KEROSENE BASE FUELS IN SMALL GASOLINE ENGINES

THIS PROPOSAL OUTLINES AN SBIR PHASE I PROJECT TO DEVELOP A METHOD TO CONVERT SMALL HIGH PERFORMANCE GASOLINE ENGINES TO KEROSENE BASE FUELS. ALMOST ALL OF THE SMALLER RATED GENERATOR SETS WHICH THE ARMY USES ARE GASOLINE DRIVEN. THE CONVERSION METHOD IS TO BE COST EFFECTIVE, COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE AND OF HIGH SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE. THIS PROPOSAL PROVIDES A SOLUTION TO REACH THESE OBJECTIVES WHILE MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE ENGINE LIFE AND UTILIZATION OF EXISTING STRUCTURE. BECAUSE OF THE HIGH CYLINDER PRESSURES REQUIRED FOR DIESEL IGNITION, DIVIDED CHAMBER CONCEPTS ARE EXPLORED. DIFFICULTIES CONNECTED WITH PROVIDING SMALL FUEL PUMP INJECTORS DICTATED THEIR ELIMINATION FOR SMALL ENGINES. THE COST BECOMES INCREASINGLY DISPROPORTIONATE AND PROHIBITIVE. THEREFORE, THE PROPOSAL ALSO EXPLORES PUMPLESS FUEL INJECTION. THE USE OF EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES WITH INNOVATIVE APPROACHES LEAD TO THE SIMPLICITY OF THE PROPOSED SOLUTION.