Author Topic: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build  (Read 932322 times)

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Offline Mobacken Racing

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Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #945 on: March 08, 2015, 03:57:06 PM »
My friend be careful here.  While the cheap damper (or mounting angle) is probably the issue, a "good firm quality" damper can magnify the issue if the problem is in the frame alignment or setup.  A controllable wobble turns into an uncontrollable weave very quickly.

A very valid point you´ve made, I will keep it in mind and try to get some seat time before the race so I can increase the speed in increments while provoking the steering a bit to see how the bike reacts.

By the way guys and gals, have you checked the front page out today? 8-)



I am very honored by this to say the least.

Offline Glen

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Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #946 on: March 08, 2015, 07:06:03 PM »
Nice article  1st thing I read this morning. :cheers:
Glen
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Offline bbarn

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Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #947 on: March 09, 2015, 11:41:50 AM »
Anders - I know I am not the only person with this question on their mind. When do you think you will be coming to Bonneville with your bike so we can see it up close and in person?

I have thoroughly enjoyed watching your build and admire your skill and determination. I would love to see this bike come to Bonneville, I think you would be able to put on an impressive showing. From experience, you will meet the nicest people in the world that will share their advice and experience with you freely which I have found to be priceless.
I almost never wake up cranky, I usually just let her sleep in.

Offline lsrjunkie

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Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #948 on: March 09, 2015, 03:49:28 PM »
I'm with Brandon here! You are super talented and I'd love too see your bike in person. Bonneville just happens to be a wee bit closer then Sweden.
Maybe there is no Heaven. Or maybe this is all pure gibberish. The product of a demented hill billy who has found a way to live out where the winds blow. To sleep late, have fun, drink whiskey, and drive fast on empty streets with nothing in mind except falling in love or getting arrested.    H.S. Thompson

Online Seldom Seen Slim

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Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #949 on: March 09, 2015, 03:59:53 PM »
Yeah, but --   Keep this in mind, folks, before asking Anders to come over for a visit.  He went racing a week or two ago and it was 40F -- and he warm plenty warm (from what I could see in the photos).  Now imagine him at the salt - - listening to Ron Christensen on the radio telling us (I heard him giving this very data a couple of years ago) that "It's about 3.30Pm right now.  The temperature is 103F and the humidity is 6%".

Unh, anybody got any ice water to give to Anders and the rest of the Swedes? :-D :-D
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Offline Mobacken Racing

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Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #950 on: March 09, 2015, 04:04:19 PM »
That´s right Jon, I´ll probably pass out three steps from the trailer at those temps..... :-D

Regarding the Bonneville trip. I have thought about it myself and I am not sure, going to Bonneville is a huge project both in time and money for me so before I go I need to know that I have a fair chance at the record. It wouldn´t feel very exciting to go through all the trouble of shipping the bike and accessories to USA knowing that I can´t get nowhere near the class record of 219mph.

This engine has its limitations because of the modest mass flow, if I use every trick up my sleeve I might get close to 200hp out of it but that´s it. If I can get enough speed out of the bike with that amount of power then I´ll go as soon as the bike is ready and tested, if not then I will have to think it through.

I do have a plan for this in case the bike ends up short of 219mph that I have kept to myself and a few others, I am about to start drawing up a new gas producer engine for the bike which will have a mass flow similar to the Y2K bike with its Allison 250C18 helicopter engine. I will use the same turbine shaft but a much larger billet compressor wheel to get as much air through the engine as possible, it will also bring the boost pressure up towards 4 bar so it will be a serious engine for sure when it is finished. :-)

I have the compressor and turbine in my bookshelf right now, my friend John Wallis who has helped me calculate the engine I am running right now will do the critical calcs for this engine as well and hopefully I can start making the patterns for casting the compressor section late this year.

Since the engine build will take a couple of years I will keep racing and tuning the bike with the old engine in it, so by the time the new gas producer is ready to be installed I will hopefully have the chassis and fairings sorted out properly.

But pschhhhhh, keep it to yourself for now. :-)

Offline manta22

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Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #951 on: March 09, 2015, 04:10:22 PM »
Anders, whether you set a record or not, I think you would find that a trip to Bonneville would be worthwhile, just for the experience of being at such an historic & iconic event. Now go watch the movie "The World's Fastest Indian". If an old Kiwi could do it, so could you!  :-D


Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ
Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

Offline Mobacken Racing

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Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #952 on: March 09, 2015, 04:26:55 PM »
That is true, but still it would feel a bit awkward if the bike isn´t up for the job. I could as well leave it at home then and just buy a flight ticket to visit the race as a spectator.

