Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle has an internal combustion engine, and a fuel and lubrication system comprising a fuelling system for fuelling the engine and a lubrication system for delivering lubricating oil to the engine. The fuelling system comprises a fuel reservoir from which fuel can be delivered to the engine. The fuel reservoir comprises a main tank and a header tank. The lubrication system comprises an oil tank. The oil tank is accommodated internally within the main tank to provide an integrated assembly. The arrangement provides for warming of lubrication oil for the UAV engine using several available heat sources. Further, the arrangement facilitates a configuration and layout intended to minimise or negate any undesirable moments of inertia for the UAV during flight as fuel and oil is consumed.

Abstract: A system and method for delivering lubrication oil to an internal combustion engine. The engine lubrication system (10) comprises a lubrication oil reservoir (13), a pump (15) to deliver lubrication oil to the engine from the reservoir (13), and a pressurization system (17) for pressurizing oil received by the pump from the reservoir for delivery to the engine. The pressurization establishes a positive pressure at the pump inlet to assist delivery of oil having entrained vapor cavities to the engine for lubrication thereof. The pump (15) comprises a solenoid actuated positive displacement pump, whereby operation of the pump may be selectively controlled by the manner in which the solenoid is operated. The engine lubrication system (10) further comprises a pressure release system (46) comprising pressure relief valve (47) for relieving excess fluid pressure within the oil reservoir (13).

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle has an internal combustion engine, and a fuel and lubrication system comprising a fuelling system for fuelling the engine and a lubrication system for delivering lubricating oil to the engine. The fuelling system comprises a fuel reservoir from which fuel can be delivered to the engine. The fuel reservoir comprises a main tank and a header tank. The lubrication system comprises an oil tank. The oil tank is accommodated internally within the main tank to provide an integrated assembly. The arrangement provides for warming of lubrication oil for the UAV engine using several available heat sources. Further, the arrangement facilitates a configuration and layout intended to minimise or negate any undesirable moments of inertia for the UAV during flight as fuel and oil is consumed.

Abstract: An air cooling system for an unmanned aerial vehicle including a propeller (14) driven by an engine (12) has at least one cooling air duct (22) to direct cooling air to cool a vehicle component e.g. a cylinder head. The duct has at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet. Operation of the propeller causes a pressure differential between the air outlet (24,124) and the air inlet (23,123) which draws air through said cooling air duct (22). A cowling (16) can cover at least part of the engine, and can form a plenum and have the supply of cooling air through a front face aperture (164) or side walls (17) of the engine cowl (16).

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) engine (40) lubrication system and lubrication oil heating strategy uses a solenoid actuated electric oil pump (10,42) to deliver lubrication oil to the engine from a lubrication oil reservoir (12,44) by energizing and de-energizing the solenoid (18) to operate a pump mechanism of the electric oil pump. A controller (ECU) (100) can control operation of the electric oil pump, the solenoid maintained energized for a required period of time to cause heating of the oil without continuously pumping the oil. An electric oil pump control strategy can maintain engine speed dependent minimum oil delivery rates, can heat the electric oil pump and oil through extended energized (ON) time of the solenoid, and, by varying the turn on time of the electronic oil pump based on sensed ambient temperature, long time periods can be used to ensure oil delivery for cold temperatures, and shorter times are permitted when necessary in order to reach maximum oil flow rate.

Abstract: A system and method for delivering lubrication oil to an internal combustion engine. The engine lubrication system (10) comprises a lubrication oil reservoir (13), a pump (15) to deliver lubrication oil to the engine from the reservoir (13), and a pressurisation system (17) for pressurising oil received by the pump from the reservoir for delivery to the engine. The pressurisation establishes a positive pressure at the pump inlet to assist delivery of oil having entrained vapour cavities to the engine for lubrication thereof. The pump (15) comprises a solenoid actuated positive displacement pump, whereby operation of the pump may be selectively controlled by the manner in which the solenoid is operated. The engine lubrication system (10) further comprises a pressure release system (46) comprising pressure relief valve (47) for relieving excess fluid pressure within the oil reservoir (13).

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) engine (40) lubrication system and lubrication oil heating strategy uses a solenoid actuated electric oil pump (10,42) to deliver lubrication oil to the engine from a lubrication oil reservoir (12,44) by energising and de-energising the solenoid (18) to operate a pump mechanism of the electric oil pump. A controller (ECU) (100) can control operation of the electric oil pump, the solenoid maintained energised for a required period of time to cause heating of the oil without continuously pumping the oil. An electric oil pump control strategy can maintain engine speed dependent minimum oil delivery rates, can heat the electric oil pump and oil through extended energised (ON) time of the solenoid, and, by varying the turn on time of the electronic oil pump based on sensed ambient temperature, long time periods can be used to ensure oil delivery for cold temperatures, and shorter times are permitted when necessary in order to reach maximum oil flow rate.

Abstract: An air cooling system for an unmanned aerial vehicle including a propeller (14) driven by an engine (12) has at least one cooling air duct (22) to direct cooling air to cool a vehicle component e.g. a cylinder head. The duct has at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet. Operation of the propeller causes a pressure differential between the air outlet (24,124) and the air inlet (23,123) which draws air through said cooling air duct (22). A cowling (16) can cover at least part of the engine, and can form a plenum and have the supply of cooling air through a front face aperture (164) or side walls (17) of the engine cowl (16).

Abstract: A gaseous fuel injection system (10) for delivering metered amounts of gaseous fuel into the combustion chamber of an engine, and also a method for injecting gaseous fuel directly into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The gaseous fuel injection system (10) comprises a body structure (11) defining a holding chamber (13) from which a fluid mixture contained therein can be subsequently delivered by a delivery injector (15) into the combustion chamber. The delivery injector (15) has an inlet (16) communicating with the holding chamber (13) and an outlet (18) for communication with the combustion chamber. The holding chamber (13) is adapted to receive a quantity of gaseous fuel from a fuel source through an inlet port (17). The holding chamber (13) is also adapted to receive a metered quantity of a supplementary gaseous fluid through a metering means (21). In one arrangement, the supplementary gaseous fluid may function as a diluent for the gaseous fuel.

Abstract: Disclosed is an internal combustion engine comprising at least one cylinder with a reciprocating piston to provide said engine with at least one combustion chamber, said combustion chamber further comprising a delivery injector for injecting fuel directly into said combustion chamber, said engine further comprising at least one valved inlet air duct for delivering combustion air into said combustion chamber, wherein at least said inlet air duct and/or its valve is arranged to provide a low tumble inlet port to said at least one combustion chamber, said combustion chamber, in use, having low in-cylinder tumble gas motion of said combustion air and wherein said low in-cylinder tumble gas motion of said combustion air reduces over-enleanment of fuel in end gas regions of said combustion chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed is an Internal combustion engine comprising at least one cylinder with a reciprocating piston to provide said engine with at least one combustion chamber, said combustion chamber further comprising a delivery injector for injecting fuel directly into said combustion chamber, said engine further comprising at least one valved inlet air duct for delivering combustion air into said combustion chamber, wherein at least said inlet air duct and/or its valve is arranged to provide a low tumble inlet port to said at least one combustion chamber, said combustion chamber, in use, having low in-cylinder tumble gas motion of said combustion air and wherein said low in-cylinder tumble gas motion of said combustion air reduces over-enleanment of fuel in end gas regions of said combustion chamber.