User:ClemonsLemons/Project 3 Final

Turbine Information

 * A turbine is a machine that generates continuous and unending power through the use of wheels or rotors that are typically fitted with curved vanes that capture some type of fuel in order to rotate that are attached to a centrally located rotating axis. These rotors apply the use of continuous streams of water, steam, gas, air, or other fluid to rotate the vanes.

Real world applications of turbines

 * Used in almost all stand-alone applications
 * Single phase used up to 10 kW.
 * Most three phase are smaller than equivalent single phase


 * Just an induction motor with negative slip.
 * Used most often with grid-tie systems.
 * Used by some for battery based systems.
 * Simple and robust.
 * Readily available and inexpensive.
 * Requires external excitation from the grid or from capacitors
 * Control is more difficult, especially for inductive loads
 * It requires frequency controls if not tied to the grid


 * Produces rectified alternating current.
 * Readily available.
 * Easy to service.
 * A rheostat controls excitation.

Stages of Real Steam Turbine
 * Multiple blades allow to extract the most energy it can before the steam is exhausted
 * Each of the sets of blades are called a stage which works by either impulse or reaction
 * Typical turbine has a mixture of both types of stage that are mounted on the same rotor as each other all turning the generator at the same time
 * Often the stage that comes first is the impulse then reaction stages. The impulse stages extract the energy from high pressure steam and the reaction stages remove extra energy from expanded steam volume which utilizing bigger and longer blades.
 * This multi-stage approach was invented by Charles Parsons who created it in a way that each of the stages of the turbine are slowly slowing or reducing the steam pressure. This reduces the forces applied on each blade which improves the overall power output

Problem
Jet engines, airplanes, helicopters, car racing enthusiasts, wind generation, electricity generation, turbo chargers, vacuum cleaners, air compressors, and wind mills all involve turbines. Yet few know anything about them. A theory of operation; small, safe, models; and mechanism for testing them (video) is needed.

Conceive

 * Demonstrate how turbines of various sorts work and where they are used. Inspiring video.
 * Develop compressed air driven models of various turbine engines.
 * Develop an Air source and connect it to the turbine engine to demonstrate the spinning of the turbine

Design
Start with a jet-engine model found on Thingiverse.

here is an active DIY Gas Trubine group who publishes video all over youtube.


 * Flame tube design tool JetSpecs .. download, website
 * LED calculator so a string of LED's light up depending upon the power generated

Implement
Cabin fever demonstrates a variety of engines within a building. Most everything at this exhibit runs off of compressed air.

Demo

 * demo
 * 9/14 presentation

Next Steps

 * develop theory of operation of helicopter engine by adding titles to the old helicopter turbine project
 * review cabin fever implementation
 * add clear shroud and compressed air to turbine and troubleshoot
 * design helicopter instead of jet turbine

User:ClemonsLemons/project_3

User:Aarnous8817/project_3

User:Douglas.luman/project_3

Collective Week 1
Creation of an On/Off switch made using Arduino:

Checking of efficiency of parts used : The fan demands 24V to work in its best efficiency. The Arduino capacity is 5V, so the was connected to a generator and 5V only was applied to it. The fan did not work at the beginning until it was rotated by an external force for a short time, after that it keep spinning by it self, yet it is slow.
 * The Fan :

Next Steps: 1- Making a perfect On/Off switch sytsem. 2- Finding a better fan with faster RPM ( rotations per minute ). 3- Making a Prototype or a technical design of our final goal on this project.

The Makerbot Replicator 2 is a 3D printer that extrudes a biodegradable thermoplastic (PLA) to create parts. This is the older and smaller of two Makerbot 3D printers at HCC, but it prints faster than the newer (5th Gen) model.


 * Printing gun parts violates US Federal Law
 * Printing trademarked or actively patented stuff could result in a legal problems
 * The school can not support printing personal stuff including personal inventions
 * Focus printing on things that are related to engineering projects.


 * 1) Find or create a 3D model of a part.
 * 2) *Find an existing 3D model (pre-drawn STL files) at the Smithsonian, thingiverse, and traceparts. 3Dwarehouse and Archive3D models do not convert to STL files consistently without problems. Makerbot needs STL or OBJ files to print from. MakerWare saves files in its own format called THING which can also be printed from.
 * 3) *Create your own 3D model using a CAD program. For example:Autodesk Inventor,Solid Edge,123D, 3Dtin, Sculptris, tinkercad, openscad, wings3d, pov-ray, Heeks-cad, art of illusion, processing model building library, Google Sketchup.
 * 4) *Clean up/Repair STL file with Microsoft netfabb
 * 5) Use MakerWare software to convert 3D model (STL file) into X3G file.
 * 6) Use Makerbot Replicator 2 to print part.
 * 7) Carefully remove the part from the build platform.

If you have a problem and don't know what to do, STOP and ask an instructor or lab aide for help.


 * /Replacing the Tape/
 * /clogged printhead/
 * Makerware Troubleshooting Page
 * Replicator 2 Troubleshooting Page

/quiz/ - Take this after reading through the tutorial, and before taking the Canvas quiz.

