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Originally Posted by Servicetech
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From Wikipedia
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... the Triathlon was driven by a natural gas fueled 5 horsepower Briggs and Stratton engine ...
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I actually worked alongside some guys trying to develop a Wankel engine to run the A/C compressor in the late 1980s. The engine would run on natural gas. It was aimed at small businesses
(convenience stores, fast food restaurants, etc).
The system worked fine, but there were durability issues. When run continuously, the oil and spark plugs had to be changed every 2-4 weeks ! Also wear on the seals
(Wankel equivalent to piston rings) was high.
The motivation was a predicted shortfall of electric power in the SE
(check the population growth in GA from 1980 through 2010).