2.0 L Diesel Engine Propeller Gear Box

[PhatRV]

I saw this propeller reduction gear-box for a 2.0L diesel engine from General Atomic. This is also an accessory gearbox driving a dual generator/alternator. This engine not only has to power the Predator drone but it also needs to generate a lot of electrical power.

Unfortunately, it only produces 160HP. If you drop off some of the redundant military equipment, it can probably power the smaller RVs.

 

[PhatRV]

This is the exterior view of the engine. It is a 4 cylinder inline. The generator can be seen on the lower left side of the engine. An identical generator is found on the right side. The main gear box lubrication hose with the inline filter is seen in the foreground.

 

[Majorpayne317641]

How much is the question

 

[tspear]

How much is the question

And will they sell it.

Tim

 

[PhatRV]

And will they sell it.

Tim

How much of this development was paid by our money? This engine was used on the Gray Eagle drone.

 

[rockyfatcat]

Maintenance nightmare:

Continental CD-155I Is the Continental Motors, Inc. brand name of the Centurion 2.0S with 155 PS (114 kW).<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thielert_Centurion#cite_note-Niles28Jul14-9"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a> The engine must be replaced every 2,100 hours, the gearbox has to be replaced for an inspection at 900 hours, the high-pressure pump has a life limit of 600 hours, the alternator of 600 hours, friction disk of 900 hours, V-ribbed belt of 1,200 hours, alternator excitation battery of 12 months. Fuel, oil, and cooling lines are replaced at 60 months<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thielert_Centurion#cite_note-AIN21nov2018-10"><span>[</span>10<span>]</span></a> except for the Robin DR400 where these items are 'on condition' with no set life-limit. The dual mass flywheel, which is intended to have the same life as the engine, is tested in-situ at 1,200 hours.

 

[tspear]

How much of this development was paid by our money? This engine was used on the Gray Eagle drone.

Likely, all of it. Lycoming had a Diesel engine used in a drone, the DEL120 if I recall the name correctly. I called Lycoming about it for a friend who wanted to use it in a Sling, the answer I received was legally they were NOT allowed to sell the engine.

Having been a federal contractor in the IT space from roughly 2000 to 2015, I have seen DoD and other agencies move much more to a model where the government owns the IP. So, it is possible that General Atomic and Lycoming may have done the work, and may even service/build/produce them, but the companies might not own anything about it.

A long time ago, my company had a contract with DoD, they paid us as consultants to develop an application. It took about five years, but we eventually did get permission to make a product based on the IP we developed for DoD; but by then the IT world had passed us by. In this case, it is possible the product life could be long enough, that it is viable to chase this.

Tim

 

[tspear]

@rockyfatcat

I am on the diamondaviatiors.net forum. If you are actually really interested in the CMI engine, go there. People do run it past TBR, and each generation of the engine has had incremental improvement and reduction in maintenance items. I crunched the numbers a few years ago, and from a scheduled maintenance viewpoint, the longer intervals on the CMI diesel engines versus Lycoming/CMI, even with the higher prices on the CMI parts but lower fuel burn and lower fuel costs, your operating costs end up being a wash between the engines.

Tim

 

[penguin]

Maintenance nightmare:

Continental CD-155I Is the Continental Motors, Inc. brand name of the Centurion 2.0S with 155 PS (114 kW).<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thielert_Centurion#cite_note-Niles28Jul14-9"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a> The engine must be replaced every 2,100 hours, the gearbox has to be replaced for an inspection at 900 hours, the high-pressure pump has a life limit of 600 hours, the alternator of 600 hours, friction disk of 900 hours, V-ribbed belt of 1,200 hours, alternator excitation battery of 12 months. Fuel, oil, and cooling lines are replaced at 60 months<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thielert_Centurion#cite_note-AIN21nov2018-10"><span>[</span>10<span>]</span></a> except for the Robin DR400 where these items are 'on condition' with no set life-limit. The dual mass flywheel, which is intended to have the same life as the engine, is tested in-situ at 1,200 hours.

You're a little out of date here, gearboxes now run 1200 hours, there is no friction disc, now a dmf, alternator, HP and LP fuel pumps and rail pressure valve run 600 hours, but only in certified airframe. FADEC has a 6 year life. But the engine has single lever control, burns 6 gph and retains power to (I think) 14000ft. Difficult to get for a homebuilt as engine has to be returned for overhaul. The alternative is an Austro engine which uses the same base (Mercedes) engine but runs 1800 hours before overhaul, but is thrown away, so maybe available for a homebuilt. The latest engines are cracking pistons at around 300 hours so get one built before about 2019. Both these engines are used Diamond twins (and singles in Europe). Each has plenty of ADs so a little care is required. They are heavier than Lycomings.