A couple of pics from Speed Weekend taken by a friend called Coolegan, a very good photographer indeed.







(No I wasn´t sleeping in the last pic, just checking where to place my feet...)

Offline Mobacken Racing

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Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #953 on: March 19, 2015, 06:34:15 PM »
Starting the engine with compressed air is easy but very impractical since I need to bring several scuba bottles with me to the race, so I´ve decided to build an electrical starter instead.



I found a suitable aluminum plate in the good-to-have-pile and started making a motor bracket.



Almost there...



I have some final touches left to do to improve air flow around the bracket arms but I had to test fit the starter motor first.



That looks like it could work, while writing this post the thought struck me that the motor might hit the front wall in the intake air box, I have to take some measurements next time I am in the workshop to see if I need to modify the air box somewhat... :)



Cheers!
/Anders

Offline wobblywalrus

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Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #954 on: March 20, 2015, 11:19:14 PM »
Anders, looking at the movie of the race, it seems a small reduction in triple clamp offset will help.  A 3mm reduction is noticeable in my experience and a 5mm one makes a big difference.  This increases the trail and consequently, the self centering capability of the bike steering.   

Offline Mobacken Racing

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Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #955 on: March 21, 2015, 05:06:12 PM »
Anders, looking at the movie of the race, it seems a small reduction in triple clamp offset will help.  A 3mm reduction is noticeable in my experience and a 5mm one makes a big difference.  This increases the trail and consequently, the self centering capability of the bike steering.   

Thanks for the suggestion! The first thing I will try though is to fit a higher quality steering damper, I used a cheap China damper and after the race it has developed a 10mm free play when pushing the rod in and out... :-(

In reality I ran the bike at Speed Weekend without any steering damping at all, so I am not surprised that it behave the way it did at the bumpy track.

Offline saltwheels262

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Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #956 on: March 21, 2015, 08:48:17 PM »
a 1 inch or 40 degree rake
 in the neck will always help.
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Offline Mobacken Racing

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Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #957 on: March 25, 2015, 04:41:06 PM »
a 1 inch or 40 degree rake
 in the neck will always help.

I´ll keep that in mind in case the new steering damper won´t help.

Over the last couple of days I have been working on the starter arrangement, and I´ve managed to build something that actually seems to work. :-)



Don Giandomenico made something similar for his GR-7 turbojet, a solenoid controlled sleeve that fits the compressor nut.

https://youtu.be/_8GBwvzBzuk

I milled a sleeve from Robalon, a plastic material similar to nylon (but much harder) used to reduce friction in wood chips transporters at the central heating plant I work at.



I didn´t take many pics during construction since this is a test that might have to be modified later.



Here is a movie showing how it works, I ordered the motor controller, batteries etc today so when it arrives I can start assembling the bike again.

https://youtu.be/n_JyVK0agbA

Cheers!
/Anders

Offline Buickguy3

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Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #958 on: March 25, 2015, 09:25:56 PM »
  Anders,
    I know nothing about gas turbine engines, but It looks strikingly like a turbocharger. I would be concerned about the starter and the mounting plate and struts causing a severe disruption of the airflow pattern for the air entering the compressor. Could some sort of angle drive be used to minimize the mass in front of the turbine wheel? I will now turn the discussion back to those who understand.
    Doug  :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I keep going faster and faster and I don't know why. All I have to do is live and die.
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Offline Mobacken Racing

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Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #959 on: March 26, 2015, 01:05:41 AM »
  Anders,
    I know nothing about gas turbine engines, but It looks strikingly like a turbocharger. I would be concerned about the starter and the mounting plate and struts causing a severe disruption of the airflow pattern for the air entering the compressor. Could some sort of angle drive be used to minimize the mass in front of the turbine wheel? I will now turn the discussion back to those who understand.
    Doug  :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

Hi Doug and thanks for the concern. :-)

The struts will be reshaped a bit on the belt sander to increase the aerodynamics, but these engines use to have a starter in front and it usually works without restricting the air flow overly much. I have a good set of running temp data now so once I start the engine I can check the temps for signs of disturbances in the mass flow, any problem usually shows up as an increased EGT.

Besides, with the bellmouthed intake the compressor sucks most of its air from the sides so a side hung starter would probably disturb the air inflow more than a front mounted.

Cheers!
/Anders