Design process outline: airfoils/engines

[Nexim]

Hi, I want to design a remote controlled airplane that uses a small gas turbine for propulsion. I've found a place in my city that will cast specific metal parts for a price, given a CAD file of the part.

I am an electrical engineer primarily, but I have always been fascinated with airplanes too, and consider myself to have an ample general knowledge of how they (And gas turbine engines) work.

What I wanted was a bulletpoint list of the general process in designing:

1.) A airfoil wing,

and (more complicated):

2.) A gas turbine engine, including inlet, axial compressor, combustion chamber, turbine assembly, and nozzle.

...Actually maybe thats alot to ask?

I'm aware of CFD for optimizing geometric designs, to better suit a certain range of operability with different flow conditions, but I've no idea where to start with this. For example do you just enter a CAD design, and set of parameters describing the flow, into the program, and after a while of simulation it pops out a more efficient shape for your airfoil (or whatever the part is).

Also what CFD is available for amatuers like me (maybe even free?), as opposed to industry specific private software, and what can I expect from it?

I have access to solidworks 2007, and I'm willing to put in time to work on this (It would be a one man project), as it's kind of a hobby/goal for me. I know miniature gas turbines can be built and designed even by the amatuer, as I've seen a few projects dotted around in the past.

So basically can someone list the steps in designing/making these parts, so that I can then go away, and look into certain steps in further depth on my own? Also to get a general grasp of what is required.

Thanks alot, Mat

 

[rb1957]

ahh, persistance in the "face of aridity and disenchantment" ... i hear you (rightly) laughing at our scorn (??, i don't think we were being scornful, just we doubted that anyone would have the skills to achieve the goal).

good on 'er. good luck with your project !

 

[KENAT]

Nexim, I guess most of us were thinking along the lines of minimum effort/maximum achievment. Basically the least you could do to get a decent flying model.

However if you want to spend a lot of time & probably money on it just because you want to do it then go for it.

I'm still tempted to recomend a centrifugal jet rather than axial though. The early British engines where centrifugal as it's typically less demanding of materials etc.. Also early jets in cruise missiles etc were usually centrifugal for similar reasons (I tried a Google to back this up and hit a site I'm sure just put me on the FBI watch list, oops).

There are as I mentioned books (some fairly complex/detailed) specifically aimed at model A/C builders I'd look for some.

You may also still want to build something simple first just to get an idea of the basic process etc before going too far with building something complex from scratch.

Either way best of luck and let us know how it goes, I'm sure interested.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[Nexim]

Thanks for the advice, I'll come back and let you know how it goes...hopefully it eventually does.

I love a good challenge, and I'm gonna keep going at it with this project until its done. In the mean time I'll probably have some more questions anyway.

Thanks for your help.