Replicator 2 MakerBot page
 * /Printing Instructions/
 * /prints blob/
 * /curling pla/
 * /clean gear mechanism/
 * /assembly of iris box/
 * /How To: Find Or Create A Printable STL File/
 * /stuff to print//
 * /installing Export STL/
 * /clogged printhead/

Original MakerBot Cupcake Tutorial Page


 * /Set Up & Run The MakerBot/
 * /Filament Changing/Troubleshooting/
 * /How to Change the Wire of the Makerbot/
 * /How to Download 3D programs to build STL files/
 * /How to print STL files with letters or Numbers in it/
 * /Tutorial on Blender/
 * /Kinect/
 * /Scanning An Object Using The Kinect: Full 360 Degree View/
 * /Cleaning Up Point Cloud Meshes in Meshlab For 3D Printing/
 * /How to download 123D/
 * /How to format SD card for MakerBot/

Collective Week 2
In this week, an On/off switch was done without using Arduino. A new switch from [Cs-E110] type was replaced with the old bottom switch.
 * Changing the switch :

This last video shows our look for the future and what our goal to achieve : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rX4xv5-NvE
 * Next Steps:
 * 1) Working on the funnel transfer the air flow from the Fans into the turbine.
 * 2) Redesign some of the old and rough parts on the turbine.
 * 3) 3D print all the designed parts and assemble all parts together

Objectives of the week
 * Create schematics of a few of the previous groups parts that need to be reprinted
 * Upload the parts onto a CAD program
 * Print created parts using the older and better 3D printer

Created Parts

Pieces waiting to be Approved

Next Steps
 * Print designed part on 3D printer
 * Replace previous groups printed piece with new printed piece

Collective Week 3
A system of Air blowing had been made and the following steps were followed : 1- the frame of the system : A 7 inch width by 5 inch height box was found and taped by all the edges to prevent air leakage.

Solution: Move the pieces that are rubbing together apart

Remaining Problems
 * Front housing is not stable and not firmly connected with the big front housing
 * Housings don't stay connected when not attended to and fall apart if left alone

Next Steps
 * Fix problem with front housings stability
 * Place each blade and rotor in its place and secure the position while allowing part to be removed when needed to be fixed or replaced
 * Connect the three different housings together to prevent it from falling apart when not holding it up in a way where they can be separated easily
 * Design and implement a way of transferring an air stream in a concentrated stream to spin the rotors and the rotary shafts

Collective Week 4
Two whole and cylindrical pipes ( made out of strong tape ) were made in this week following these steps : Italic text 1- Wholes making : Two ( 5 cm ) wholes were made in the same side of the box yet in two different places to have the pipes fit through them.

http://youtu.be/XbIwdApOgHs
 * A YouTube video of the demonstration of the whole system was taken :
 * Next Steps:
 * 1) Attach the whole system ( Box, pipes, and turbine) together.
 * 2) Do a final demonstration on the turbine and fix final errors.


 * 1) Fix unstable big fan housing so that it is stable and doesn't wobble which would create friction between the blade and the housing
 * 2) Replace glue that fixed the blades and rotors to stick in one spot permanently which you may run into problems later on if you have to fix or replace one or more of the rotors and blades and are unable to be easily removed. Find a way to stick the rotors and blades in one place in a way that allows easy removal when having to replace the part.
 * 3) Create a removable way to stick the separate housing pieces together preventing it from falling apart that allows the next group to be able to remove the tubes, blades, and rotors

Objective 1: Stabilizing front of turbine

 * The nails that were placed onto the original groups turbine failed to have a hold on the drilled holes on the front housing so the nails kept on slipping out which caused the whole front part of the turbine unbalanced causing friction between the blade and the housing.
 * Replaced nails with screws to hold the turbine steady

Objective 2: Blade and rotor placement and attachment

 * Previous group glued each piece to the tube making it so you have to get the glue of in order to remove the part if you need to replace that part.
 * Middle ring of the rotor was big enough that if you wrapped a piece of tape around where the parts are supposed to be located at. Tape creates a snug fit between the rotor and the rotary tube that allows part to be easily removed while once the turbine starts spinning the piece still stays in place.

Objective 3: Housing connecting
The problem with using glue to connect the housings together is that they are unable to be separated. There are two ways of combating this problem: Solution to Problem: Velcro between the spot where the housings connect with each other on both sides of the housing and on the underside of the housing. Velcro holds the pieces together keeping the housings from separating while easily being able to disconnect the pieces.
 * Recreate and reprint the housing pieces with some kind of attached mechanism that fully connects the two housings together while being able to separate them if need be
 * Create a secondary attachment that allows the housings to connect with each other while still being able to separate
 * Velcro keeps the pieces from being separated while the cylinder connectors attached to the housing keep the housings from being separated horizontally


 * Create something that closes off the turbine from the air except for the front and back of the turbine. Another choice would be to create a covering using the 3D printer to generate the pieces
 * Find or create bearings big enough enough to fit around the small inside rotary shaft allowing the turbine to spin easier with a lot less friction and if some friction remains find where it occurs and create a way to fix the problem.
 * Create a mechanism that directs a high enough stream of constant directed air that is able to spin the turbine
 * Real world applications of your built turbine
 * Create a different type of turbine and compare between turbines


 * Create something that closes off the turbine from the air except for the front and back of the turbine. Another choice would be to create a covering using the 3D printer to generate the pieces
 * Find or create bearings big enough enough to fit around the small inside rotary shaft allowing the turbine to spin easier with a lot less friction and if some friction remains find where it occurs and create a way to fix the problem.
 * Test Current air delivery system for its effectiveness and if unable to turn the turbine, alter the current design to increase air flow and power or create a different mechanism that directs a high enough stream of constant directed air that is able to spin the turbine
 * Real world applications of your built turbine
 * Create a different type of turbine and compare and contrast the similarities between the two turbines and compare the effectiveness between the two turbines