USA: LiquidPiston presents small compression ignited rotary engine at GVSETS.

Technical achievements show rotary diesel engine with High Efficiency Hybrid Cycle (HEHC) sas potential to increase ground vehicle and generator efficiency by 30%.

A future, hybrid-electric military ground vehicle using a compact and efficient X engine as a range extender, along with a high speed alternator, and JP-8 or diesel fuel, would enable the military to take better advantage of the efficiency, range and low noise benefits of electric propulsion, while eliminating electric-only disadvantages such as its high price tag and onboard battery weight,” said Dr. Alexander Shkolnik, cofounder and CEO of LiquidPiston. (Illustration: LquidPiston)

LiquidPiston, an advanced internal combustion engine technology company, will be presenting a technical paper at the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering and Technology Symposium (GVSETS) starting today at the Novi Suburban Collection Showplace in Metro Detroit. The 10th annual symposium will bring together more than 1,000 defense contractor executives, military program managers, engineers, and other key decision-makers over three days to discuss initiatives, programs, plans, and technologies in next-generation ground vehicles for both manned and unmanned systems.

The rotary ‘X’ engine developed by LiquidPiston offers an efficient, compact, lightweight, quiet, and vibration-free power solution. The X engine is an optimized rotary engine operating on a higher efficiency thermodynamic cycle, fundamentally improving efficiency and solving the sealing and operational limitations of the traditional Wankel rotary engine.

The technical achievements being presented by LiquidPiston at GVSETS include the development of the company’s compression ignited 30kW, 40hp X4 rotary engine for diesel and jet-fueled engines, which are relied upon by the military. LiquidPiston will also cover recent milestones achieved by the ‘X Mini Diesel’ (XMD) multi-fueled engine, which is currently in development for insertion into a hybrid-electric power supply to power the digital fire control system of the M777 Howitzer. In addition, LiquidPistion will present possible future applications of the X engine as a range extender for hybrid-electric military ground vehicles.

“A future, hybrid-electric military ground vehicle using a compact and efficient X engine as a range extender, along with a high speed alternator, and JP-8 or diesel fuel, would enable the military to take better advantage of the efficiency, range and low noise benefits of electric propulsion, while eliminating electric-only disadvantages such as its high price tag and onboard battery weight,” said Dr. Alexander Shkolnik, cofounder and CEO of LiquidPiston.