LiquidPiston: Reimagining Rotary Engines for Next-Gen Power Systems

THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ICE INNOVATION
When first introduced, the internal combustion engine (ICE) was revolutionary. But that was over 150 years ago. Today, power applications demand more – greater efficiency, lower weight, smaller size and broader fuel type compatibility - which most traditional piston engines cannot fulfill. While, on the one hand, battery availability, electric grid limitations and the challenge of charging remain impediments to electrification, and, on the other, the opportunity for clean hydrogen fuel becomes a greater near-term reality, a significant opportunity has opened up for a new ICE power system solution which addresses some of the key limitations of conventional combustion engines and also meets modern needs. Especially critical will be high power density and reliability - traits that are especially useful to power mobile applications including drones, reliable mobile generators and hybrid-electric cars and other vehicles.

LIQUIDPISTON’S RESPONSE – THE X-ENGINE^TM
LiquidPiston was founded with a mission to reimagine the combustion engine, and after 20 years and 82 patents, recently announced the XTS-210, the first in a series of engines that the company plans to commercialize based on their X-EngineTM platform. The XTS-210 reduces size and weight by up to 80 percent compared to traditional piston diesel engines while generating comparable power output. The X-Engine has been successfully demonstrated in a drone, as well as in go-kart, scooter, and portable electric power generator applications. It has also demonstrated true multi-fuel capability by effectively burning diesel, jet fuel, kerosene, gasoline, propane, and hydrogen.

“Powered by our patented High Efficiency Hybrid thermodynamic Cycle (HEHC), the XTS-210 is a 25 horsepower, two-stroke, liquid-cooled 210 cc internal combustion rotary engine approximately the size of a basketball,” says Alec Shkolnik, president and CEO of LiquidPiston. The X-Engine design has six three combustion events per each rotor revolution and an order of magnitude fewer parts, thereby reducing weight, saving space, and delivering remarkable power density compared to comparably-rated piston engines. The X-Engine platform addresses the lubrication, durability, and emissions issues associated with the traditional rotary engine while retaining the high power density attributes.

UAS APPLICATIONS FOR THE MILITARY
By effectively burning diesel and other “heavy” fuels such as jetfuel in the sub-100 hp power class, the X-Engine is ideal for many military applications, like drones, which are currently forced to use small piston engines designed for gasoline. The gasoline requirement forces the military to have two fuel logistics systems and also deal with the safety issues associated with “light” explosive fuels. The DoD is actively seeking more viable drone power solutions in the sub-100 hp class to power next generation Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS). Requirements include compatibility with military-grade heavy fuels, longer mission endurance (ie, range), integration with hybrid electric propulsion, and the ability to generate on-board electric power for advanced surveillance and other systems. In addition, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) on ships and in remote areas without landing fields has grown in importance.

LiquidPiston has extensive U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) engagement to help solve these challenges, having previously worked with the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) and currently with the Army Research Labs (ARL), the Combat Capabilities Development Command C5SIR Center, and the US Air Force on core engine development, hybrid electric drone propulsion and mobile power generation. The company recently announced a $35M award from the Air Force, including $15M in prestigious STRATFI funding, for development of a lightweight, portable, modular, and scalable heavy-fueled Rotary Engine Hybrid Power System™ for multiple mobile power applications. This funding complements over $40M raised in private funding, including an ongoing Regulation A offering* that is being made available to the public.

“Although we are inventors of a new combustion engine, we are also avid supporters of electrification in power systems, so we have also developed our engine to effectively couple with electric generators and complement batteries in hybrid-electric configurations. We overcome today’s challenges of battery availability and cost by reducing the amount of battery required via our smaller, lighter and more efficient engine. In that way, LiquidPiston can accelerate the transition to electric propulsion,” states Shkolnik.

*This investment is speculative, illiquid, and involves a high degree of risk, including the possible loss of your entire investment. For more information about this offering, please view LiquidPiston’s Offering Circular and Related Risks.