Orbital and Bajaj Expand Direct Injection Partnership to Gas-Fueled Three-Wheelers
18 September 2006
|
| Orbital uses compressed air to atomize the fuel charge in its direct-injection system rather than high pressure. |
Orbital Corporation and Bajaj Auto have expanded their licensing arrangements to cover liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) applications. In May 2004, the two announced a Technical Cooperation Agreement for the application of Orbital’s direct-injection technology to Bajaj’s autorickshaw three-wheeler vehicles.
The earlier agreement was directed to gasoline-fueled applications. The new arrangement enable the addition of two new gaseous models to the three-wheeler range.
Bajaj, based in Pune, India, is one of India’s largest producers of two- and three-wheelers and dominates the autorickshaw market segment in Asia. The autorickshaw is the ubiquitous form of transport throughout India and much of Asia and is currently enjoying strong growth.
The expansion of the Technical Cooperation Agreement to cover LPG & CNG applications will provide Bajaj with the ability to satisfy the burgeoning market for gaseous powered vehicles. India is making significant investments in the LPG and CNG delivery infrastructure and has mandated the exclusive use of CNG fuel for Commercial Vehicles in the city of Delhi.
Bajaj is currently conducting pilot fleet manufacture and field trials of its Orbital direct-injection gasoline-powered autorickshaws.
Rather than using high pressure injection to atomize the fuel charge in a manner similar to diesel injection , Orbital uses an air-assisted low-pressure direct fuel injection, combustion and engine management system: the Orbital Combustion Process (OCP) technology. With OCP, compressed air breaks up the fuel droplets. OCP is in production on engines as small as 50cc and as large as 500cc per cylinder.
At light loads, the direct injection system allows engines to run very lean. Under high load conditions, the OCP system runs similar to a homogeneously charged engine, with good mixing of the fuel/air mixtures within the cylinder.
Resources:
Orbital won the Clean Snowmobile Challange ran by the SAE (Society of Automobile Engineers) a few years ago. Their engines were cleaner and more effecient than the best 4 stroke and made more power per weight or displacement. My father first pointed out this company about 15 years ago. Glad to see them still around. Wonder how well this would work in light aviation GA.
Posted by: Andy | 19 September 2006 at 05:50 AM
webpage
Posted by: bhushan | 26 April 2008 at 09:01 AM