scientific and engineering principles have been validated by numerous leading experts from various countries and by nine demonstration models of different design.


5. Why are the RKM Technology-based machines better than others?

The innovative characteristics of the RKM Technology allow to create compact machines with significantly better power density and efficiency as compared to the existing machines. The RKM motors will have a more complete burning of fuel and a less toxic exhaust. All RKM Technology-based machines will have relatively few components, e.g. they will be reliable to operate and cheaper to produce.


6. What is the difference between the RKM and the Wankel machines?

The RKMs and the Wankels appear similar because both are prismatic rotational machines. However, they have several fundamental differences.

In all types of the RKMs (see FAQ #1) the design of the working chamber and of the piston permits controlling compression in the working chamber. This allows using the self-ignition (Diesel) of fuel principle in a one-stage RKM engine, which is impossible in a one-stage Wankel engine.

All types of the RKMs have significantly better seals between the side wall of the working chamber and the piston (surface-to-surface). The Wankels have a weaker, line-to-surface seals between the piston and the wall of the chamber.

Unlike the Wankels, the RKM engines allow using the burning pre-chambers and the system of forced afterburning of fuel. RKM GbR covered those technologies by separate patents. They significantly increase the RKM engine's efficiency and improve the quality of the exhaust.

RKM-1 and RKM-2 also differ from the Wankels by their power transfer mechanism. This opens up broad new technical capabilities. RKM-3 and the Wankel have the same power transfer mechanisms which provides for very high rotational speeds.


7. What kind of fuel may be used in the RKM internal combustion engines?

In principle, the RKM machines can run on all fuels used in piston internal combustion engines: gasoline, kerosene, Diesel fuel, gases (natural gas, methane, butane, acetylene, and others) hydrogen, biofuel, alcohol, etc.


8. Are there working prototypes of the RKM machines?

There are nine working scientific demonstration models of the RKM machines in plastic and metal. Creating production prototypes of final products utilizing the RKM Technology requires substantial funding. Developing such prototypes is an integral part of the RKM project and will be accomplished during the next phase of the work.


9. Don't you fear that at high rotational speed the RKM's toothed power transfer gear may simply fall apart?

The need for the machines to work at high rotational speeds is the inertia of thinking. RKM-1 and RKM-2 are intentionally low-rotation machines. Their advantage is high efficiency, not an immense power output. In virtually all reasonable tasks put up by mass markets the machines' efficiency is more important than the absolute power output.

If need be, however, RKM-3 and RKM-4 amicably fulfill the requirements for powerful machines working at high rotational speeds. RKM-3 and RKM -4 do not have the jumping instantaneous axis of rotation. RKM-3 the size of a soup dish can achieve rotational speeds of 20 000 - 30 000 RPM or, possibly, more. These machines are not yet patented and not shown on the RKM web site but can be demonstrated in functioning kinematic models.


10. Friction and underflow between the zones of high and low pressure in the RKMs may result in huge losses in mechanical efficiency. Are you concerned?

The underflow in the RKM pumps is negligible because of the forced laminar friction of fluids in the gaps of approx. 0.01 mm or less. The result is significantly lower losses due to friction than in pumps with turbulent locking layers of fluids.

The RKM motors and compressors have specially designed sealing elements. These elements provide for surface-to-surface seals with better performance that the conventional sealing rings in the back-an-forth piston engines. The RKM sealing elements automatically regulate the contact pressure of the seal depending on the differential of pressures on both sides of the sealing element.

Any serious concern with high losses for friction and the underflow is groundless because the RKMs' design's advantages over conventional machines.



B. THE MARKETING STRATEGY

11. What are the RKM Projects?

The RKM Projects' main objective is to bring the RKM Technology to world markets. At this time, RKM GbR (see FAQ #13) has two strategies to achieve that objective:


12. Steam engines are a 19th Century technology. Why do you think an RKM steam engine has a future?

The best classical steam locomotives had efficiency of less than 15 percent. Modern steam engines achieve efficiency of up to 30 percent.

The RKM concept Steam Driven Vehicle (SDV) will have a new type of a hybrid engine powered by steam and conventional Diesel fuel. Such an engine is projected to have efficiency of approx. 35 percent, possibly, higher, i.e. comparable with a conventional gasoline internal combustion engine.

