The basic principle of any internal combustion engine is to put
fuel mixture into a container and make it explode, harnessing
the power of that explosion to create motion. Of course, there
are many side considerations, like cramming as much mixture in
as possible to get the most power from the explosion, making it
as explosive as possible by compressing it and getting the spent
mixture out as efficiently as possible to clear the way for the
new charge; but the bit that actually gives the power is the
explosion. In a four-stroke engine, the crankshaft turns twice
and the piston goes up and down four strokes for each explosion
– and a whole symphony of other mechanical parts (camshafts,
rockers, inlet and exhaust valves etc) clatter around, all
consuming the energy of that one explosion. So, if there was a
way for the explosion to happen with every revolution of the
crankshaft – every two strokes (one up, one down) of the piston
in the cylinder AND to do away with all those extra mechanical
components, surely i