Use Of Ceramics Cuts Down On Weight, Friction, Engine Maker Says

A new, high-efficiency aviation engine built by Axial Vector Energy Corp. for the UAV market debuted at the AUVSI Unmanned Systems North America show in Denver on Tuesday. The company says its M2P engine can increase operating efficiencies up to 12% and can burn standard fuel, making it more cost effective as well.

Axial Vector Chairman Sam Higgins called his company's latest engine development a "breakthrough technology" in UAV powerplants. AVEC's Chief Engineer Douglas Hahn explained that the marked increases in fuel efficiency claimed by the engine is due in part to using ceramic components which cut down on engine friction. "The new MP2 cycle adds a (thermal) efficiency gain of 12% ... that translates to longest time aloft per gallon in the industry," said Hahn.

Hahn also said that due to the use of ceramic components the M2P runs cooler, so it doesn't require a large cooling system. He says that translates to a major weight reduction and therefore greater fuel efficiency. Hahn said the M2P actually ran more efficiently at higher temperatures. "In a conventional engine, much of the energy released from the fuel must be dissipated as waste heat in order to prevent a meltdown of the metallic parts," Hahn explained.

Higgins indicated that the government was showing strong interest in Axial Vector's new engine, though he was quick to point out that many commercial applications made it a strong candidate for non-governmental markets. Higgins said that because the M2P runs on heavier fuels as opposed to traditional gasoline, its applications can be extended to a broader marketplace.

FMI: www.axialvectorenergy.com