Perhaps the aircraft diesel engine designers will benefit from a talk to Mazda about their new SkyActiv-D low compression diesel engines.
By lowering compression to 14.0:1 and by initiating earlier injection of fuel (BTDC as compared to TDC in regular diesels), Mazda have been able to produce a diesel engine that performs more like a petrol (gasoline) engine.
The weight savings in the design of the Mazda SkyActiv-D engine are substantial, with many major components being lightened to the order of up to 25%, as compared to conventional diesels.
The additional benefits of the SkyActiv design are better fuel economy, reduced emission levels and more responsiveness.
The SkyActiv design includes Variable Valve Lift, and twin, two-stage turbochargers, that are all proven principles, that produce the best performance out of IC design.
Building NA diesels is a waste of time, diesels have to be turboed to extract maximum efficiency from the diesel principle.
MAZDA: SKYACTIV-D | ENGINE | SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY