V-T-1 - You're never going to get a "new" diesel aircraft engine that is a model of simplicity.
To reach the required level of technological advancement, to produce high HP from low weight, there will have to be a degree of complexity.
Complexity in itself is not a bad thing, it's excessive complexity is where the problems start.
The reason the likelihood of any of the above engines getting "off the ground", so to speak, is low... is that not only do they not offer serious advances in engine technology... but that the companies themselves are not necessarily well-focussed, or well-organised.
For any new diesel aircraft engine to succeed, it will need to have...
1. Wide appeal... to as many markets as possible... to assist with lowering the cost base...
2. Serious technological advances in metallurgy, combustion principles, and a sizeable leap in advancement of IC diesel engine design...
3. A company behind it, that is well funded... has an MD or CEO that "drives" the development process, and who can convince buyers that the engine has major advantages over anything else available...
4. A development program that is mappable, and has "waypoints" of development and proving, that are laid out in a concrete manner.. and largely met, on time, and on-budget.
Of course, having a potential military buyer to tap into, is often of very great assistance... as the military is often prepared to spend vast sums of money on promising projects, that many civilian operators would recoil from, in horror.
I don't see where any of the current crop of "new" diesel aircraft engine suppliers/companies are focussed enough, funded enough, or have enough "drive" behind them... to produce a viable diesel aircraft engine, that would make 99% of potential buyers/users, rush to outlay a serious deposit on one.
The problems behind the design and production of a highly satisfactory diesel aircraft engine, are many and varied.
They range from the much higher combustion pressures of a diesel (requiring serious strength in pistons and cylinders .. to serious vibration problems, created by the greater combustion impact of a diesel stroke.
The simplicity of a diesel is offset by many of these other inherent problems, that can only be overcome by advances in technology and improved design.
Rudolf Diesel produced a workable, patented, diesel engine design in 1896.
It took until the mid-1920's, before the diesel engine was adequately refined to install in a truck. It was a crude effort, compared to later truck diesels.
It took until 1931 before Caterpillar could produce a "lightweight", speed-adjustable diesel engine that was suitable for use in crawler tractors.
Caterpillar expended over US$1,000,000 (in 1928 dollars) between 1928 and 1931 to produce just three, working, prototype engines.
Even then, Caterpillar still had to "sell" their diesel tractor, despite its major fuel efficiency advantage.
Cummins Engine Co ran at a loss, every year, for 17 years (1920 to 1937), before it finally turned a profit, with a diesel truck engine, that offered serious advances in efficiency, reliability, fuel economy, and longevity.
It was extremely fortunate indeed, that Clessie Cummins was fully bankrolled for that entire period, by a banking family that believed in his Cummins diesel dream.
The same kind of intensive effort, research and development is now going to be required, to produce an aircraft diesel engine, that everyone will be flocking to purchase.
Last edited by onetrack; 16th Jan 2011 at 07:22.
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