The Red Brick Times

Build your own turbine or pulse jet vehicle.
Posted 9:26 AM by Andy (2) comments

       Comments:

This has all the makings of a major award for somebody.

# posted by  whatley : October 08, 2006 10:53 AM
 
This link to an eBay auction shows
part of a Hydrotherm corporation Hydropulse boiler. This product was used for hot water heating. I installed and serviced these units in the 1980's. The operating principal is exactly the same as a pulse jet engine (like was used in the German V2 bombs). The fuel (natural gas or propane) flows into the brass cylinder. The fuel is drawn into a spherical brass conbustion chamber (the pictured part bolts to the combustion chamber, which is not shown) through the eleven little pipes at the bottom. Air also flows in, pushed by a fan (start cycle) or drawn in by vaccum after an ignition pulse. The mixture is ignited by a spark plug (to start it) or spontaneously by hot surfaces (when running). When the fuel fires, pressure slams eleven disk valves closed. The disk valves are at the bottom of the little pipes. Look at the second picture to see the eleven round circles where the valves sit. Ignition pressure forces hot gasses down and to the exhaust. The exiting pressure wave creates a partial vacuum that drags the eleven valves open and pulls in more air and fuel, which goes "boom" and starts the cycle again. The cumbustion chamber and exhaust piping lived inside a water jacket which carried the heat to radiators throughout the building. When it started, you heard the air fan, then the click of the gas valve, then a buzzing that started slowly and built to a steady 60-cycles per second after a second or two. The gas valve was closed to shut it down.

# posted by  Andy : October 11, 2006 1:02 PM
 
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