Nearhoof said the fuel system uses a patented technology called “pulse width modulation” to control fuel flow to the engine. The system not only reduces operating and purchase costs, but also simplifies the use of the turbine. “This is light years beyond FADEC,” Nearhoof said. The engine spins at 61,000 rpm and the computer that controls the fuel flow can make three decisions for each rotation. “It gives new meaning to the term ‘full authority,'” Nearhoof said. The company is now working with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) on a test regime to determine the efficiency of the system, and Innodyn is not talking about fuel flow till those results are in. At Sun ‘n’ Fun, in April, the company was reporting 13.3 gallons per hour in the RV-4. “We [are] completing assembly on sophisticated equipment to precisely determine fuel flow versus horsepower,” the company says now on its Web site. “Until we have completed this detailed testing, we are hesitant to boast about our fuel flow rates. … We will make this information available as soon as possible.” The engine can burn diesel, kerosene or Jet A, and Innodyn says it expects to conduct tests with biodiesel in the near future.
…With Patented Fuel Technology…
Key Takeaways:
- Innodyn has developed a patented "pulse width modulation" fuel system for turbine engines, described as significantly more advanced than FADEC.
- This innovative system aims to reduce operating and purchase costs, simplify turbine use, and provide precise fuel flow control.
- The engine is multi-fuel capable, burning diesel, kerosene, or Jet A, with future plans to test biodiesel.
- Innodyn is currently collaborating with DARPA on a test regime to precisely determine the system's efficiency and fuel flow rates before releasing detailed performance data.
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