Fabrication and Testing of a High-Speed Microscale Turbocharger

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) turbocharger has been designed, fabricated, and tested as part of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology program aimed at producing a microfabricated gas turbine engine for portable power applications. A gas turbine engine requires high-speed high-efficiency t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Journal of microelectromechanical systems Vol. 17; no. 5; pp. 1270 - 1282
Main Authors:	Savoulides, N., Jacobson, S.A., Hanqing Li, Linhvu Ho, Khanna, R., Chiang-Juay Teo, Protz, J.M., Li Wang, Ward, D., Schmidt, M.A., Epstein, A.H.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	New York, NY IEEE 01-10-2008 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
Subjects:	Applied sciences Bearings, bushings, rolling bearings Continuous cycle engines: steam and gas turbines, jet engines Drives Engines Engines and turbines Exact sciences and technology Fabrication Gas turbine engines High speed Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy Journal bearings Mathematical models Mechanical engineering. Machine design Mechanical instruments, equipment and techniques Micro gas turbine micro heat engine micro power generation Microelectromechanical systems Micromechanical devices Micromechanical devices and systems microturbocharger Physics powerMEMS Precision engineering, watch making Rotors Silicon Spinning Stators System testing Tip speed Turbines Turbochargers Turbomachinery Micro gas turbine microturbocharger micro heat engine micro power generation powerMEMS Flow rate Turbomachinery Compressors Experimental study Micromachine Micromotors Gas bearings Gas turbines Heat engines Thrust bearing Modelling Silicon Combustion chambers Microelectromechanical device Mass flow Journal bearings Production process
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Summary:	A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) turbocharger has been designed, fabricated, and tested as part of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology program aimed at producing a microfabricated gas turbine engine for portable power applications. A gas turbine engine requires high-speed high-efficiency turbomachinery operating at tip speeds of several hundred meters per second. This MEMS turbocharger serves to demonstrate these requirements. The turbocharger's silicon rotor, which is supported on hydrostatic gas thrust and journal bearings in a silicon stator housing, was spun to 480 000 rpm, corresponding to a tip speed of 200 m/s. This paper discusses critical fabrication processes that enabled the capabilities of this device. Operational issues and test results are also presented. The turbocharger's compressor demonstrated a pressure ratio of 1.21 at a mass flow rate of 0.13 g/s, with a combined compressor-turbine spool efficiency of 0.24. Under these conditions, the turbine produced about 5 W of power. Results from the simultaneous operation of a spinning rotor and burning combustor within the microscale turbocharger are also presented. Experimental results compare well with analytical models and computations.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 23
ISSN:	1057-7157 1941-0158
DOI:	10.1109/JMEMS.2008.924257