Investigation of a Novel Hot Surface Ignition Assistance Device for Diesel Aviation Engines

This study investigates the performance of a novel hot-surface ignition-assistance (IA) device to enhance combustion in military UAV diesel engines operating at high altitude and using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blends. SAFs, while environmentally advantageous, often exhibit low cetane numbers, leading to longer ignition delays and reduced combustion efficiency. The IA device developed by Creare LLC is a diesel glow plug designed to operate continuously at 1300°C, unlike a typical glow plug, which operates for short durations during cold starts. We utilize this novel IA to investigate combustion characteristics in a constant-volume combustion chamber under ambient conditions and compare them with those of a standard Bosch glow plug. This study found that the novel IA device-initiated ignition occurred at distances from the fuel spray, whereas the Bosch plug required direct or near-contact with the spray jet. Additionally, the novel IA device enabled higher total heat release values at lower temperatures. These results demonstrate that the advanced IA device developed can provide a more effective solution to address the ignition challenges of low-reactivity SAFs in diesel aviation engines.