400mm EDF project

[SkyersJet]

I've been working on 3D printing a 400mm diameter EDF. Most of it is printed out of PETG on my Creality CR-20 printer. The motor (15kW 600kv inrunner) is attached to a gearbox in order to provide enough thrust. So far I have reached approximately 18kg thrust during testing. Video.

Let me know what you think!

 

[Flitedesign 3d]

Looks very interesting, how much does that thing weigh? Have you tested different blade designs? Also a planetary gearbox with helical gears would fit in there really nicely I think

 

[ScottyWarpNine]

Well that was amazing, and terrifying

+1 on the planetary gearbox with helical gears, may be more compact and quieter than the straight cut gears you're using now.

 

[SkyersJet]

Looks very interesting, how much does that thing weigh? Have you tested different blade designs? Also a planetary gearbox with helical gears would fit in there really nicely I think

Thank you. It weighs 5kg. No, just these blades. The first prototype actually had a planetary gearbox but I could never get it to work. It had too many parts, tolerances were too tight and I couldn't find a stock steel ring gear when the 3D printed version failed therefore the only option was to pay a lot of money to have it custom milled so I just abandoned it.

 

[SkyersJet]

Well that was amazing, and terrifying

+1 on the planetary gearbox with helical gears, may be more compact and quieter than the straight cut gears you're using now.

Thanks. I tried planetary, it was too complex and failed. Someone did suggest helical gears. I would try them if I could find them. My only worry is that they would put axial load on the bearings and break them.

 

[leaded50]

what plane have you plan on using it in?

 

[SkyersJet]

what plane have you plan on using it in?

My personal aim is VTOL but it can be used for any large jet.

 

[leaded50]

My personal aim is VTOL but it can be used for any large jet.

VTOL i see.. as an jet, to have some profile design as one, it will give you a 5+meters plane length... thats a big jet. If not is a barrel-plane.

I like to see its done, and could be done....just have thoughts about size, in what to use it in.

 

[SkyersJet]

VTOL i see.. as an jet, to have some profile design as one, it will give you a 5+meters plane length... thats a big jet. If not is a barrel-plane.

I like to see its done, and could be done....just have thoughts about size, in what to use it in.

You could put it outboard as in on an A-10 Warthog, then the fuselage wouldn't have to be oversized to accommodate it. Might throw off the proportions though. I might work on a 200mm version but smaller version is actually more difficult because the RPM would be much higher leading to blade failure and the gearbox would need to be miniaturised while still having to handle the same levels of power.

 

[Boberticus]

Been watching this on reddit, was so disappointing when it broke itself by being to strong for the test stand.

Airplanes would be cool, but i have to say, as soon as i saw it i thought that this was a start to building one of these...



You could always go the whole avatar gunship route too. Glad to know your thinking VTOL

 

[SkyersJet]

Been watching this on reddit, was so disappointing when it broke itself by being to strong for the test stand.

Airplanes would be cool, but i have to say, as soon as i saw it i thought that this was a start to building one of these...

View attachment 178857

You could always go the whole avatar gunship route too. Glad to know your thinking VTOL

Hi, thanks for your support. Yes that disaster set the project back a long time. .

I posted a concept study of a hoverboard on Reddit but it got downvoted so you may not have seen it. Here it is

https://www.reddit.com/r/radiocontrol/comments/im79yf

In short six of them could lift a 70kg person for three minutes. So it is capable of lifting a person at this point but the efficiency needs to improve. Right now I am working on intake rings to boost thrust by 40%

https://www.reddit.com/r/radiocontrol/comments/iokswr

If successful it will reduce power consumption by 60% which would allow flight time of five minutes or more. It's still not much but the big advantage of EDF based hovering devices is portability. The whole thing would only be five feet wide. You could carry it on your back just like a skateboard.

Of course this is just with six. You could cluster eight, maybe even ten and use more batteries and fly 10-15 minutes.

 

[flamingo]

that's going to be a really big plane

 

[the rc project]

big mig 21?

 

[L Edge]

Are you going to statically and dynamically balance the blades?

 

[SkyersJet]

Are you going to statically and dynamically balance the blades?

No, too difficult, probably impossible.

 

[SkyersJet]

Finally reached 20kg thrust with an intake ring.

 

[SkyersJet]

I built a new test stand:

Unfortunately there was an accident:

But I got it working again:

 

[SkyersJet]

New 14s power system

 

[quorneng]

That looks ****** dangerous to me and a good reason to give up before somebody gets hurt!

 

[SkyersJet]

That looks ****** dangerous to me and a good reason to give up before somebody gets hurt!

You don't succeed if you give up.