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DeltaHawk's Aircraft V-4 Turbo Diesel Engine for PA-18?

irapilot

Registered User
AK then OR then OH then VT
Would it be pretty cool to get an STC for the DeltaHawk's Aircraft V-4 Turbo Diesel Engine for a PA-18?

http://www.deltahawkengines.com/

160 and 200 hp models, at 2,700 rpm
possible higher horsepower V-4 version (lower TBO)
jet-A (JP5) fuel, or #2 diesel where ambient temperatures are high enough to avoid gelling (above 20 degrees F)
BSFC = .39 lb/hp/hr
for a 1,000 nm trip in a Velocity at 65% power, this translates to:
40.9 gal Jet A for the V-4, versus
57.3 gal 100LL for Lycoming IO-360
lower part count and fewer potential leakage points than the current 4-cylinder gasoline-powered aircraft engines:
no cam shaft or valve train
no head gaskets to blow and no head bolts
fully doweled, four bolt main construction (12 studs)
inherently stout block and compact V-4 design
no ignition system
currently about 295 lbs including starter, oil pump, fuel pump, water pump, alternator, turbocharger, all internal lines and internal exhaust system
total installed weight with coolant, oil and heat exchangers is approximately 335 lbs

What do you all think?
 
The weight might not be as bad as you think. A typical O360 with Crosswinds STOL exhaust, light weight starter & alternator ready to go is about 286 lbs. with the A200 82-45 your adding about 38 lbs. The diesal could use a lighter prop maybe 20 lbs lighter because the delta hawk engine does not have any of the opposing forces generated by the gasoline engine. All in all the weight might balance out fairly resonable, plus you get another 20 H.P. In addition you can carry a lot less fuel because of the improved fuel economy. This link has some better comparisons.

http://www.deltahawkengines.com/econom00.htm
 
deisel & gas

>>The weight might not be as bad as you think. A typical O360 with Crosswinds STOL exhaust, light weight starter & alternator ready to go is about 286 lbs. with the A200 82-45 your adding about 38 lbs.<<

The deisel site mentioned that they omitted the weight of the alternator, so you need to add about another 12-14 pounds, making the difference about 50 pounds. even at that, it implies that the weight of the radiators, coolant, oil, oil cooler, and hoses is only 38 pounds. That sounds a tad optimistic to me.

>>The diesal could use a lighter prop maybe 20 lbs lighter because the delta hawk engine does not have any of the opposing forces<<

A Sensenitch in this size range weighs about 34 pounds, so you are suggesting a 14 pound prop. Does that sound about right?

>> generated by the gasoline engine. All in all the weight might balance out fairly resonable, plus you get another 20 H.P.<<

Or you might try 10:1 pistons in the original engine, picking up the extra 20 hp for a weight penalty of a few ounces while improving the specific fuel burn.

>> In addition you can carry a lot less fuel because of the improved fuel economy. <<

And the deisel fuel weighs more per gallon, so you can offset that by using smaller tanks. Also, you'll need to run the deisel upside down to fit the original cowl.
 
I wasn't stating facts, just generalizations. Since Sensenitch does not make an equivalent prop to the McCauley 1A200/DFA 82-45 I will generalize that a prop for this engine could weight in near 20 lbs minus hardware. Just my opinion.
 
Deisels have a higher impulse per stroke. Could you keep the propeller together?
 
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