The firm will conduct an analytical investigation to establish technical support for a facultative internal combustion engine suitable for the prop-drive propulsion of very-high-altitude, unmanned atmospheric reseFY 92 NASA ARCh aircraft. The engine would be fully functional with or without aspiration and would not require air for cooling, thereby rendering unnecessary the use of heavy and drag-producing accessories customarily required for high altitude aspiration and cooling. With the ability to efficiently utilize available air, the consumption of expendables would be minimized during climbing, thus improving payload, range, and/or endurance. In addition, a compact, lightweight, small frontal area engine will be designed that will be fully balanced, while delivering exceptional high torque at low shaft speeds with a minimum of shaking or torsional vibration, and will be capable of delivering its full rating at any altitude. This project will also investigate the state-of-the-art of hypergolic ignition and facultative combustion as applied to a novel internal combustion engine design. Estimates will be made of the structural, thermal, and dynamic loadings which would prevail in a non-metallic, passively cooled, axial piston engine. Some of the vehicle integration factors such as the vibration, weight, temperature distribution, and consumables.
Potential Commercial Applications: The powerplant's high power density, low vibration, and hypergolic combustion process make it an ideal candidate for any number of very-high-altitude subsonic aircraft types. Other uses include underwater vehicles for auxiliary power, extra-terrestrial vehicles (ground or atmospheric) or other medium level power applications where free oxygen is not available for aspiration and/or combustion.
