Engineered Propulsion Systems (EPS) of New Richmond, Wisconsin has leveraged the strength and stiffness of CGI and seamlessly blended this with a ‘flat V’ water-cooled design, to create a new benchmark for general aviation applications.
Based on a CGI cylinder block, the 4.3-litre,
eight-cylinder design (with a cylinder vee-angle of 180 degrees) results in a
compact, low-profile engine package that provides ease of installation,
durability and low aerodynamic drag.
Initial testing of the pre-production
engine has demonstrated specific power of 105 bhp/litre (77 kW/litre), resulting
in an output of 450 bhp (332 kW). For comparison, most US NASCAR racing teams use CGI cylinder block or liners - a Toyota Racing Development engine of 5.8-litres for example has achieved 650 bhp, or 112 bhp/litre (83.5 kW/litre).
This compares, for example, with a
Mercury Marine outboard engine of 370 bhp (272 kW) based on the well-known Audi
4.2-litre CGI V8 diesel engine which Mercury claims “leads the world in
power/weight ratio”.
This puts the 4.2-litre Audi engine on
88 bhp/litre or 64 kW/litre, figures that demonstrate the strides that EPS has
achieved in performance in the demanding world of aviation where there is no
room for failure.
The use of CGI enabled EPS to engineer
a clean sheet aviation diesel engine that sets new standards in weight, size,
reliability, and most importantly, fuel consumption.
Initial testing of the pre-production engine
has demonstrated an installed wet weight of the diesel engine package is within
45 pounds (20 kg) of alternative 350 bhp (257 kW) air-cooled turbocharged
engines currently used in aero applications.
Heralded as the potential for a new era
in aviation engines, the Graflight aero diesel promises to be more fuel
efficient than any general aviation engine currently on the market.
The diesel combustion process, together
with the design freedom provided by high strength CGI coupled with steel
pistons, has enabled EPS to realise between 30 and 50 per cent lower fuel
consumption and emissions compared to conventional aero engines.
With much improved fuel
economy users of diesel-powered aircraft therefore can fly further or carry
more payload. Also
with the prospect Avgas (leaded aviation gasoline) could be prohibited in
future, the ability of the EPS engine to use widely-available, low-cost jet (Jet
A and JP-8) and diesel fuels provides a significant global growth opportunity
in regions such as China, Africa and South America.
Engine and flight tests are
currently underway and EPS expects Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) approvals
during 2017.
The volume production contract for
foundry products has been awarded to Grainger & Worrall’s UK foundry in
Bridgnorth, Shropshire, which uses SinterCast process control technology and
has been responsible for producing prototype engine blocks.
As the engine is intended for use in
single- and twin-engined aircraft, small helicopters, unmanned military
aircraft, as well as potentially some marine applications, production volumes are
likely to be in the region of a few thousands per year.
Engine build so far for the
flat eight-cylinder stretches to two complete engines for testing and EPS is
working on manufacturing multiple engines that will be used in the first step
of the process to FAA certification.
Although EPS has a pilot
manufacturing plant in New Richmond it is sourcing any of the critical parts
from "world class" suppliers with resources to produce
"top-of-the-line" components like BMW, Porsche, Audi, Bosch (fuel
injection and engine control), Mahle Konig of Austria (steel pistons), Hoeckle
GmbH (crankshaft – the company also makes V8, V10 and V12 crankshafts for Audi,
BMW and Mercedes-Benz) and Grainger & Worrall (cylinder blocks and
heads) - names familiar to readers of
this newsletter.
“Building on our design experience with
automotive diesel engines, we knew that Compacted Graphite Iron was the optimal
material for the crankcase of our Graflight V8,” said Michael Fuchs, president
of EPS. “The aero-engine industry has been relying on outdated engine
technology and fuels for more than 20 years. Our use of modern technologies
such as CGI, steel pistons, common rail fuel injection and electronic engine
control form the basis of our competitive advantage, our contribution to the
aviation industry, and our market opportunity.”
He added: “Our partnerships for the
supply of critical components and technologies, with proven world class suppliers
like Grainger & Worrall and SinterCast, are a key element of our ability to
meet the necessarily stringent requirements set by the aviation authorities.
Together, Edward Grainger, business
development director at Grainger & Worrall and Dr Steve Dawson, president
and chief executive officer of SinterCast said: “We are pleased to contribute
our experience from more than 10 years of joint CGI product development and the
launch of more than 50 state-of-the-art CGI engine programmes to this exciting
project, both for the development phase and for the future series production.
The EPS engine provides a high profile application for CGI and further reinforces
the benefits of CGI in demanding modern engine applications.”
EPS’s venture into aviation
applications of CGI must give added re-assurance to current users of the
material, as well as those working on the sidelines to bring their own engine
applications to fruition, and to maximize the potential benefits of CGI.
In addition, it is worth bearing in
mind that it is surely far safer to push CGI to the limits on road or in the
water than it is in the air.
Meanwhile in the UK, the new CGI volume
will add useful business for the UK foundry in Shropshire which, among other
work, specialises in CGI prototyping with one of its most recent jobs being the
CGI vee blocks for the Ford EcoBoost 2.7-litre turbocharged gasoline engine
that in 2016 could see applications beyond the F-150 pick-up truck and the
Lincoln Continental.
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