1. Micro-heat engines, gas turbines, and rocket engines - The MIT microengine project
- Author
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Martin A. Schmidt, G. Shirley, J. Lopata, C. C. Lin, Alan H. Epstein, J. O.Mur Miranda, Kenneth S. Breuer, E. S. Piekos, A. Mehra, Steven F. Nagle, G. Anathasuresh, Chuan Seng Tan, F. F. Ehrich, Reza Ghodssi, Stephen D. Senturia, Arturo A. Ayon, L. A. Waitz, O. Al-Midani, Y. S. Tzeng, C. Groshenry, Stuart A. Jacobson, Jack L. Kerrebrock, Luc G. Fréchette, E. M. Esteve, S.M. Spearing, Jeffrey H. Lang, D. J. Orr, Kuo-Shen Chen, G. Gauba, and A. P. London
- Subjects
Engineering ,business.product_category ,business.industry ,Combined cycle ,Mechanical engineering ,Thrust ,Propulsion ,Turbine ,Automotive engineering ,law.invention ,Liquid fuel ,Electricity generation ,Internal combustion engine ,Rocket ,law ,business - Abstract
This is a report on work in progress on microelectrical and mechanical systems (MEMS)-based gas turbine engines, turbogenerators, and rocket engines currently under development at MIT. Fabricated in large numbers in parallel using semiconductor manufacturing techniques, these engines are based on micro-high speed rotating machinery with the same power density as that achieved in their more familiar, full-sized brethren. The micro-gas turbine is a 1 cm diameter by 3 mm thick SiC heat engine designed to produce 10-20 W of electric power or 0.050.1 Nt of thrust while consuming under 10 grams/hr of H 2 . Later versions may produce up to 100 W using hydrocarbon fuels. A liquid fuel, bi-propellant rocket motor of similar size could develop over 3 lb of thrust. The rocket motor would be complete with turbopumps and control valves on the same chip. These devices may enable new concepts in propulsion, fluid control, and por table power generation.
- Published
- 1997
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