Miniature Engine/Generator for 500 W Portable Electric Power Using Logistics Fuels

A scaled-up miniature engine can fill an emerging military need for portable power generation at the 500 W level for the Objective Force dismounted soldier. Aerodyne Research, Inc. will scale up its miniature IC engine (MICE) technology, that wasinitially developed at the 10 W scale, to provide 500 W electrical power using logistics fuels. The Phase I program showed the feasibility of scaling-up the miniature engine to the 500 W level, showed the feasibility of using JP-8 and diesel fuels at the500 W size scale, and showed a very compact and lightweight system design for the entire generator package. The Phase II program will build and demonstrate a 500 W generator using logistics fuels having the capability of meeting all Army requirements.Alightweight compact electric generator at the scale of several hundred watts has numerous commercial applications. These range from portable power at construction sites, to land and marine recreational uses, to emergency backup power. The ability to usediesel-type fuels is particularly attractive for many of these applications.