Post by charlatanshost on Feb 3, 2018 18:09:32 GMT -5
Hi everyone, I'm new here, but have been lurking around for a few years now and I finally decided to join because I have no idea where else to ask some of these questions.
Alright, well I've been wanting to build a small turbine for some time now,and I've been wanting to build a generator. The reason I decided to go with a turbine is because of the option of using multiple types of fuel, and they are just so interesting.
I know it would probably be cheaper and way less time consuming to buy one at that point. But I like building stuff, designing and engineering, and the fact I can I can say I built it and have the satisfaction of that.
But any way, I'm friends with a metallurgist, and a mechanical engineer. I myself am a, nuclear welder/fitter and experienced in a bunch of other things, such as being millwright/valve tech, machining, metal fabrication and shaping, electrical, coding and programming (Arduino, python script, etc) and as well as other random things. And I also have axis to a mill, lathe, varies metal shaping tools and such.
Well anyway, let's get back to the topic. Well I've read and was told inconel would be the good option for a free wheel and/or power turbine.
But the process of casting inconel is not quite the easiest, it is pretty labor intensive and costly. My friend says we can do it, and he has poured quite a few times, but he says it isn't the easiest thing to pour.
So that got my thinking and looking up different material physical properties. Which me start looking at graphite.
Graphite has no melting point until it is pressurized to 100 bar, which at that point it's melting point is around 4300 Kelvin, also it's very light, and isn't to hard to machine if done properly.
But all my research that I have done shows that it has a tensile strength of about 7-10 MPa, and inconels is much higher 1375mpa.
But I found that a graphite turbine wheel was used in Project Timberwind Space Nuclear Thermal Propulsion.
I have yet to find it used for a turbine wheel in any other projects.
So I'm coming to the conclusion that it isn't feasible to successfully use graphite the physical properties of it, and the one project I found that uses it.
So what are your thoughts?
And what other suggestions would you have as far as materials?
I thought about some type of molybdenum alloy, but all the ones I can think of have a really high density.
I also thought about Cupronickel, but it doesn't quite compare to inconel as far as weight and melting point.
So what's your thoughts? I know it's a lot to read, and it sounds a little crazy. But I'm just trying to figure out practically reduce rotating mass, with methods I can actually do, as I'm no expert at turbines.
Alright, well I've been wanting to build a small turbine for some time now,and I've been wanting to build a generator. The reason I decided to go with a turbine is because of the option of using multiple types of fuel, and they are just so interesting.
I know it would probably be cheaper and way less time consuming to buy one at that point. But I like building stuff, designing and engineering, and the fact I can I can say I built it and have the satisfaction of that.
But any way, I'm friends with a metallurgist, and a mechanical engineer. I myself am a, nuclear welder/fitter and experienced in a bunch of other things, such as being millwright/valve tech, machining, metal fabrication and shaping, electrical, coding and programming (Arduino, python script, etc) and as well as other random things. And I also have axis to a mill, lathe, varies metal shaping tools and such.
Well anyway, let's get back to the topic. Well I've read and was told inconel would be the good option for a free wheel and/or power turbine.
But the process of casting inconel is not quite the easiest, it is pretty labor intensive and costly. My friend says we can do it, and he has poured quite a few times, but he says it isn't the easiest thing to pour.
So that got my thinking and looking up different material physical properties. Which me start looking at graphite.
Graphite has no melting point until it is pressurized to 100 bar, which at that point it's melting point is around 4300 Kelvin, also it's very light, and isn't to hard to machine if done properly.
But all my research that I have done shows that it has a tensile strength of about 7-10 MPa, and inconels is much higher 1375mpa.
But I found that a graphite turbine wheel was used in Project Timberwind Space Nuclear Thermal Propulsion.
I have yet to find it used for a turbine wheel in any other projects.
So I'm coming to the conclusion that it isn't feasible to successfully use graphite the physical properties of it, and the one project I found that uses it.
So what are your thoughts?
And what other suggestions would you have as far as materials?
I thought about some type of molybdenum alloy, but all the ones I can think of have a really high density.
I also thought about Cupronickel, but it doesn't quite compare to inconel as far as weight and melting point.
So what's your thoughts? I know it's a lot to read, and it sounds a little crazy. But I'm just trying to figure out practically reduce rotating mass, with methods I can actually do, as I'm no expert at turbines.
