http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_09_09_2013_p12-609055.xml


“The quest for a small UAS engine that burns diesel or JP-5 fuel rather than aviation or automotive gasoline has been underway since the 1980s. The latest bump in this long road was the acquisition in July of Thielert, manufacturer of the diesel engine for the U.S. Army's MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAS, by China's Avic.

       This has forced the Army and General Atomics to adopt Lycoming's DEL-120 diesel—an engine that Lycoming did not show at Auvsi, instead bringing its smaller, 63-hp EL-060 (a spark-ignition multifuel two-stroke). One question is when the new DEL-120 will be able to attain the time between overhauls needed for UAS use. The Thielert engine became notorious in the personal-aircraft market for frequent and expensive inspections and overhauls.”


       Marc Wieie

        The Thielert is an econ box car engine from Europe.
       What do you expect ? :) Miracles? :)

       Paul Lamar


       Paul,

       Years ago driving 18 wheel diesel trucks, we put additives into diesel fuel to keep the engine performing in extreme cold. Question, in nations where diesel is available and very little aviation gasoline, could an additive be used in diesel so it could run in a Wankel Engine set up for gasoline.  Paul have you heard of anyone that experimented with fuel treatments to burn diesel or is its flash point to low ?

       George Curtis


       Why do that? You can get car gas all over the world.


       Paul Lamar

You could set it up to run on diesel fuel or Jet A in my opinion. Fuel additives would not do the trick very well. My proposal would be a pre-combustion chamber similar to what Caterpillar used years ago. You would need the spark plug threads to screw into the rotor housing and a hole in the center for air and flame to more in and out. The pre-cup would need to be braced as the weight of an injector and ceramic glow plug would eventually allow it to break. The cup part has to be machined in two halves and be able to screw together or be clamped and have a gas tight seal. The injector spray at an angle would help turbulence and the glow plug is required to get the burn started. A spark plug could be used be it would require a very hot design with a heavy ground electrode to stand up to the heat. Turbo charging almost goes without saying. Much more economical to use a turbo compound Mazda rotary with auto gasoline fuel. The only reason to look to the heavy fuels is if gasoline is very hard to come by.

Dale Davies

It has been tried and not worked.
Lets us forget diesels. It is a waste of time.

Paul Lamar


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