# Engineering Projects/Turbine
## Problem

Jet engines, airplanes, helicopters, car racing enthusiasts, wind generation, electricity generation, turbo chargers, vacuum cleaners, air compressors, and wind mills all involve turbines. Yet few know anything about them. A theory of operation; small, safe, models; and mechanism for testing them (video) is needed.

## Conceive

* Demonstrate how turbines of various sorts work and where they are used. Inspiring video.
* Develop compressed air driven models of various turbine engines.

## Design

Start with a jet-engine model found on Thingiverse.
* assembled
* printed pieces
* another picture of the printed pieces
Designing a transparent cover for the 3D-printed turbine :
Considered two methods for covering the turbine compression chamber and housings.
Option 1 (Plexiglas):
a conceived method for bending plexiglas
Option 2 (Soda bottle):
STEP 1: Find 2-liter bottle and remove wrapping. Make sure it fits around turbine.
STEP 2: Measure 3D-printed turbine. Mark bottle at appropriate lengths.
STEP 3: Cut off top and bottom of bottle.
STEP 4: Cut a line parallel to the length of the bottle. Bottle should curl up as seen in photo.
STEP 5: Measure turbine and cut plastic to proper lengths. Bottle shown not cut appropriately due to lack of measuring tools and scissors in work environment.
STEP 6: Size up cover to fit turbine.
STEP 7: Measure turbine, mark cover, and cut precisely to fit perfectly. :
Older Turbine Projects :
Investigating Tread Mill Motor to attach wind turbine
Website containing exploded view of the original treadmill
General Electric 5KH41GT42 Made in USAGL B 40C AMB 923 M
100DT 89283ASM9A8A7 .. number on the switch
side pic of the treadmill
these are three wires .. need to figure out what they are hook up to.
top view of the treadmill
in the beginning they were connected, they look like they were not supposed to be connected to each other
found the circuit breaker and it wasn't hook up to anything
this is what is inside the motor
found the model number and what store sell this treadmill
took off the switch
front view of the switch
this picture was for identifying where the wire are connected to.
took this switch off the motor to look at the inside of it, this picture was for identifying where the wire are connected to.
Helicopter Turbine Engine
Helicopter engine turbine project video
The exhaust of this this engine is sent down the tail which uses the coanda affect to avoid a prop (turbine) at the end of the tail. This in effect causes the entire tail of the air craft to become a turbine.
Wind Turbine: Computer Fan
Wind Turbine Completed with resistive load
Circuit box printed on 3D printer
Plexiglass cut with circular saw
Measuring circuit powered by 9V battery
video of testing LCD readout of voltage/current/power
Oscilloscope connected to fan
Here is the final soldered electronics including the resistors for the voltage divider, LCD connections, potentiometer, quick disconnect for the fan, and portable power source.
Close up of Soldered Pins
Soldered LCD board for Wind Turbine
Portable Power Source for Wind Turbine Electronics
Circuit design
Final Code using LCD display
int sensorpin = A0; // input pin for power (positive)
int sensorValue = 0; // variable to store the value coming from the sensor
double Vout; // voltage output
double i; // amps (current)
double p; // watts
double r1 = 7.5;
double r2 = 5.0;
double r = 12.5; // resistance value (ohms) 7.5k and 5k resistor
double c = 204.8; // constant value divider (1024 / 5) to get correct ratio. Analog pin reads up to 5v in 1024 increments.
#include <LiquidCrystal.h> // include the library code
LiquidCrystal lcd(12, 11, 8, 7, 4, 2); // numbers of the interface pins, more space between pins compared to last code
void setup {
lcd.begin(20, 4); // sets up the LcD's number of columns and rows:
Serial.begin(9600); // initialize serial communication at 9600 bits per second:
void loop {
sensorValue = analogRead(A0); // read the value from the sensor:
Vout=(sensorValue/c) * (r2/r); //vout = vin(Divided by c to scale down to 5v) * r2/(r1+r2)
i=Vout/r; // current = V/r
p=Vout*Vout/r; // power = (V^2)/r
lcd.clear;
lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
lcd.print("Amps= ");
lcd.print(i);
lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
lcd.print("Volts= ");
lcd.print(Vout);
lcd.setCursor(0, 2);
lcd.print("Watts= ");
lcd.print(p);
lcd.setCursor(0, 3);
lcd.print("SensorValue= ");
lcd.print(analogRead(A0));
delay(500); // delay in between reads for stability
Arduino code to measure voltage
/* Displaying Voltage input Using the Serial Monitor with Arduino
Patrick Thoreson, 1 October, 2012 */
const int analogInPin = A0;
void setup {
Serial.begin(9600);
analogReference(INTERNAL);
void loop {
int sensorValue = analogRead(analogInPin);
/* Serial.print("sensor = " );
Serial.print(sensorValue); */
Serial.print(" Voltage=");
Serial.println(voltage(sensorValue));
delay(100); // wait 1/10 of a second
double voltage(int analogIn){
//double voltage = (analogIn/1023.)*32.2;
return voltage;
Wind Turbine: Ceiling Fan
Tried to use ceiling fan motor (AC). A DC motor seemed easier. Would not need rectifier.
Ceiling Fan
testing the voltage
had three speeds: inside, outside, inside+outside
inside coil was to far from the magnet to be able to generate a voltage
one of the coils in the outside coil had a major break
the break
Wind Turbine: Car Fan
A Project Poster
Found the DC motor/generator in these videos in dual radiator fan from a car junk yard.
large wind turbine spinning in natural wind
small wind turbine over powering LED
small wind turbine powering LED
PVC fan blades
Table of LED chain that lights up more LED's as more power is generated:
First Diode Turn-onSecond Diode Turn-onThird Diode Turn-on
1.7V3.2V5V
3mA17mA5.2mA
Shrouded Wind Turbine
Shrouded Wind Turbine
Inspired by OginEnergy's Turbine and the wikipedia entry Wind_lens, tried to see if could demonstrate the difference on a small scale with a lamp shade and a PC power supply fan.
Drawings
Isometric view of The design of the turbine
Side view of The design of the turbine
Front view of The design of the turbine
Construction
Trying to remove case off of a PC fan
connecting the 2 shrouds together
Connecting the piece of wood to the shrouded PC fan so that the lamp shred would fit inside
Trying to remove the motor off of a PC fan
How the design for the double shrouded fan looks like
Testing with leaf blower
Videos of Testing:
Traditional Bladed Wind Turbine
Shrouded Wind Turbine
Turbo Booster
This project created a turbo booster that was tested:
Turbo all seated up.
Comparison Turbo Part.
Farme
Combustor
here is an active DIY Gas Trubine group who publishes video all over youtube. :

