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The ignition method significantly affects the combustion process in piston aircraft engines. This paper presents the results of bench tests of two variants of the radial piston aircraft engine: equipped with a standard magneto system and an electronic dual ignition system. The engine was tested in steady states for operating points defined by rotational speed and load. Their values corresponded to a load ranging from 50% of nominal power to take-off power. The ignition advance angle was constant for the engine equipped with ignition magnetos, while for the second engine variant it was determined by the developed algorithm introduced to the electronic ignition system control unit. The analysis of the combustion process was based on pressure measurements in one cylinder.

The paper presents the results of experiments on the effects of supply pressure and supply voltage on the pulse gas injector opening time. Two characteristics have been investigated into: the opening lag time and the time of opening. The injector's opening lag was defined as the time between the occurrence of a control signal and the moment of the valve's starting to move. The injector's time of opening was defined as the time of the valve element's movement from the closed to the fully open position. The analysis covered 6 injector types differing in the design of the valve element and the coil. The injectors types were representative of designs most popular in the market: piston and plate injectors calibrated by means of the piston stroke or the outlet diameter. The experiments were conducted in a bespoke test bed, and compressed air was used in lieu of gas fuel.