First build - unsure about a few things

[thegreenbastard]

Hello all. I've been working on a turbine engine for a little and now that i have my combustion chamber pretty much complete I need to address the fuel and oil situation.

I'm using a turbo off a 7.3L turbo diesel.

I am thinking of using diesel as my fuel for the turbine engine. Is this a bad idea. I feel that using propane will be a bit cumbersome compared to using liquid fuel. Am I missing something or ill informed?

If I do go with liquid fuel what do i need to atomize the fuel input?

Also, what pressure am i shooting for when selecting an oil pump?

How large does my oil tank need to be?

Thank you all in advance.

[racket]

jetandturbineowners.proboards.com/thread/680/diy-turbines

[shanaka]

Hi,

I don't have any turbo-based engine experience, But I do have some axial turbine-based engine experience (such as kj66). From my very limited experience, I would suggest first using propane or any other gaseous fuel as it's much safer and easier to use in my opinion. Once you managed to successfully start the engine with gas, you can go for a fuel of your preference. Keep a fire extinguisher nearby ready to use. Also, make sure you have a stop valve /other flow controls that can stop/ fine-tune the flow rate. In my case, I started with gas and managed to successfully start after several attempts and then switched to kerosene without a stop valve in the fuel line. The engine didn't start as I expected and fuel got flooded and my test bench caught fire nearly destroying my electronics and other stuff lol..

Cheers,
Shanaka

[ordonezs]

From my own limited experience, propane is very easy to work with. You don't need anything special except a nozzle with small holes, just make sure they spray radially and not axially down the flametube lol. It's also super easy to control with a regulator like this that allows you to vary the pressure by hand: www.amazon.com/dp/B07P5KPZ1T/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_V4QDZ9BKNF3BRC33TKF5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Liquid fuels require a pump (propane comes pressurized out of the bottle so don't need to worry about a pump) which adds a lot of complexity and failure points. You also need to worry about special nozzles for proper atomization (harder to disperse and thoroughly mix tiny droplets of liquid as opposed to something that's already a gas). In terms of safety, liquid fuel can leak/spray and cause fires pretty readily as opposed to propane which is more resistant to burning if it escapes. Also, liquid fuels can be tricky when trying to start your engine, as they can puddle in your combustor after failed attempts and cause fires.

Pretty sure all these points are covered in that link racket posted. I worked with propane in my build and it was a breeze.

[racket]

A correction required .............propane gas is much more inflammable than kero "if it escapes"..............please don't quote me unless you check the facts .

[thegreenbastard]

Thank you all for your input. Especially racket with that link.

I'm digesting all this info and I'm sure I'll be back with more later.

[noshell]

For my latest engine i bought a 125cc scooter engine oil pump and mounted it in the bottom of my oil tank. And powered it with a 540 motor on top of the tank.
www.walmart.com/ip/Oil-Pump-for-GY6-125cc-150cc-Moped-Scooter-ATV-Motors-152QMI-157QMJ/215671214

I got mine from aliexpress for about 3 quid.
To be honest ive just seen how cheap a regular oil pump is after looking for that. I just felt like this was a better solution.

Edit: i love trailer park boys too hahah

[stevie]

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