Walter Kaaden
Encyclopedia
Walter Kaaden was a German engineer who improved the performance of two-stroke engines by understanding the role of resonance
waves in the exhaust system
. Working for the MZ Motorrad- und Zweiradwerk
part of the Industrieverband Fahrzeugbau
(IFA), he laid the foundations of the modern two-stroke engine. His understanding of gas flow and resonance enabled him to make the first engine to achieve 200BHP/litre with his 1961
125cc racer Halcyon days: MZ a potted history Alan Turner, Motorcycle Sport and Leisure, No. 577 October 2008, pp114-118. His motorcycle engines were ridden to 13 Grand Prix
victories and a further 105 podium finishes between 1955
and 1976
.
Walter Kaaden was born in Pobershau
, Saxony, Germany. His father worked as chauffeur to the sales manager at the DKW
factory. At eight years old he attended the opening of the Nürburgring
racing circuit, a formative event to which he later attributed his enthusiasm for engineering.
Kaaden studied at the Technical Academy in Chemnitz
. He then worked at the Henschel aircraft factory at Berlin-Schoenefeld under Professor Herbert Wagner who invented the HS 293
radio-guided rocket-propelled missile. At the end of the war he was interned by the Americans before eventually returning to Zschopau.
In 1953, the IFA asked Kaaden to take over the management of the racing department from Kurt Kampf when the IFA 125cc racers were being outclassed by Bernhard Petruschke riding the private ZPH (Zimmermann-Petruschke-Henkel) machine.
Engineer Daniel Zimmermann (born 1902) based his ZPH engine on the pre-war DKW which he heavily modified by adding a disc valve that allowed asymmetric port timing with a longer duration inlet phase. Zimmermann also used a new crankshaft providing 'square' bore and stroke dimensions (54mm x 54mm) that used stuffing rings to boost the primary compression ratio. However, the East German government didn't like the competition between the two East Germans and persuaded Zimmermann to reveal his engine's secrets to Kaaden. The result was the 1953 IFA racer.
Working with extremely limited resources, Kaaden began to develop the expansion chambers invented by Erich Wolf (the DKW designer) that had first appeared on his 1951 DKW racers. In 1952 Kurt Kampf copied this DKW innovation and fitted them on the IFA racers . Kaaden used an oscilloscope
to examine the resonance in the exhaust system and devised profiles to maximise the engine's efficiency. The net result of this development programme was that by 1954, Kaaden's two stroke 125cc racing engine was producing 13 bhp, more than 100 bhp/litre. This engine was further developed to produce 25 bhp at 10,800rev/min.
Resonance
In physics, resonance is the tendency of a system to oscillate at a greater amplitude at some frequencies than at others. These are known as the system's resonant frequencies...
waves in the exhaust system
Exhaust system
An exhaust system is usually tubing used to guide reaction exhaust gases away from a controlled combustion inside an engine or stove. The entire system conveys burnt gases from the engine and includes one or more exhaust pipes...
. Working for the MZ Motorrad- und Zweiradwerk
MZ Motorrad- und Zweiradwerk
MZ Motorrad- und Zweiradwerk GmbH is a motorcycle manufacturer located in Zschopau, Germany. MZ an acronym, stands for Motorradwerk Zschopau in the Erzgebirge region of Saxony...
part of the Industrieverband Fahrzeugbau
Industrieverband Fahrzeugbau
Industrieverband Fahrzeugbau , usually abbreviated as IFA, was a conglomerate and a union of companies for vehicle construction in the former East Germany ....
(IFA), he laid the foundations of the modern two-stroke engine. His understanding of gas flow and resonance enabled him to make the first engine to achieve 200BHP/litre with his 1961
1961 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1961 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 13th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of eleven Grand Prix races in five classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc and Sidecars 500cc...
125cc racer Halcyon days: MZ a potted history Alan Turner, Motorcycle Sport and Leisure, No. 577 October 2008, pp114-118. His motorcycle engines were ridden to 13 Grand Prix
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
victories and a further 105 podium finishes between 1955
1955 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1955 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 7th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of eight Grand Prix races in five classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc and Sidecars 500cc...
and 1976
1976 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1976 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 28th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:1976 marked the beginning of the era of Suzuki domination with the Japanese firm taking 11 of the first 12 places in the premier class. Angel Nieto would take his fifth world title...
.
Walter Kaaden was born in Pobershau
Pobershau
- Geography :Pobershau lies in the valley of the Red Pockau, a tributary of the Black Pockau. The hamlet of Rittersberg lies north of the main village on the left slopes of the Red Pockau. The hamlet of Hinterer Grund lie east of the village rather remotely in the valley of the Black Pockau. The...
, Saxony, Germany. His father worked as chauffeur to the sales manager at the DKW
DKW
DKW is a historic German car and motorcycle marque. The name derives from Dampf-Kraft-Wagen .In 1916, the Danish engineer Jørgen Skafte Rasmussen founded a factory in Zschopau, Saxony, Germany, to produce steam fittings. In the same year, he attempted to produce a steam-driven car, called the DKW...
factory. At eight years old he attended the opening of the Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
racing circuit, a formative event to which he later attributed his enthusiasm for engineering.
Kaaden studied at the Technical Academy in Chemnitz
Chemnitz
Chemnitz is the third-largest city of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Chemnitz is an independent city which is not part of any county and seat of the government region Direktionsbezirk Chemnitz. Located in the northern foothills of the Ore Mountains, it is a part of the Saxon triangle...
. He then worked at the Henschel aircraft factory at Berlin-Schoenefeld under Professor Herbert Wagner who invented the HS 293
Henschel Hs 293
The Henschel Hs 293 was a World War II German anti-ship guided missile: a radio-controlled glide bomb with a rocket engine slung underneath it. It was designed by Herbert A. Wagner.- History :...
radio-guided rocket-propelled missile. At the end of the war he was interned by the Americans before eventually returning to Zschopau.
In 1953, the IFA asked Kaaden to take over the management of the racing department from Kurt Kampf when the IFA 125cc racers were being outclassed by Bernhard Petruschke riding the private ZPH (Zimmermann-Petruschke-Henkel) machine.
Engineer Daniel Zimmermann (born 1902) based his ZPH engine on the pre-war DKW which he heavily modified by adding a disc valve that allowed asymmetric port timing with a longer duration inlet phase. Zimmermann also used a new crankshaft providing 'square' bore and stroke dimensions (54mm x 54mm) that used stuffing rings to boost the primary compression ratio. However, the East German government didn't like the competition between the two East Germans and persuaded Zimmermann to reveal his engine's secrets to Kaaden. The result was the 1953 IFA racer.
Working with extremely limited resources, Kaaden began to develop the expansion chambers invented by Erich Wolf (the DKW designer) that had first appeared on his 1951 DKW racers. In 1952 Kurt Kampf copied this DKW innovation and fitted them on the IFA racers . Kaaden used an oscilloscope
Oscilloscope
An oscilloscope is a type of electronic test instrument that allows observation of constantly varying signal voltages, usually as a two-dimensional graph of one or more electrical potential differences using the vertical or 'Y' axis, plotted as a function of time,...
to examine the resonance in the exhaust system and devised profiles to maximise the engine's efficiency. The net result of this development programme was that by 1954, Kaaden's two stroke 125cc racing engine was producing 13 bhp, more than 100 bhp/litre. This engine was further developed to produce 25 bhp at 10,800rev/min.