FusionFlight is redefining mobile power generation. ARC is the world’s smallest and lightest 8kW micro turbine generator with vast applications in hybrid-electric systems and emergency services. The ARC generator provides smooth DC power output across a wide range (25VDC-75VDC) allowing it to replace or augment a majority of battery types. It may also be fueled by any heavy fuel: biodiesel to gas-station diesel and everything in between.
IN PRODUCTION
Pricing starts at $19,995.00
1 UNIT IN-STOCK (READY TO SHIP)
Key Design Features.
Compact
The ARC micro turbine generator is ultra-compact – the entire device is the size of an ordinary toolbox and weighs just over 10kg. The ARC can be easily carried by hand, and we ship the unit fully assembled, ready-to-play out of the box. The customer need only connect the ARC to an existing fuel tank or FusionFlight can provide a custom fuel tank solution.
Modular
Connect multiple units in parallel to provide more power thanks to the “block-like” form-factor of the ARC unit. Upon request, FusionFlight can customize the exhaust and inlet systems to accommodate a variety of applications. Customers can take advantage of flexible mount locations to install the ARC unit wherever it is needed.
Versatile
The microturbine at the heart of the ARC consumes variety of heavy-fuel (Diesel, Kerosene, Jet-A). The ARC also contains its own start-up battery and re-charge circuitry, so it never needs to be plugged into the grid. The controller inside the unit is compatible with Arduino which allows our clients to easily reprogram the system to accommodate a variety of integrations.
Micro Turbine Generator Applications.
The ARC generator has several applications: Engine Start-up, Range Extension, Emergency Power, and Hybrid Electric Propulsion.
Engine Start-up
Large diesel engines and turbines require a significant burst of power to start. ARC is an ideal lightweight solution as a start-up power generator. Such a device is commonly found on large vehicles and referred to as an APU (Auxiliary Power Unit).
Range Extension
Large lithium batteries weigh a lot and take a while to re-charge. ARC provides a compact solution for re-charging batteries on the go, whether the batteries are mounted on a robot, a ground vehicle, or a sea-vessel. ARC is in essence a diesel range extender.
Emergency Power
Natural disasters often strike hard and cause major interruptions to the electrical grid. When emergency power is needed but logistics prevent large equipment from being delivered, ARC comes to the rescue. A single person can easily carry two ARC units, one in each hand.
Hybrid Propulsion
ARC has a unique application for hybrid-electrical drones. A stripped-down version of the ARC only weighs 8kg and may be easily integrated with most platforms. In addition to the 8kW of electrical power, the turbine generator produces 37N of thrust from the exhaust ports, providing the aircraft with bonus lift.
Case Study: Hybrid Electric Propulsion.
Hybrid is not just for cars! If you want to double the endurance of your electrical drone ARC generator is the way to go.
Some disregard the ARC micro turbine generator as a fuel-thirsty system with no applications in modern aerospace. At first glance, this may seem true as the ARC generator has an overall fuel-to-electricity conversion efficiency of just 5%. However, it's incredibly small mass more than compensates for this lack in efficiency. The resulting system is still capable of doubling the endurance of a given electrical aircraft. This can be shown with some basic math:
The specific energy density of a state-of-art Lithium Polymer battery is 0.75MJ/kg. The specific energy density of diesel fuel, on the other hand, is 44MJ/kg. Combining diesel fuel with the ARC generator provides an overall specific energy density of 44*0.05 = 2.2MJ/kg, more than double than that of the battery.
Now, one can argue that the mass of the fuel tank and ARC generator will diminish this result. Continuing with the previous example, let’s take a look at a standard 93Ah LiPo battery which weighs 23kg. Five gallons of diesel weigh 16kg, and the plastic tank, about 1kg. The ARC micro generator weighs 10kg, but the thrust output of 40N offsets its weight by 4kg. Hence, the overall weight of a 5-gallon fuel system (including generator) is 16+1+10-4=23kg, same as the 93Ah battery. The electrical energy content of the battery is 17MJ while the hybrid system is 35MJ. This means that after the hybrid upgrade, the given aircraft suffers no mass penalty while receiving a two-fold increase in endurance.
Whichever way you look at it, the numbers don’t lie – if you want to boost the endurance of an electrical VTOL aircraft, be it drone or air-taxi, going the hybrid route with the ARC turbogenerator is the way to go!
Technical Information.
The team at FusionFlight has leveraged over eight years of experience working on microturbine engines to provide a revolutionary new product in the field of turbomachinery. We strongly believe in design simplicity. The result is the ARC generator - a powerful and lightweight power-pack.
HARDWARE
At the heart of the ARC generator is the microturbine – a miniature jet-engine the size of a “soda can” that spins at rates up to 140,000RPM. A high-precision, fuel cooled gearbox takes power from a secondary turbine wheel and reduces this RPM further to 10,000RPM maximum. The device contains a highly efficient dual exhaust system that generates an additional 37N of thrust at full power.
ELECTRONICS
The device employs a dual-computer system. The system processes commands from a wired remote control (included with all kits) and other sensors inside. It ensures healthy and consistent operation of the device. A built-in battery (Lithium Iron Phosphate) allows multiple system starts and restarts and is actively re-charged during device operation.
SOFTWARE
All ARC units come pre-programmed from the factory ready to use out-of-the-box. Customers wishing to optimize the device for their specific application can take advantage of Arduino IDE to reprogram the firmware. The ARC is highly customizable and can accommodate a variety of communication protocols making it easy to integrate into a customer’s existing network.
Easy-to-Use Micro Turbine Generator.
The ARC is easy to set-up as a standalone unit or integrate into an existing system.
INSTALL THE DEVICE
Set the ARC generator on a flat surface or integrate into your existing frame. The micro turbine inside produces zero vibrations making the ARC easy to install using a variety of methods.
CONNECT THE LINES
Connect two 10GA electrical wires (+/-) to your load and two 6mm fuel lines (supply/return) to a fuel tank of your choice. ARC has a built-in feature to automatically prime the fuel system.
ACTIVATE THE DEVICE
Use a wired remote control (included in kit) to start the ARC micro turbine generator. After that, ARC will automatically throttle-up the turbine to a pre-programmed voltage and maintain it under varying load conditions.
ARC Wired Remote Control.
Each ARC unit comes with a hand-held wired remote control (WRC). The WRC consists of a touch-enabled LCD display for viewing turbine data and executing turbine-specific functions (such as the auto self-priming feature). It also consists of a smaller OLED display for showing generator-specific data (voltage, current, and power output) as well as manual switches for operating the device. For those interested in integrating the ARC generator directly in their existing system or aircraft, the remote control would not be needed. The functions of this remote could be easily replicated with standard off-the-shelf components found on most modern vehicles.
Advantages of the Micro Turbine Generator.
The ARC Generator has several advantages over similar-power combustion-based generators.
LOW EMISSION
The combustion inside the turbine is very different from internal combustion engines. The combustion process occurs at a lower-temperature and thereby, produces less harmful gases. Also, the ARC can be fueled by bio-diesel – a sustainable fuel.
LOW VIBRATION
The combustion inside the turbine is steady state as opposed to pulsed explosions inside an internal combustion engine. As a result, at full throttle, the ARC is as solid and ideal for applications requiring minimum vibration.
ROBUST
The compressor within the turbine provides a reliable supply of air. For this reason, the ARC is resilient to varying atmospheric conditions and will work well in a variety of climates and high-altitude environments.
