CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

Methodology of this project involves the following steps to get a complete working engine

3.1 Getting a turbocharger-

Figure 3.1 (Turbocharger)

The size of the engine is totally depends on the size of the turbocharger, so very first we need to select the smallest turbocharger available in the market and the turbocharger used in the TATA Indica fulfill our needs because we are making the small scale gas turbine engine and this turbocharger is smallest turbocharger available in the market and also cheaper. As the bigger the turbo more thrust your finished engine will produce, but we are making only a small scale engine. As a general rule, it is not so much the size of the turbo as it the size of the inducer that matter. The inducer is visible area of the compressor blades that can be seen when looking at the

turbos compressor at covers (housing) on looking at the turbo here will show that the air inlet is quite large while the visible blades of inducer are smaller than that.

3.2 Figuring the size of the combustion chamberThe combustion chamber works by allowing compressed air coming from the turbo's compressor to be mixed with fuel and burned. The hot gasses then escape through the rear of the combustion chamber to move through the turbine stage of the turbo where the turbine extracts power from the moving gasses and converts them to rotational shaft energy. This rotating shaft then powers the compressor attached to the other end to bring in more air to make the process continue. Any additional energy left in the hot gasses as they pass the turbine create thrust. Simple enough, but actually a bit complicated to build and get it right. The combustion chamber is made from a large piece of tubular steel with caps on both ends. Inside of the combustion chamber is a flametube. This flametube is made of another smaller piece of tubing which runs the length of the combustion chamber and has many holes drilled in it. The holes allow the compressed air to pass through in certain ratios which are beneficial for 3 steps. Step one is mixing the air and fuel. The combustion process also begins here. Step to is to provide air for the completion of combustion, and step three is to supply cooling air to lower the temperatures before the airstream comes into contact with the turbine blades.

Figure 3.2 (Combustion Chamber)

To calculate the flametube dimensions, you double the diameter of the inducer of your turbocharger, and this will give you the diameter of the flametube. Multiply the diameter of the inducer of the turbo x 6, and this will give you the length of the flametube. Again, the inducer of the turbo is the part of the compressor blades that can be seen from the front of the turbo with the covers (or housings) on. So the flame tube dimensions are asTurbocharger inducer diameter = 3 cm Diameter of the flame tube Length of the flame tube = 2* inducer diameter = 6 cm = 6* inducer diameter = 18 cm

With the size of the flame tube calculated, we can then find the size of the combustion chamber. Since the flametube will fit inside of the combustion chamber, the combustion chamber housing will have to be a larger diameter. A recomended starting point is to have a minimum 1 inch space around the flametube, and the length should be the same as the flametube. I chose an 8 inch diameter combustion chamber housing, because it fits the need for the airspace and it is a commonly available size in steel tubing. With the 5 inch diameter flametube, I will have a 1 inch gap between the flamtube and the combustion chamber housing. we use steel tubing instead of pipe when possible. Combustion chamber housing diameter = 8 cm

Gap between the housing and flametube = 1 cm

3.3 Making the flame tube-

Figure 3.3 (flame tube)

Well, this is considered the hardest part. The flame tube is what lets the air enter into the center of the combustion chamber, but keeps the flame held in place so that it must exit to the turbine side only, and not the compresor side. The picture above is what the flametube looks like. From left to right, the hole patterns have special names and functions. The small holes to the left are the primary holes, the middle larger holes are the secondary, and the largest to the right are the tertiary or dilution holes. (note that there are also some additional small holes in this design to help create a curtain of air to keep the flametube walls cooler) The primary holes supply the air for fuel and air mixing, and this is where the burn process begins. The secondary holes supply the air to complete the combustion process. The tertiary or dilution holes provide the air for cooling of the gasses before they leave the combustor, so as to not overheat the turbine blades in the turbo. The size and placement of the holes is a mathmatical equation at best and a logistical nightmare at worst. Before making any holes in the flametube, we need to size it to fit into the combustor. As our combustor is 10 inches long as measured from the outside of the ring ends one side to the other, we will need to cut the flametube to that length (make sure you cut to fit your combustor length). We Use the posterboard wrapped around the flametube to square up one end, then measure and cut the other.

