Shop Talk: Low-cost PC-machine tool interface By Ken Rieli

New Turbine Power!New Turbine Power!New Turbine Power!

Y ou can recognize a master at work by the level of enjoyment he gets out of doing the work. The best craftsmen – potters, glass

blowers, clockmakers – just can’t get enough! And because they get such a kick out of their craft, they put in long hours & live in another realm. This usually results in excellence above & beyond others in the field. The photos published here show the

merging of metalworking art with hard core engineering. This particular or-ganic Rankine cycle turbogenerator (which shipped in July to an experi-menter in the Czech Republic) was an improvement over Ken’s last model. It always is. In our shop right now are three disc

turbogenerators – each an improved version of the previous design on a path toward functional perfection.

(Continued on page 3)

Metal Art + Engineering = the Perfect Engine By Pam Rieli

T his month we are con-tinuing our discussion about how to automate our machine tools. So far we have covered the CAD-CAM process, and have suggested using both free and low-cost software for this process. The last part of the

process involves the hard-ware. Basically, we need to connect a personal computer to electric mo-tors that drive the lead screws of the machine tool. There are three key

pieces of hardware that we have to deal with:

· The PC interface · The motor driver · The motor There are a couple of

websites that feature DIY interface/drivers for low power machine tools. The circuitry described on these websites is beyond

(Continued on page 3)

Phoenix Turbine Builders Club August 2009

Volume 1, Issue 8

Metal Art + Engineering = the Perfect Engine

1

Shop Talk: Low-cost PC-machine tool interface

1

From Sweden: Tesla Turbine Project

2

Greentech News: Crime is in the Air Report

3

Tesla Corner 4

Inside this issue:

New Turbine Power! A Revolution in Global Industry

Heat Process

Interference Fitting

Next month:

Turbine design by Ken Rieli

From Sweden: Tesla Turbine project – and a vision for home brewed power By Per Engstrom

Page 2 New Turbine Power! Volume 1, I ssue 8

small scale. But who reaps the benefit? Not I as a con-sumer, but the big fat power company. With profits higher than ever they are still talking about higher energy prices! Where does it end? Not in my pocket for sure. That is why I am interested in en-ergy, home brewed en-ergy. I see before me a mixed

home DC to AC-system for charging my car, power my washing machine, lights and home electronics. Heat engine power as pri-mary energy source (steam turbine, stirling, wood, biogas, ???), grid power as backup, large DC battery reserve topped with solar- and windpower. All mixed together in a seamless combined energy system! The future of home

power as I see it, not origi-nal, but there it is :) Best regards Per Engstrom

March 2009

I have attached some pictures of my current project, tt120. I have spun it to 17300 rpm on 6 bar compressed air, however I'm not sure about the reli-ability of the reading. I have problems with vi-

brations causing the bear-ings to fail. Main reason being an unbalanced run-ner, also because this is my first project and I'm learning as I go. The ten discs are 0,5

mm thick and have 0,5 mm spacing. I have not been able to measure any per-formance because of bear-ing and axle issues. I con-sider abandoning the tt120 for a couple of reasons, high rpm being the main reason, poor bearing de-sign another. I'm curious about build-

ing a larger diameter but fewer discs turbine. 300 mm (12 inch), just two or three discs with 1 mm spacing. Also, I was happy when I

read your newsletter. Your 1 hp genset is exactly what the tt120 was in-tended to be! :D Not pri-marily for solar but as a heating/electric combo for my house!

June 2009 The TT120 project has

more or less stalled. I have not progressed any further than the initial com-pressed air runs. Someday when my life has returned to normal again I will con-tinue the development. The first thing I will do is a proper axle design fol-

parably simple to build, but the whole system with steam generator, turbine, condenser, high pressure pump, potential scaling, in the end it adds up to be a pretty complex system af-ter all. Satisfying if one can get it to work as in-tended, but I have always been equally curious about the Stirling engine. Per-haps more difficult to build but easier and safer to operate. Also to consider is gov-

ernment regulations for high pressure steam and electric grid connection, things I have not looked into in detail. But I'll worry about that the day I get it to work! Question: How is the global economic depres-sion affecting Sweden? The global depression af-fects us all. I for instance, have two more days at work. After that I am un-employed, hence the halt in turbine development. Most likely I will learn a new profession the coming year, I'm looking into cool-ing and heat pumps. When I'm done with that, have a new home somewhere else, a new interesting well paid job and the uni-verse smiles at me again, then I will finish the pro-ject, or start a new one... One thing we do need in

this world are new ideas, new views, some crazier than others. It is cheaper to produce energy at a large scale compared to

lowed by a revised runner with not so thick and heavy end discs.

