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High Speed Positive Displacement Injector for Rate Shaping Direct Injection

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Air Force
Contract: FA8650-18-P-2131
Agency Tracking Number: F181-032-0619
Amount: $149,999.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: AF181-032
Solicitation Number: 2018.1
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2018
Award Year: 2018
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2018-08-17
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2019-08-17
Small Business Information
11 Tech Circle
Natick, MA 01760
United States
DUNS: 184629491
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: Yes
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Nathaniel Demmons
 (508) 655-5565
 nate@busek.com
Business Contact
 Judy Budny
Phone: (508) 655-5565
Email: judy@busek.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

When internal combustion engines are converted to heavy hydrocarbon fuels, such as JP-8, they become prone to knock, which reduces power and shortens engine life.One method for avoiding engine knock is establishing stratified fuel/air charges within the cylinder, where near stoichiometric mixtures are retained in proximity to the point of ignition and lean elsewhere.However, generating stratified charges on small, high-speed engines, like those used for small UAVs is limited by the speed of the direct injection system.Busek proposes to develop a high-speed, piezo-actuated fuel injector for the purposes of fuel rate shaping to avoid engine knock in high speed engines.Rapid and controllable injection will be achieved by direct application of high force onto a prescribed incompressible volume, allowing for precise sub-millisecond actuation resolution while providing injection pressure amplification within the injector, thus reducing required fuel supply pressures.Relevant engines will be assessed and numerically modeled to ascertain optimum injection profiles for developing stratified charges.A proof-of-concept positive displacement actuator will be designed, fabricated, and tested via high speed imaging to confirm proper injector function at relevant time scales.Results shall be used to guide subsequent development of a prototype suitable for engine testing in Phase II.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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