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I intend to base my design around a turbocharger as well but I have some design issues to deal with. In order to meet my goal of making a self-sufficient turbojet engine, I will need to figure out the following:
#1 The generic turbocharger uses engine oil pressure to lubricate and cool the hydrodynamic bearings on the turbine wheel shaft. The hydrodynamic bearing is a brass or aluminum alloy bushing with oil ports around the radius of the bushing. Oil is injected into the bushing causing the turbine wheel drive shaft to “float” on a cushion of oil. This system works great as there is no metal to metal contact and friction is minimized allowing high rpm to be achieved. Most home built turbojet engines use household 110 volt power to drive the support equipment including the oil pump. This is because there is a considerable amount of energy needed to operate an oil pump, fuel pump, and an ignition system.
Being attached to an extension cord will stop me from putting my engine on a rolling chassis if I wanted to. In order to make the turbojet mobile, I will need to fabricate a battery operated oil pump that is capable of 40+ PSI of oil pressure at the required GPM for the turbo to operate. My hopes are to make the pump as energy efficient as possible thus making it more of a possibility for the engine to power it.
#2 I will need to choose a fuel to inject into the combustion chamber. The fuel will need to be pressurized above that of the combustion chamber’s operating pressure for it to be injected. This process will require a pump to pressurize the fuel unless I choose a fuel that is already under pressure like LP gas. The LP gas would eliminate the need for a power robbing fuel pump.
#3 To make the engine truly self-sufficient I will need to harvest some of the engines thrust to generate electricity. This electricity could be used to drive the oil pump and ignition systems. If I build an efficient engine, I could divert some of the jet exhaust into a second turbine wheel and couple it to a generator. During the construction and testing phase I plan on using an automotive battery for support equipment power and then later adding the turbine generator if possible.
I am calling this research project the GR-1 (Giandomenico Research - 1). I will post my research and findings as I develop the engine. As for now, I have a lot of parts to find for my design.
Don Giandomenico
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