This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop and demonstrate a MEMS-scale integrated microfluidic fuel injector for small internal combustion engines to improve their efficiency. This will allow the use of these engines in small autonomous aircraft for long endurance science missions. The development of a high efficiency engine with a microfluidic fuel injector will allow long range missions to be flown. The long range, long endurance capability of the unmanned air vehicles (UAV) hinges on the availability of a suitable high efficiency engine: the MEMS fuel injector enables complete burning of the micron-sized fuel droplets, thereby boosting fuel efficiency. The cleaner burning also results in reduced emissions. The same technology can be applied to larger engines as well for other applications.
Work is ongoing with several university groups and federal agencies to develop UAVs for scientific and tactical missions. The microfluidic injector developed in this effort can also be modified and made available for other manufacturers' engines. It can be used to improve fuel efficiency, and reduce emissions on other small engines, such as those used in garden tools, and recreational/sport vehicles. The spin-off applications of the core microfluidic ejection technologies include: biomedical and chemical sampling and delivery, direct writing and packaging for electronics/optoelectronics manufacturing, solid freeform fabrication, optical device fabrication, advanced spraying techniques, electronic chip and board cooling, etc.
