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With the help of two fine books, "Gas Turbine Engines for Model Aircraft" by Kurt Schreckling, and "Model Jet Engines" by Thomas Kamps, I made my second and more knowledgeable attempt at building a turbine engine. These books are available through Traplet Publications. Here is a view of the main shaft, compressor from an old turbo-charger, the diffusor system, and the outer housing which is a Camping Gaz fuel tank. The turbine wheel is made from flat stock with the fins bent and ground to shape. |
| This picture shows the addition of the combustor parts. Also, the assembly of the main shaft and the diffusor installed into the front cover. The three fittings on the cover are for fuel-in, lube oil-in, and pressurized air-out to force the lube oil from it's tank into the engine. The combustor parts are made from a stainless steel camping cup, a small spice container, and a stainless finger bowl (for the elite diner). There are six fuel injectors which spray fuel through the hooked tubes (the curved shaped tubes shown in the lower left corner) into the combustor. |
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This picture represents about three months work. All that needs to be done is to use high temperature silicone to seal the outer housing onto the main assembly. Just below the turbine blades is the nozzle, sometimes called guide vanes. This directs the expanding gas almost perpendicular to the turbine blades. The nozzle is by far the most difficult part to build. I could not find a reliable TIG welder to assemble mine, so I chose to spot weld my fins to a center hub. |
| This is a front view of the engine after three
runs. See, it is still in one piece. HOORAY! In gathering parts to assemble this engine, I would spend hours browsing through the aisles of Wal-Mart, Target, and K-Mart. With my trusty six inch scale and a magnet, I would measure and test all sorts of stainless kitchen ware looking for the right size item that I could use. I suspect that I was under the watchful eye of many a security officer trying to figure out what I was up to. |
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Here is a rear view of the turbine. You can see a bit of discoloration from the heat. I still need to build a proper tail pipe and exhaust cone for better thrust performance. |
| HOT! HOT! HOT! As you can see from the glow that the engine is running. Tad, of Golden West Models, once told me that almost anyone can build a turbine. The real trick is building one that produces usable thrust. I tend to agree. My engine, although it runs quite well, would be too heavy to be practical for use in an airplane. My goal was to build an engine that would start, run, and satisfy my desire to prove to myself that I can do it. |
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