Advanced Heavy Fuel Injection System for UAS/UGS Applications

Mainstream Engineering will use state-of-the-art technology and manufacturing processes to develop an innovative, high speed, lightweight fuel injection system capable of providing multiple injections per engine cycle at engine speeds up to 6000 RPM. To overcome the barriers associated with spark ignition of direct-injected heavy fuel (JP5, JP8, etc.), Mainstream will leverage previous internal research on diesel spray and microfluidics. A novel method will be used for inducing a supercavitating flow inside the fuel injector to reduce the penetration length of the fuel spray, improve fuel atomization, and improve uniformity of the fuel spray such that high-pressure injectors can be used on small-displacement engines. Our supercavitating fuel injector technology will be coupled to a piezoelectric driven fuel injector, resulting in a very high speed system that will have a high degree of control over the fuel-air mixture preparation and combustion phasing.