Once cut to length, get going on those holes. There will be a lot of them, and a "unibit" or stepped drill bit is very handy to have here. The flametube can be made of stainless or regular mild steel. Stainless will of course last longer and hold up to the heat better than mild steel.

3.4 ASSEMBLING THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER3.4.1 PREPARING THE END RINGSTo make the combustion chamber result in a simple bolt together piece, we use a method of constructing rings that will not only provide a surface to which the end caps can be bolted, but they will also hold the flametube centered in the combustion chamber. The rings are fabricated to an outside diameter of 8 inches with an inside diameter of 5 and 1/32nd inches. The extra space provided by the 1/32nd inch will make inserting the flametube easier when construction is complete, and will also serve as a buffer to allow for some expansion of the flametube as it gets hot. The rings are made from iron I find going this route much easier that trying to machine the parts. Any method which gives acceptable results will work. The 1/4 inch thickness will allow for the rings to be welded on with less chance of warpage, and will provide a stable mounting base for the end caps. They will also allow for the flametube to be constructed shorter than the total combustion chamber length to allow for expansion in the axial plane as it gets hot from the combustion process.

8 bolt holes are provided around the ring in a circular pattern for the mounting of the end caps. By welding nuts on the back of these holes, bolts can be threaded right in. This is a requirement since the back side of the rings will be inaccesible for holding nuts with a wrench once mounted on the combustor.

3.4.2 WELDING ON THE ENDS RINGWith the end rings ready, they can be welded on to the combustor housing. The housing must first be cut to the proper length and have the ends squared up so that everything will align properly. Start by taking a large sheet of posterboard and wrapping it around the steel tube so that the ends are squared with each other and the posterboard is pulled tight. It should make a cylinder shape around the tube, and the ends of the posterboard will be nice and square. Slide the posterboard to one end of the tube so that the edge of the tube and posterboard cylinder ends

are almost touching, making sure there is enough room to make a mark around the tube so you can grind down the metal flush with the mark. Next measure from the squared up end towards the other for the length you want the combustion chamber and flame tube to be. Since the end rings that will be welded on are 1/4 inch each, be sure to subtract 1/2 inch from your measurement first. Since my combustor will be 10 inches in length, my measurement will be taken at 9.5 inches. Mark the tube, and use the posterboard to create a nice mark all the way around the tubing as be When both rings are welded on, grind the welds smooth for a nice look. This is optional, but it just makes the whole combustor look much nicer.

3.5 THE FINAL GAS TURBINE ENGINEYou are now getting closer to having a finshed our engine. It is time to bolt the parts together to see if everything fits as it should. Start by bolting the turbine flange and end cap assembly (the exhaust manifold) to your turbo. Then the combustor housing bolts to the exhaust assembly, and finally the injector cap bolts to the main combustor housing.

Figure 3.4 (Piston Free Engine)

With the parts attached and the orientation of our turbo set, we will need to fabricate a pipe which will connect the compressor outlet opening to the combustor housing. This pipe should be the same diameter as the compressor outlet, and will eventually be attached to the compressor with a rubber. The other end will need to fit flush with the combustor and be welded into place once a hole has been cut into the side of the combustor housing. It does not matter so much where the hole is on the side of the combustor, so long as the air has a nice smooth path to get in. This means no sharp corners, and keep the welds on the outside. For our combustor, I chose to use exhaust tubing which was mandrel bent.

3.5 PLUMBING THE FUEL AND OIL SYSTEMWe use the LPG (liquid petroleum gas) as a fuel for our engine because this is a gaseous fuel and can be injected easily through the nozzle, and also can be easily mixed with air so makes a perfect combustible mixture , so we use LPG as a fuel.

Figure 3.5 (Lubricating Oil & Oil Pump)

For the lubrication, as we are going to make a small scale engine and our turbocharger also is small so for lubricating the turbocharger we use a cooler pump to pump the lubrication oil to the inlet of the turbocharger so that it provides the proper lubrication.