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If pressure driven there would be no need for a "fuel" component which would be a pollutant or worse yet a fire hazard when vented after use. They could simply use non-polluting self-pressurizing liquids like nitrous oxide, which is already commercially used for such purposes. You can buy the canisters at any culinary shop.
Also; if these are to deliver 10-50 watts in a 5" box vapor pressure alone won't do it. A force multiplier would be necessary and that is combustion.
Consider that self-pressurizing fuel is butane (the "refill like a lighter" comment) and there is a valved fuel intake open to the pressurized volume; no fuel transport system would be necessary and it would be self-starting in that opening the valve spins up the turbine before ignition.
Essentially it's a tiny APU.
Interesting quote from MIT's site;
Also; if these are to deliver 10-50 watts in a 5" box vapor pressure alone won't do it. A force multiplier would be necessary and that is combustion.
Consider that self-pressurizing fuel is butane (the "refill like a lighter" comment) and there is a valved fuel intake open to the pressurized volume; no fuel transport system would be necessary and it would be self-starting in that opening the valve spins up the turbine before ignition.
Essentially it's a tiny APU.
Interesting quote from MIT's site;
MicroEngines (MEMS Gas Turbines, Generators, & Rocket Engines)
A multidisciplinary effort, in cooperation with the MIT Micro Technology Laboratory, is underway to develop gas turbine and rocket engines a few millimeters in diameter spinning at 2-5 __106 rpm (it's supposed to read 20,000 rpm). The devices would be capable of producing 10-50 watts of power or 10-30 grams of thrust. Applications include battery replacement and micro-airplane propulsion. A subset of this effort is a program to build micro electric motor driven compressors of similar size. Also, a bipropellant, turbopump equipped, centimeter sized micro rocket engine, producing 3-5 lb. of thrust, is under development. There efforts encompasses all aspects of gas turbine and rocket propulsion engineering, including the fluid mechanics of turbomachinery, mechanical design, structures and materials, combustion, bearings, electric generators, materials, and microfabrication.
Prof. Alan H. Epstein
A multidisciplinary effort, in cooperation with the MIT Micro Technology Laboratory, is underway to develop gas turbine and rocket engines a few millimeters in diameter spinning at 2-5 __106 rpm (it's supposed to read 20,000 rpm). The devices would be capable of producing 10-50 watts of power or 10-30 grams of thrust. Applications include battery replacement and micro-airplane propulsion. A subset of this effort is a program to build micro electric motor driven compressors of similar size. Also, a bipropellant, turbopump equipped, centimeter sized micro rocket engine, producing 3-5 lb. of thrust, is under development. There efforts encompasses all aspects of gas turbine and rocket propulsion engineering, including the fluid mechanics of turbomachinery, mechanical design, structures and materials, combustion, bearings, electric generators, materials, and microfabrication.
Prof. Alan H. Epstein
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