With innovation focused almost exclusively on the world of electric motors, internal combustion engines continue to demonstrate that they have significant room for improvement in the field of performance and size. Because of this, some companies continue to bet on design increasingly efficient platforms at the same time small and light to reach where others still cannot.
One of the most promising examples of this type of technology is the MA-250 engine being developed by the American company Avadi Engines. “We have spent years reimagining the design of internal combustion engines and have now successfully developed and patented one of the most fuel efficient, lightweight and forward-thinking engines of today’s world,” they point out on the website.
“Our vision is to advance proven technology and create a family of lighter, smaller and greener engines that will help create a better, cleaner world.” The latest news from Avadi Engines is from last fall, when they reported some setbacks in the part of the valve that regulates the air intake to the engine.
MD-250 Engine
Avadi Engines
As explained in a note, They already found the solution to the problem without having to add more weight than they had originally established and without a substantial increase in friction. “What we have achieved is an architecture that is both elegant and, compared to our previous direction, very simple,” they note.
“It is important for us to develop an engine that is incredibly reliable but can also be competitive within the drone and unmanned aerial vehicle industry“. They also indicate that they have initiated contact with manufacturers and defense contractors who “are ready and willing to use our technology once we have reached engine maturity.”
Small and efficient
The Avadi MA-250 is a 4-stroke engine that has been Designed with the principle of “minimalism and simplicity”, indicate the creators. The company’s goal has been to reimagine everything surrounding the design of a traditional piston-driven internal combustion engine to come up with a new formula.
The patented design is composed of a single cylinder with a self-centering rotating piston connected to a pair of self-balancing and counter-rotating connecting rods. “The scissor-type motion of the connecting rods efficiently translates the piston’s vertical stroke into rotational motion without a traditional crankshaft-based powertrain,” such as that found in most combustion cars today.
Avadi Engines MD-250 Engine Schematic
With this they manage to exert a minimum lateral pressure on the cylinder wall, reducing friction, heat and wear; which at the same time increase the overall reliability of the engine. The counterbalanced cams balance each other, creating much less vibration than a traditional internal combustion engine.
“Avadi’s innovative intake and exhaust systems use the rotational motion of the powertrain to eliminate the need for a traditional valvetrain driven by the camshaft”, they state in the specifications sheet. This part has been the one that has caused the most problems in recent times within the company and to which they refer in the latest report on the status of development.
Regarding specifications, Avadi Engines indicates that the engine is capable of delivering up to 15.8 horsepower, a torque of 30.14 Nm at 3,500 rpm with a total weight of 10.7 kilograms. “I’m really impressed with the engine… with the whole concept,” said Rick Paya, president of RPM Racing Engines. “The tests we did on the test bench were very tough and the engine withstood everything.” The official efficiency of the set is 42%, much higher than the 25% achieved by the average gasoline engine.
Land, sea and air
The main advantages of the Avadi MA-250 are its small size, lightness of composition and efficiency. With them, the company intends to integrate the propellant into a wide range of platforms by land, sea and air. “The introduction of the scalable engine will create new opportunities for industries to find many new applications,” they say.
Cutting of an MD-250 engine
Avandi Engines
“Design can be easily scaled up or down […] depending on the power, weight and size requirements,” they point out. “Anywhere you find a small internal combustion engine, we believe the Avadi engine can meet that need with a better, smaller, lighter power unit and with greater fuel efficiency.”
In the automotive industry it could be integrated as electric vehicle power generator and trucks, as well as on motorcycles, boats or vehicles for special applications. Also as a pure generator for recreational outings, construction or in the military environment as a portable power unit.
Other fields of applications that Avadi advertises are as refrigeration units in both the mobile and fixed environment, unmanned aerial vehicles —military, agricultural or logistics— and motogliders. Finally, lawnmowers, cultivators and all types of agricultural equipment.
