Air Flow (using water)

This video shows an injection of water to the 25 psi air supply line to show the vortex circulation. The above image was taken from a Tesla Turbine diagram calculation from a study and you can clearly see the same flow effect in our turbine. One of the advantages to having acrylic.

Electric HP Equations

Video

This is a video of the strobe run of the turbine. Pressure did not exceed 25psi. We noticed issues with the strobes we had. The Strobotac was much different than a second newer design showing us that the strobes needed to be calibrated. On monday we plan on talking to a professor who should have a calibrated one.

Milling

Obtained a 25,000RPM strobe since our newer model was capped at 12,500RPM. Also started milling the air circle introduction slope.

Trimmed nozzle blanks

Today I cut the acrylic nozzle blanks from 1'x1'x1" sheet to make the outer dimensioned slope blanks. In addition the nipple holes were made and tapped as well as the mounting.

Calculations, RPM vs Torque

An excel graphing equation was created to determine the HP output from a given RPM, disk gap, and exhaust hole size.

FloWorks, Calcs

More FloWorks experimentation and calculations to determine nozzle degrees.

Meeting update

An earlier meeting with Roberts was held today to discuss the two additional nozzles. Friday's meeting was canceled.

Adapter

Created an adapter for the turbine to connect to a motor for torque measurement. Since the starting torque on the motor is a little to high for the turbine we will probably use a dead weight moment arm method in the future instead.

Test 2

Created new shaft with larger barrel dimension. Ran 2nd test and achieved approximatly 20% increase in RPM output due to smoothed disk OD.

Bearings, shaft install

The new bearings for the turbine were received today and installed as well as the +/-0.003" shaft. This should eliminate our friction forces from a small shaft spinning in our original bearings.

FloWorks

Since the assembly was completed and updated we I started to play around with Floworks, the simulation analysis software included with our SolidWorks package.

FloWorks Goals

• Take tutorials on Floworks
• Be able to run a Floworks analysis to view the rotational flow created
• Plot results
• Compare to hand calculations
• Determine optimums (ie. nozzle attack angle)

What we know:

The viscous forces between the fluid and disks cause the rotational motion of the shaft. Boundary layer condition is present.

Drawings

After completing the solid models which some were updated to fix our current design and new parts added we drew drawing files for each.

ATTACHED WILL BE ALL THE DRAWING FILES

SolidWorks

SolidWorks modelling was started for all the components of the turbine system. These components include the majority of the parts list.

Models

• Ball bearing
• Base
• Collar
• Nozzle
• Disk
• Gasket
• Mid block
• Shaft
• Side blocks x2
• Oring
• Screw (1.25,3.25)
  

Test 1 ROUGH

The first test of the turbine was performed in RBSTN 103. We used a range of 5 to 65 psi and the stock nozzle of 7.77 degrees. TABLE AND CHART TO BE ATTACHED.

Design List

INSERT PARTS LIST AND NOZZLE DESIGN

Pre-Proposal

Steve Smith wrote up the new pre-proposal for Professor Roberts. Group met up to check work and sign the proposal. Handed it in around 3:00. The sections of the final proposal were divided up and emailed out amongst the group. Meeting was set for tomorrow at 2:00.

Design Change

2:30 6/9 - Spoke with Professor Zenouzi about using the Tesla turbine design that was manufactured by myself over the course of 2 semesters 08'. He approved.

3:00 6/9 - Meeting with Professor Roberts about changing our pre-proposal to a tesla turbine analysis. Robert's approved with the exception that a new proposal be handed in Wed 6/10.

Senior Design

Group was formed on 5/22/09 with memebers Ryan Maliga, Steve Smith, and Carlos Iglesias. Group 9 Meeting time: 11:45 Professor Roberts Office.