Jims Little 3 Lb Thermojet

Jim Berquist · Post by **Jim Berquist** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 5:11 pm

Eric: Could Zueg, In rebuild tred convert to Thermo Jet type with that big butt valved engine?

Jim

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 5:57 pm

Out of my symposium book on pulsating combustion ... ""Recently, Thermo-jet made available the aerodynamically valved unit shown in figure 4b."

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 2:31 am

Here is a startup video of a new previously never run 10 lb thermojet. Super easy to start. Cant really get much easier.

Step 1: Provide ignition source
Step 2: Give it fuel
Step 3: Grin from ear to ear

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XZBpMKRhok

Also here is a pic of a shiny new Advanced Thermojet

Eric

Irvine.J · Post by **Irvine.J** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 5:55 am

Shiney, pretty, squidlike...what more can I say. I LOVE IT! Woot!

Squidrant is derived from "Quadrant" a weapon used by gladiators. It also had 4 spiky things coming out of it, like those intakes there

Though yours looks far more squid like then I could have hoped for

Johansson · Post by **Johansson** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 3:05 pm

Great looking engine! Any videos of it running?

Jim Berquist · Post by **Jim Berquist** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 5:08 pm

Cool , the little therojet that could has a big sister!!!! Lets see her RIP!!!

Jim

Jim Berquist · Post by **Jim Berquist** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 12:56 am

Any more on this one?

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 1:21 am

Yep, sorry havent had a lot of free time for posting.

It runs!

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 1:49 am

Nice colors, congrats yet again.

Post by **Mike Everman** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 3:09 am

Very pretty. I don't know what it is, that color always makes me glow. How big is that thing? 10 lb thrust, right? Is it a practical size for that thrust?
Sweet welding job, man!

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 3:52 am

Thanks guys.

Nope, its based off the combustor for the 10 lb thermo with straight tailpipe. With the expanded tail it will put out well over 20 with proper intakes, with the configuration I am going to use I hope to get close to 30 with it.

The intakes are way too short in its current configuration, but its nice to know it will still run with them just 1" longer than the standard 10lb version.

Its 57" long minus plug.

Eric

Irvine.J · Post by **Irvine.J** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 2:39 pm

Its 57" of squid like action, I'm sorry, I can't get over the squid, but the Architeuthis family would be proud of that one. Wanna whack that big Tp180 ramjet behind this one just for kicks? I'll bring hot-dogs.

Vermin · Post by **Vermin** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 5:48 pm

Great looking eng Eric...I havent tried a TJ as of yet but the looks of this unit is intriuging....Grat Job as usual Kudos.

GRIM · Post by **GRIM** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:43 am

Here is a photo and a drawing of my latest experiment

This thermojet is a slightly scaled up version of Eric’s 3 Lb design (thanks Eric)
It has a 2” od exhaust, runs fine on propane, but not much power. (About 3 lb)
I have not posted videos or photos because there’s not much new to show.

It has evolved to become a test bench to try to ,

1. Achieve low pressure liquid fueling (bladder tank pressure )
2. Put to use some of the wasted heat
3. Lower radiated heat levels
4. Avoid the use of electric pumps , batteries , speed controllers etc .

I have achieved sustained running on gas station kerosene (with propane start up) and to some extent addressed the other issues

I intend to continue testing with diesel , jet A1 (if my contact at the airport delivers) and maybe gasoline,

There cant be many people here who haven’t tried wrapping some copper tube around the cc and pumped fuel in , I believe It would be fair to say that it doesn’t work very well ,

I believe the reason it doesn’t work well is that the liquid tends to form small spheres that skid and bounce off of the hot tubing , and reach the nozzle end not very well vaporized.

Now pumping the liquid into a complex maze of sharp edged very hot material causes a more complete vaporization and an inevitable expansion and cooling effect
(I think)

I also believe it to be true that the smaller the vaporized liquid particles are , the more complete the combustion will be , therefore more efficient use of the fuel / more power

To be honest pumping pressurized volatile liquids into that hot almost sealed chamber makes me nervous, I keep telling myself to believe in the “fire triangle” (no oxygen = no fire) just the same still makes me nervous

I am also sure that If I did not purge the fuel lines feeding the thing and was to pressurize my fuel with air, things may be very different

Any thoughts comments criticism or tips are welcome

Jutte · Post by **Jutte** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:10 am

Hi Grim,
What you are doing reminds me of the Pogue Carburator for extended fuel usage - which used a series of concentric heated spiral chambers to heat petrol as so to to turn the liquid it into a gaseous state before entering the car engine.
And a similiar idea used by the Caggiano Patent ( US Pat 5,782,225 ).Which does the same sort of thing but more completely.I don't know how it went on fuel consumption but it sure looks like it could turn petrol into a gas pretty well.
It pays to be a bit careful as apparently Mr Caggiano got a bit
burnt on one of his prototypes.
Good luck with your engine - actually it's pretty cool.

www.pulse-jets.com

Jims Little 3 Lb Thermojet

thermo

Thermo-jet with 4 air inlet tubes

Squidrant of power

Thermojet

57" Squiddy

Hi Grim