Connecticut-based company LiquidPiston is developing a portable generator for the US Army that uses a fresh and extremely powerful take on the rotary engine.
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Engine technologies that push the boundaries
Rotating detonation engines, plasma thrusters, hypersonic scramjets … engine technology is rapidly advancing on numerous fronts. Here's a look at some of the emerging systems that might be taking your from A to B (or Earth to Mars) in the future.
A Chinese team has demonstrated a prototype of a microwave plasma thruster capable of producing thrust with an efficiency comparable to the jet engines.
Reaction Engines and Britain's Science and Technology Facilities Council have completed a concept study into the practicality of using ammonia as a jet aviation fuel.
Ultra Safe Nuclear Technologies has developed a concept for a new Nuclear Thermal Propulsion engine that's claimed to be safer and more reliable than previous designs, and have far greater efficiency than a chemical rocket.
A team working with the US Air Force claims it has built and tested an experimental model of a rotating detonation rocket engine, which uses spinning explosions inside a ring channel to create super-efficient thrust.
Constructed using 3D printing technology, the Prometheus is a liquid-fueled rocket engine demonstrator intended as the model for the next generation of reusable propulsion systems suitable for a wide variety of launch vehicles.
Aerojet Rocketdyne has achieved a new record thrust output from a scramjet engine, generating 13,000 lb of thrust under various hypersonic flight conditions.
It’s been a long road, but the team at GE Aviation has now earned official US certification for the world’s largest commercial aircraft engine.
Undefined Technologies claims it has managed to increase the thrust levels of ion propulsion systems to "unprecedented levels," enabling very quiet drones ... that look like flying pallets.
