MIT puts final touches on a micro turbine engine
Millimeters in diameter machines could power miniature batteries or serve as engines in micro air vehicles; possible energy per weight unit estimated at 1200-1500 whr/kg; U.S. Army foots the bill
The small revolution took another turn last week as researchers at MIT announced that their long expected micro turbine engine — perhaps the future backbone of miniature batteries or tiny motors that power Micro Air Vehicles — could be completed soon. “Lot’s of hard problems (many not foreseen) have been solved by the very hard work of a number of talented people,” said professor Alan Epstein, going on to explain that the micro turbine works on the same principles as traditional turbine engines, the main difference being the materials and lithographic manufacturing process. “We expect that 500-700 whr/kg can be accomplished in the near term, rising to 1200-1500 whr/kg in the longer term (for the engine and its fuel supply).”
According to Epstein, “The components are etched from solid Si wafers in planes. The wafers are then bonded together to yield a wafer of complete engines. The wafers are then cut apart into individual engines as needed.”
As the blades therefore are solid material, this allows them to run at higher speeds without risk of breakage, and because the units can be made as small as millimeters in diameter, there are maintenance requirements. When the turbine wears out, it is simple replaced with another. Currently the project is being funded by the U.S. military, which sees application for the turbine in anything ranging from smaller UAVs to lighter more efficient batteries for soldiers. Future commercial applications are wide ranging for the micro turbine as it could be
used in cell phones, laptops, and any other battery powered items.
-read more in this Future of Things report
