Machsupport Forum
Tangent Corner => Tangent Corner => Topic started by: Tweakie.CNC on October 15, 2011, 01:32:04 PM
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Hi Guys,
This is my next winter project - a 60 horsepower, single shaft, gas turbine engine with much historical ancestry and built by the Rover Car Company around 1967.
This is the same type of engine that was used in Rover’s “JET 1” gas turbine powered car which was road tested at the Silverstone race track in 1950. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/8/newsid_2516000/2516271.stm
There were many variants of this engine built and at the peak of it’s production Rover were reported to be making 2.5 units per week. :)
This particular model was removed from a Vulcan Bomber where it was used as the electrical Auxiliary Power Unit and compressor for starting the main engines.
As you can see, it is in a sorry state at the moment and it is going to need a lot of TLC before I get a tune out of it – it will never fly but one day it will run again. I don’t think that the 208 Volts, 3 phase, 400 Hz will be of much use to me but the sound of that turbine will be well worth the effort.
(Please ignore all the toot in my shed, that’s what shed’s are for ;D )
Tweakie.
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Go-kart?
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Yea, F1 Go-Kart ;D ;D
Tweakie.
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That's pretty cool, but what was the generator used for? and at 400Hz?
I know, Your new power supply for the Laser... lol
Guess we can never tell you to get a new hobby, you do seem to find em...
Even though the fuel usage is excessive, should make a nice resale item after you restore it.
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Military aircraft power systems are a mystery to me but 400Hz seems to be the norm. The generator is driven through a reduction gearbox and runs at 8,000 rpm with a 40kVA rating. Just about everything on the Vulcan, including the control surfaces, was electrically powered and as this gen set originally had it's own oxygen supply and cartridge system for starting it could, in an emergency, be used at high altitude if both of the other main alternators failed.
I have quite a bit of interest in others wishing to buy it already - so, as you suspected, it should sell well. :)
Tweakie.
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Looks like it will be a fun process, and I for one look forward to seeing your progression!
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Thanks Andrew.
I have made a start on cleaning it up a bit.
Tweakie.
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Gradually getting the 'burnt-on' oil off the volute casing.
Tweakie.
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Quite a find you have there Tweaky. I bet the aviation buffs are drooling big time over that one.
The 400hz power is very common for aviation and marine and military. It has a VERY high power density small motors can create large forces. Ac motors can rev very high at 400 hz. At 60hz you are limited to 3600 revs and 400hz it is like 24,000revs.
(;-) TP
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Thanks for the info Terry.
Tweakie.
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How using it to drive a high frequency spindle, maybe using CBN grinding wheel. Need high pressure collant at that speed though.
Brian
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Great suggestion Brian. ;D ;D
Do you think my Z Axis stepper may struggle a little with the +Z moves ??
Tweakie.
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:D
Hi Tweakie,
You could direct the exhaust downward to act as an assist.
Might keep the chips clear as well. ;D
I wish I and one (or 2) of them.
Really cool !
Thanks forthe post,
Russ
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Thanks Russ.
I am going to make a framework, on wheels, for mounting this engine and just had the thought that this could be the fastest stationary engine in the UK. ;D
Tweakie.
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Tweakie you are going to make the antique aeroplane restorers CRY. (;-(
Might want to rethink hanging on to piece of history when it would look so good back in its original place as a APU inside one of the old birds(;-)
They would surely put a plaque on it with your name engraved as part of history (;-)
Just a thought, (;-) TP
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I understand what you say Terry and you are, of course, quite right but there are probably a lot more of these APU’s than there are Vulcan bombers right now.
There are two Vulcan’s near to me and neither have their APU’s in working order but according to the manual these units have to be run-up and tested every 7 days to stay within service. To keep everything in the aircraft working would need a full time, trained, ground crew of 18 and goodness knows what quantity of spares – an almost impossible task for the historical aircraft preservation groups.
Almost everything about this APU is over engineered and it seems that little consideration for weight has been given in many areas. This Rotax Actuator is one of two (one for the oil cooler radiator blind and one for the ‘run / stop’ fuel valve) and is a typical example where, for instance, the ‘mod record label’, which is just one small (non-critical) part, is fixed with 4 stainless screws which are then locked with seizing wire when a label could have been fixed with small rivets (like the identity label) or even had the legend engraved into the surface.
Both these actuators had age related faults, one with a jammed limit switch and the other with a seized motor shaft brake, but both units working again now.
Overall I do understand that this equipment is historically important and will outlive me so I am really just looking after it and keeping it in working condition for someone else who will perhaps carry out a full restoration job at some future date.
Tweakie.
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Everything has to have an identification label (cleaned for the photo). Sadly the Morris marque now belongs to the Nanjing Automobile Corp. and the Morris oxford site is now a business park but for this little oil cooler the memory lives on.
Unfortunately the original oil pressure sender has expired so, for the time being, a more recent model is going to be used.
Tweakie.
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A couple of the parts that will no longer be used.
Graviner (Kidde) fire extinguisher system nozzle (1956).
A fire detector, presumably using a eutectic alloy to bridge two contacts (1965).
Both of these, together with one more nozzle and two more detectors were originally fitted to the outer casing above the apu.
Tweakie.
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Not a job I was looking forward to doing but it had to be done. The 4 exhaust thermocouples each had asbestos sleeving and this had to be safely removed and replaced with fibreglass braided sleeving.
This is the quantity of asbestos used on one thermocouple and I am not yet certain where I have to take the stuff or how much it will cost for the approved disposal.
Tweakie.
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Encapsulate the asbestos in epoxy and put it in the dustbin.
Vince
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Encapsulate the asbestos in epoxy and put it in the dustbin.
Vince
Thanks Vince,
Sounds good but I think I would be spending a little time away if I got caught. ;D
Tweakie.
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Everything aircraft has the nuts,bolts and fittings secured with locking wire.
For anyone wondering how it is done the answer is simple - special pliers. The pliers lock when the wire ends are gripped and then, by pulling the silver knob at the end, the pliers rotate to twist the wire. Whoever thought of that idea ??
Tweakie.