Feasibility study of the wave disk micro-engine operation

Abstract

The development of micro turbine engines has been strongly intensified in recent years. Since turbo-component efficiency has become very low due to the downsizing effect, the micro wave rotor is expected to be applied for the improvement of the performance of ultra-micro gas turbines, increasing the cycle pressure ratio. But wave rotors can also be used in another configuration. Here replacement of steady flow engine components by unsteady flow devices is proposed and analyzed. Applying a combustion chamber only and using oblique blades to form the rotor cells, net power can be taken from the rotor. In that way the use of an inefficient, micro-scale turbo unit can be omitted. Conventional construction of unsteady devices in the form of a wave rotor cannot be realized in MEMS technology. The new idea of a wave disk gives the possibility of an easy implementation of a wave engine in MEMS technology. In the proposed solution the wave disk plays the role of an active compression–decompression unit and torque generator. Appropriate port geometry with straight or oblique blades forming the disk channels generates torque. The engine disk rotates with a speed much lower than the conventional turbo unit and simplifies the bearing problem. Also the construction of an electric generator could be simpler. This paper presents the proposed flow schemes, thermodynamic cycle, exemplary engine construction and some preliminary results of simulation of the MEMS wave engine utilizing the wave disk geometry.