0.25 cu. in. / 0.5 hp Micro-Diesel Engine using technologies demonstrated on 0.050 cu. in. / 0.1 hp micro-diesel engine

"D-STAR will develop a 0.250 cu. in. displacement Micro-Diesel Engineto make 0.5 hp using JP-8 fuel.It is based on a 0.050 cu. in. engine recently demonstrated by D-STARunder a DARPA program with additional support from Army and Navy OST.The 0.050 engines have been run for 60+ hours, and have produced0.1 hp at 15,000 rpm on JP-8 fuel.The engines use no volatile additives (such as ether or amyl nitrate),and use only 0.5% oil (compared to 15+% oil on COTS model airplane engines).The 0.050 micro-diesels also make more power and have 6 to 12 dB lower noisethan COTS engines.The proposed 0.250 cu. in. engine will use technologies from the 0.050 engine(discussed later in this proposal), but will be a clean-sheet-of-paper designto ensure success and achieve optimum performance by the end of Phase II.The proposed Phase I objectives are discussions with Navy sponsors,preliminary experiments with COTS engines,modifications to COTS engines and exploratory operation with JP-8 fuel,development of a cold-starting system,and definition of Phase II plans for a clean-sheet-of-paper JP-8 fueled engine.A Phase I Option is to engage in risk reduction efforts for Phase II. The mini-diesel engine would be an ideal power source for UAVs.Potential commercial applications include use by hobbyists, sports equipment,micro-generator sets to charge batteries for laptops and other small equipment,and as the power source for small, personal hybrid-electric vehicle