Home Made Jet Engine

In 2006, I was lucky enough to work in a an engineering department of a college, which gave me access to Lathes, Milling Machines, CNC Laser Cutter, Tig Welding set, Spot Welder, sheet metal forming kit etc...

So, in my dinner breaks I set about converting an old turbocharger (believed to be from a diesel Rover SD1) into a small Jet Engine / Gas Turbine!

It was a joint project between my dad and I. He's a draughtsman, and carried out the majority of the design work, while I manufactured to his drawings.

The majority of the work revolved around building a combustion chamber, the design of which was based on a Rolls-Royce Avon combustor can, but scaled down. We used a Rolls-Royce book for refrence, which indicated what proportion of air should enter the combustor at which points.

Assembled Gas Turbine.

Exhaust-outlet side of the turbo, a short jet-pipe attaches here.

The 316L stainless steel combustor liner, flame tube, or can, shown removed from the housing.

Fig 1 - Turning the flare (sits around the burner).

Fig 2 - Finished turning the flare.

Fig 3 - Turning the combustor inlet flanges togehter.

Fig 4 - Combustor discharge (exhaust) nozzle before welding to the flange.

Fig 5 - Rear half of the combustor liner, made from 0.7mm 316L stainless steel, laser cut.

Fig 6 - Spot welding the stainless steel combustor liner together.

Fig 7 - Sub-assembly of parts.

Fig 8 - Combustor inlet flare peened over the "coulinder" and tig welded to combustor joining piece.

Fig 9 - Very fiddly tiny Swirler Burner vanes.

Fig 10 - Swirl vanes installed on burner.

Fig 11 - Inside the completed combustor liner with swirler burner installed.