Cyclone tests underwater drone engine

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POMPANO BEACH, Fla., Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Performance tests of a heat-regenerative external combustion engine for underwater power have been completed by Cyclone Power Technologies of Florida.

The Third Phase tests were performed for Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems.

The company said the tests showed that Cyclone's prototype, water-cooled "Stingray" engine achieved thermal efficiencies of more than 30 percent. When applied to a large-diameter unmanned undersea vehicle, such efficiency yields double current payload capacities and triple the current mission times, it said.

"Given these results, we are on track to provide Raytheon's customers the energy and power sources for the enduring UUV's and persistent undersea operations required to meet emerging threats in the defense of our country," said Jim Moden, developer of the monopropellant utilized for this application. "When completed, this system will provide mission enhancing virtues such as improved safety, lower environmental impact, lower cost of ownership and higher energy and power density when compared to present advanced state-of-the-art battery systems."

The demonstration was in fulfillment of an Independent Research and Development contract from Raytheon, which with James R Moden Inc. are developing an undersea power and propulsion system prototype.