Recips are being used in many applications and are so widely spread, that one recip is not the other one.

 First of all, the reciprocating technology is rewarded by the automotive industry as being the best technology when it comes to fuel efficiency ? 

 In the 70ies during the oil crisis, massive amount of research and development was spent to reduce fuel consumption. The reciprocating engines were not as efficient as today and not as reliable as today. The engines would have oilleakages, cylinderheads cracking, valves burning,…

 The automotive industry experimented with a lot of alternatives, rotational engines like Wankel motors, gas turbines and other variants.

 Despite all the effort, no alternative as good as the piston engine could be found.

 Over the last 40 yrs, a lot of development has been done to further optimise and improve the engines, which are used in passenger cars, sportscars, trucks, large vessels,..

 By introducing more stringent rules on exhaust emissions, despite a dieselgate scandal, none rotating technology has been able to replace the reciprocating engine.

 The electrification with Hybrids or electrical cars, moves this discussion to how to produce energy by solar and wind.

 Would this logic not be applicable for the compressed air application ?