Alvar variable compression engine development. Final report

The Alvar engine is an invention by Mr. Alvar Gustafsson of Skarblacka, Sweden. It is a four stroke spark ignition internal combustion engine, having variable compression ratio and variable displacements. The compression ratio can be varied by means of small secondary cylinders and pistons which are communicating with the main combustion chambers. The secondary pistons can be phase shifted with respect to the main pistons. The engine is suitable for multi-fuel operation. Invention rights are held by Alvar Engine AB of Sweden, a company created to handle the development of the Alvar Engine. A project was conceived wherein an optimised experimental engine would be built and tested to verify the advantages claimed for the Alvar engine and also to reveal possible drawbacks, if any. Alvar Engine AB appointed Gunnar Lundholm, professor of Combustion Engines at Lund University, Lund, Sweden as principal investigator. The project could be seen as having three parts: (1) Optimisation of the engine combustion chamber geometry; (2) Design and manufacturing of the necessary engine parts; and (3) Testing of the engine in an engine laboratory NUTEK, The Swedish Board for Industrial and Technical Development granted Gunnar Lundholm, SEK 50000 (about $6700) to travel to the US to evaluate potential research and development facilities which seemed able to perform the different project tasks