## Implement

Assembly of 3D-printed turbine :
Began with printing and naming all parts
Later re-named all parts on finished design (see two leftmost photos below)
Used this Thingiverse page as a basic assembly guide
Glued both housings to combustion chamber
Glued all high-pressure parts together
Glued low-pressure turbines onto low-pressure shaft
Slipped high-pressure parts onto low-pressure shaft
Glued low-pressure compressors to low-pressure shaft, with high-pressure parts in between low-pressure turbines and compressors
Fit high and low-pressure parts onto housing. Filed, re-glued, and adjusted parts as needed.
Cut any sticking out shaft to appropriate length. Added fan blades.
Fit entire assembly onto Cowlings
Placed clear plastic cover over turbine parts
Labeled parts of Howard Community College's 3D printed jet-engine turbine. Part layout shows general configuration of parts in finished assembly.
The labeled parts of a 3D printed turbine design
Top view of jet-engine
Bottom of jet-engine
Low-pressure compressors
High-pressure compressors
Low and high-pressure turbines
A Jet Engine turbine printed from the Howard Community College Makerbot
Fixing 3D printed parts
Found flaws on many parts. The team named these flaws excess, because excess plastic stuck up in places where the surface had to be smooth. Here is how excess was removed:
Before. Note jagged lines sticking up in middle of compressor.
After. Although not perfectly uniform in appearance, compression chamber is now smooth enough for compressors to spin with little resistance.
STEP 1: Use pliers to pull as much excess as possible
STEP 2: Use the tips of scissors or wire cutters to cut or pull finer excess that pliers could not reach. Be sure not to cut or scrape good parts of object.
Use safety goggles from here on, as plastic shavings may reach eyes.
STEP 3: Use a metal file to sand away as much excess and rough as possible.
Use edge of file to dig into more stubborn excess.
Plastic should still be rough and scratched. Use 150 grit sand paper to smooth plastic. Will not be able to reach perfection. Blow loose dust away.
STEP 4: Gently rinse with cool low-pressure water to wet remaining dust. Get only necessary parts of plastic wet.
STEP 5: Use fingers to rub away whetted dust until content.
STEP 6: Quickly dry off all water using a towel. Feel for any more excess, roughness, or edges. If not satisfied, file, sand, and/or rinse until content.
Chamber is now smooth enough for compressors and turbines to fit nicely.
Gluing compressors and turbines to shaft
FIRMLY GLUING PARTS: Slide part partially onto shaft. Apply hot glue where part is supposed to go.
FIRMLY GLUING PARTS: Slide part down shaft and over glued portion to proper location.
This low-pressure turbine had been poorly drilled, making it slip and tilt. Rather than trying to hot glue in precise orientation, glued directly to exhaust cone. Cone then fit tightly and properly onto axle with no additional glue required. :

## Demo

* demo
* 9/14 presentation

## Next Steps

* develop theory of operation of helicopter engine by adding titles to the old helicopter turbine project
* review cabin fever implementation
* add clear shroud and compressed air to turbine and troubleshoot
* design helicopter instead of jet turbine