Water Turbine

[Kipperfillets]

Hello All, I was wondering if anyone has ever tried using the impeller and housing from a Turbocharger to make a water turbine?. My thinking is that I have a pile of radio gear 2 50CC 2 Stroke engines and an inclination to build a large boat around the 80" mark I was considering modifying one engine to spin the opposite way to the other and use two props! and then I thought why not couple both engines together and use the impeller assembly to make a water turbine. Obviously a few mods will be required to accomplish this but I have a fairly extensive workshop and a little experience at buliding things. The boat I was considering is a PT Boat btw.


Keith

[Kipperfillets]

Bump

[CG Bob]

ever tried using the impeller and housing from a Turbocharger to make a water turbine?. Don't turbochargers compress the air as they move it? Water doesn't compress as easy as air. Trying to do a true "water turbine" drive might be a problem. You'd need some sort of screen over the water intakes to keep out seaweed, bugs, fish, etc., those kinds of things would either shatter the turbo blades or stall the turbine outright. If you're thinking of something like the Jacuzzi jet drives used on the Vietnam era PBR's, there are some jet drive units available commercially.


build a large boat around the 80" mark and The boat I was considering is a PT Boat btw. Sounds like a 1:12 scale model of an a WWII Elco 80 footer. The Elco's & Higgins boats all had 3 props, right hand pitch turning the same direction; turning two on the boat is a good idea.

[Kiwimodeller]

Very interesting program on the telly here the other night about the developement of the Hamilton and Berkley full size jet boats. Basically they are just water pumps of one type or another, either axial or radial flow. One is faster but the other produces more thrust for heavy boats. A matter of whether you want high pressure or high volume. It seems to me you would be better off playing with small pumps as the blade design ould more likely be suitable. There is an Australian company making jet units for large size model boats that you might find by doing a search. Will post the address if I can find it again. Cheers, Ian.

[swashdrive]

Looking for a scale water jet
this may be a little to small for a 50cc engine. It was really developed for the Zenoah range of water cooled engines.
Check out our website for further info
Swashdrive Developments (http://www.swashdrive.com.au)

Regards
Craig

[Kipperfillets]

I was thinking of using these turbines..as you can see they are quite substantial at 5 and a half inches long :eek: should make mincemeat of fish and seaweed etc they may wear out but there is a local firm who make turbochargers with a skip which is always full of these. They are out of balance at 60.000 RPM but I dont think i'll be getting them to spin that fast lol Not sure how to drive then yet though or even what to drive them with. I am considering using a 125CC 2T motorcycle engine and driving both with it or staying with twin engines of 50CC and building some form of a bias coupling to aid steering, I like the sound two engines make so I may stick to that ;) Anyway no doubt i'll see if it works and then see if theres a model boat water speed record to break lolhttp://imagehost.darkernet.co.uk/i/DCP_0847.JPG

[thething84]

once again. problem with turbo chargers is the fact that they compress the air aswell as moving it,
and also, how u plan on getting the water into it to start with

[pmpjohn]

The model boat speed record is now about 120 mph. It was set with an electric outrigger hydro.
Water jet drives, model and full scale use as close as possible to straight thru flow. Any direction change in the flow robs a lot of velocity. Good luck with your project.

John

[Kipperfillets]

The model boat speed record is now about 120 mph. It was set with an electric outrigger hydro.
Water jet drives, model and full scale use as close as possible to straight thru flow. Any direction change in the flow robs a lot of velocity. Good luck with your project.

John Thanks for the wish of good luck :thumb: as and when I get into the shed and turn the turbines down and test em i'll post results up.

[Tony Oliver]

Sounds as if it's a project worth trying - As they also pump air, I can't see a problem with them pumping the air through followed by the water. Compression is to do with what's on the downstream end so if there's only an open ended tube (unlike the valving of a car engine to build pressure?) that seems worth exploring too. I've never heard of anyone trying it so you might be the first.

The first model jet turbines used car turbines, and they worked - why not yours?
From the above you can tell I don't know much about this, but what a project!


Tony

[LtDoc]

Kipperfillets,
Using a turbine for propulsion may not be the 'best' idea, but certainly isn't impossible! I would think it wouldn't be as efficient as other drives. just depends on how much cavitation you end up with, which depends on the speed of the blades. Don't take that as any kind of 'difinitive' statement! There's certainly more that I don't know about turbines than what I do know about them - lol.
Since you have the turbines, why not?? The project will certainly keep you off the streets and out of the bars (not that I have that problem...much)...
- 'Doc

[Kipperfillets]

Well i've started :) spent a few hours making a prototype (or playing lol) this is what I have so far and it emptys a bathload of water in seconds!! might have to up the engine size now :eek: maybe a 125 CC 2T will do it more justice if it isnt too tall or bulky..Sticking with the 50 CC for now and running them in series. http://imagehost.darkernet.co.uk/i/shaft.JPG I have found a free mechanical seal if you're wondering what the white thing is on the shaft it's a ceramic face for the carbon seal to run against.

[Tony Oliver]

I don't think you need build a boat for it - use the bath - sounds as if anything smaller may not be a good idea.

Great stuff, glad you did it.

Tony

[pimp_squeak]

If you're making any notes as you do this could you maybe scan/photograph them and send them to me? I'm trying to build a turbine engine from a turbocharger for my auto-tech class and any additional information would be a great help. I know there are tons of sites ont he net about people who have done this same sort of this but not many have in depth diagrams with specific information. Thanks either way, Nathaniel ^_^


PS: great job so far, it looks awesome

[Kipperfillets]

Not sure if measurements or drawings would be of any use pimp squeak as I got the impellers from a skip at Borg Warner and have no idea what they are fitted to but in the image the impeller is 95mm diameter with an 18mm shaft turned down to 15mm at the ends hth. I will be taking photos throughout as i've been bitten lol P:S watch your fingers with these things as they're sharp :eek: I wonder if I can sell it to the company I work for.....

[Kipperfillets]

Slow progress so far I have only made this...I dont know how you guy's get so much time but things are starting to look up.




http://imagehost.darkernet.co.uk/i/DCP_0899.JPG

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

It looks very nice.
How did you "hydrodynamically" design that?
What is it's proposed efficiency, rpm, cavitation?
Is it, like, three inches in diameter?
How high will it be able to lift water?(primed or self priming?)

I wanna work metal like that... :D

[Kipperfillets]

lol Umi_Ryuzuki, the turbine has been reduced to 95mm but as far as efficiency i'll have to see! might need some more engines yet matey :)

[Kipperfillets]

This is my first casting! it's a failure but looking promising. Anyone an expert?




http://imagehost.darkernet.co.uk/i/Housing.jpg

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Hmmm,

All I really see is the ingot, and what looks like a pretty nice compressor piece beyond.
It doesn't look like the fan you showed in your previous post. However, I am almost more interested in what you show stuck to that ingot there. It looks a little more centrifugal, and the first fan you show would seem to run linear, in the water stream.

Better Pics,... ;)

[Kipperfillets]

Well this is my second attempt...Also a disaster but i'm improving and need to dry my core out a little more next time! Umi the larger of the two impellers is one before being turned down in the lathe. This is how it will all fit together.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

I see it now, you are casting the housing.... Or is that Half a housing...
What sort of mold are you working, or is it a sand ramming cast or something like that?

[Kipperfillets]

At last i've figured out the casting process (I think lol) and have a casting which is usable!! the inlet housing is cast and seems to be in decent shape. Just needs machining to accept the mechanical seal and bearings

[Kipperfillets]

Just bought this on ebay for £75 brand spanking new!! anyone used one and whats the general opinion about them? tia Keith