The SDV will offer a viable energy saving alternative to conventional and emerging automotive technologies. For instance, SDV will consume a minute amount of fuel to maintain the temperature of the steam: calculations indicate that a fully loaded 40-ton SDV truck will need just 2.5 liters of Diesel per 100 km.


13. Who will develop and market the RKM Technology?

The RKM Project provides for the creation of an independent R&D firm with about 25 staff (candidates for most key position have been identified). The firm will direct, coordinate and control several outside teams of scientists and engineers developing the RKM Technology in several directions.

The firm will work in close collaboration with SRM (see FAQ #14) which will oversee the effort of professional marketing outfits in bringing the RKM Technology and other promising rotational machines to user markets.

All institutions and private companies and consultants to be engaged in the RKM Project will be the leaders in their respective fields. RKM GbR already has working contacts with many of them.


14. What is SRM?

SRM (Schapiro Rotating Machines) is an up-and-coming company for marketing the best rotational technologies. SRM's main objective is to pool promising technologies, optimize their application to specific products, and market those technologies to a broad range of users around the world.

The pool of emerging rotational machines currently includes the RKM Technology, Pyatov's Gerotors, Nakhmanson's Quattrorombae, Sedunov's Funnels, and Kaniel's Multi-Ovals. SRM also considers other promising technologies for inclusion onto the pool.



C. BUSINESS ISSUES

15. Who is the owner of the RKM Technology?

The RKM Technology is the intellectual property protected by patents in major industrial countries. All of those patents and corresponding know-how are the property of RKM GbR, a partnership registered in Berlin, Germany.


16. How will the RKM Projects earn money?

First and foremost, by selling licenses and know-how to the RKM Technology (pumps, the SDV, etc.), as well as by selling other prospective technologies in close collaboration with SRM (see FAQ #14).


17. the return on investment into the RKM Project be expedited?

Yes but not by much. The RKM Project's development scheme is based on the experience of developing many other projects to introduce new technologies to the markets.

Specifically, the business plan to develop the RKM pumps and bring them to world markets call for total financing of €90 mln. over a 6-year period. Full return on investment is expected in 9-10 years.

After project financing becomes available, the project must go through the following phases:

Therefore, income from the sales of licenses to the RKM Technology is expected to begin in Years 6-7 after the release of financing. With the subsequent increase in sales and income, full return on investment is projected in Years 9-10.

An increase in project capitalization by 10-15 percent (to €100-110 million) would allow to expedite the process and to shorten the term of full return on investment by 1-2 years.


18. How quickly can a scientific prototype of the Steam Driven Vehicle (SDV) be created and make money?

It will take 4 years to develop a scientific prototype (concept) of the SDV. The project will be put up for sale or re-capitalized for further development. Full return on investment in the SDV project is conservatively estimated at approx. 6 years.


19. Why has not the RKM Project received substantive funding yet?

The RKM Technology is basic and, as such, is not a standard certifiable financial product. Investing into the RKM Project takes vision and a clear understanding of the existing machine building technologies and their markets. It also requires a realistic assessment of the RKM Technology's immense potential impact on the future of those markets.

Several multinational corporations have considered the RKM Project and recognized the technology's huge potential. They refused to participate in the project or invest in it purely for reasons of commercial considerations of the day. Complex mechanics of corporate decision making also played a negative role.

Several private investors enthusiastically agreed to finance the RKM Project. In one case, the investment was to total US$ 500 mln. Unfortunately, those deals were not closed because of force majeure circumstances.

More than 100 people already invested in the RKM Project about €4.5 million in money or services. RKM GbR expects to receive substantive investments into project in the foreseeable future.



D. MISCELLANEOUS

20. Can the RKM Project provide subjects for student and thesis work and for youth science projects?

Yes, of course. Several such projects have already been completed. This included: the project comparing performance and technical characteristics of main types of pumps and the RKMs, the project studying the impact of the RKM inventions on the efficiency of internal combustion engines, and the project determining critical parameters of the toothed gear in the RKM power transfer assembly.