FADEC stands for Full Authority Digital Engine Control. In ULPower's case it means that the ECU (Engine Control Unit - digital computer) controls all aspects of the engine performance and decides on the amount of fuel it injects into the inlet ports as well as the exact timing of the spark advance.
Fuel Consumption
The FADEC system automatically sets the fuel mixture and ignition timing for the most efficient power to fuel consumption at any given operating condition.
The ECU has a 3D map programmed. Looking at RPM, throttle position, air temperature, oil temperature, atmospheric pressure, the ECU calculates (multiple times per second) the amount of air going into the engine and sets the injector timing accordingly (depending on the programmed figures). Our FADEC unit will even fine tune the fuel flow to compensate for changes in barometric pressure as well as inlet air temperature in the inlet collector!
The fact that each cylinder has its own fuel injector, ensures that the amount of fuel is equally distributed over all cylinders. This results in equal power production in all cylinders and a smoother running engine.
No need for priming or manually applying choke for start-up and during warm-up of a ULPower engine. A dedicated oil temperature sensor will 'sense' if the engine is cold and will automatically enrichen the mixture accordingly for easy starting. The choke will gradually fade out as the engine warms up. The variable ignition timing will also aid starting in cold conditions.
The design of our fuel system eliminates the chance of vapour-lock at start-up. Because the fuel system is under pressure, vapour-lock will not easily occur and if it does, it will be 'flushed' through the system as fuel is pumped through the engine before start-up, when the pump switches on. As our injectors are right near the 'loop' of fresh fuel circulation the whole system is flushed. This brings also a definite bonus on both “cold” and "hot" starts.
FADEC reduces a pilot's engine management tasks to simply selecting the desired power setting through a single control. You can now forget about managing the engine and focus on flying. The precise and immediate reaction of the FADEC to any change in engine operation results in better throttle response, stable rpm and lower fuel consumption.
As the ECU is factory programmed, the whole installation is just a matter of plug and play. Forget about fiddling around with the carburettor needle to try and get the jetting and idle rpm right. You can certainly eliminate all the hassle of synchronizing carburettors .
Since the ULPower engine is single lever controlled, there are less cables to install and the usual heat box for the carburettor heat can also be eliminated.
The ECU has a built-in electronic rpm limiter that protects the engine from over revving which can cause severe internal engine damage.
The ECU may also control the electric fuel pump(s). If the engine stops, it will shut-off the fuel pump automatically.