Question: Do you see a need for disc turbines/turbogenerators in your part of the world? Regarding the need for

disc turbines and tur-bogenerators it is hard to say. As an idea, abso-lutely! But in real life? It all depends on reliability and maintenance. Can I leave the steam generator for weeks without tending? The turbine itself is com-

Crime is in the Air Report A report by the Centre for

Crime & Justice Studies at King’s College reveals that air pollution is killing 24,000 people per year in Great Britain – with thousands more hospitalized. Chief polluters (car manu-

facturers, cement factories, power plants) are escaping ‘Scot free’ as government looks the other way. Not particularly unusual

news. Since that evil day when man’s greedy nature spawned capitalism & the market driven economy, the government-industrial cartel has polluted nearly every virgin inch of land, sea, air & space. As the 2012 London Olym-

pics approaches, we’ll see some level of public embar-rassment as they realize the pollution is obscuring their glorious edifices. Déjà vu Beijing! But mark my words, no more than a slap on the commercial wrist will emerge from the uproar. Why? Because those who

are first affected by indus-trialists’ criminal activities are the poor. The majority of people are swallowed up in personal dramas. They simply don’t see the prob-lems – until it grabs them by the throat. Then the Cartel points a crooked finger & the dupes lash out at the wrong villains. There are those who are

spiritually minded enough to understand the severity of the global meltdown & to identify the true criminals. But most seem to lack a warrior’s heart. So next year, another

24,000 are bound to die, un-til we end the reign of fossil fuel fools once & for all.

Greentech NewsGreentech News

Shop Talk Low-cost PC-machine tool interface

(Continued from page 1)

most machinists’ abilities to fabricate, so it is best to pay the price for the hardware. There are a couple of

low-cost options out there for the PC interface. One option is EAS (Embedded Acquisition Systems). They offer kits for both inter-face & interface/drivers - although these drivers are limited to small machine tool motors. Another option – which is

the one I chose – was

Keling (www.kelinginc.net) for my interface (breakout) boards. They have the best prices for breakout boards, and are also a good one-stop-shopping place for entire systems (drivers, motors, etc.) Another good source for

stepper motors is Home-workshop CNC. So there you have it – a

complete introductory guide to the home or small commercial workshop con-

version from manual to CNC machine tools. The great thing about

going from manual to automated tools is that it liberates you from the te-dium of the machining process. Your time may be better spent designing parts once on a CAD sys-tem, and then being able to duplicate those parts any number of times – without the time and te-dium of manual opera-tions.

Metal Art + Engineering = the Perfect Engine

Nikola Tesla started the process long ago with his first disc turbine proto-types. Ken has carried the work farther along toward the original goal – develop-ment of a low-cost engine that’s ready to manufac-ture for 21st century power & transportation needs. And boy, is he having

fun!

Page 3 New Turbine Power! Volume 1, I ssue 8

Turbine design by Ken Rieli

NOTE: For maximum safety, always operate turbine in an enclosed, explosion-proof test cell.

Founded in 2001, the Phoenix Turbine Builders Club is a free

resource for anyone interested in Tesla turbine theory & construc-

tion, as well as applications relating to disc turbine technology. As

of October 30, 2008 the club boasted 1,499 active members in 86

countries.

The first Tesla turbine project began with a series of articles written

by Ken Rieli, CEO at Phoenix Navigation & Guidance Inc. and

chairman of the Global Motive Power Revolution. In addition to

exploring principles of boundary layer turbines, we are developing a

low-horsepower ORC turbine into a solar co-generation system to

cut the costs of heating & electrical power.

We invite you to join our efforts in moving the world into the Space

Age with new power & transportation technologies!

Pam Rieli, Editor

New Turbine Power!

E10074 Co. Rd. H58

Munising, MI 49862 USA

ON THE WEB :

WWW .NEWTURBINE .PHOENIXNAVIGATION .COM

Email: ptbc@phoenixnavigation.com

New Turbine Power! A Revolution in Global Industry

Phoenix Turbine Builders Club

“Let the future tell the

truth & evaluate each one

according to his work and

accomplishments. The pre-

sent is theirs, the future,

for which I really worked,

is mine.”

– Nikola Tesla

Tesla, Man Out of Time, Mar-garet Cheney, Dorset Press, NY 1981, p.184

Tesla Corner