WWII Engine Power Enhancement

• Apr 8, 2018

• #1

J

Joseph G

Recruit

1

0

Apr 8, 2018

When I was in A & P School we had a couple of piston engines in the shop class that had a turbine/Turbo that had a shaft connected to a set of gears that we were told were use to assist in the rotation of the crankshaft to free up 300 HP on the dyno.

I also read about it some time later but can't find any information on it now.

What was this technology called, which engines utilized it and can anyone support the story we were told in class?

Thanks

 

• Apr 8, 2018

• #2

GregP

Major

9,520

6,466

Jul 28, 2003

Chino, California, U.S.A.

It was called a turbo-compound engine. Exhaust was routed to the turbines (three for an R-3350) and the turbine was geared to the crankshaft to return some, but not all, of the power lost as exhaust heat. The most prolific of the turbo-compounds were the post-war R-3350s.

 

• Apr 8, 2018

• #3

P

pbehn

Colonel

13,236

10,391

Oct 30, 2013

There were many ideas

https://www.brighthubengineering.co...ts-came-before-turbochargers-and-jet-engines/

 

• Apr 8, 2018

• #4

swampyankee

Chief Master Sergeant

4,031

3,259

Jun 25, 2013

It's still being used, frequently on engines quite a bit more powerful than any of the piston engines with spark plugs.

 

• Apr 9, 2018

• #5

fastmongrel

1st Sergeant

4,527

3,624

May 28, 2009

Lancashire

Napier Nomad
A turbo-compound Diesel engine

 

• Apr 12, 2018

• #6

J.A.W.

Banned

544

80

Mar 17, 2013

Victoria, Australia.

Some graphs showing the effect of boost increases on speed.

Here is a Sabre-powered Tempest chart showing speed gain with boost upped from 9lbs to 12lbs.

http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/tempest/hawker-12lbs.jpg

& below from 'Flight',
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1948/1948 - 1660.html

See the graph marked - - - - rising from the bottom right in the graph linked above,
it indicates a 'standard' Tempest F.6 ( with regular Sabre-type chin radiator) @ 17.25lbs.

 

• Apr 12, 2018

• #7

X

XBe02Drvr

2nd Lieutenant

5,366

6,183

Mar 27, 2016

VT

Joseph G said:

What was this technology called, which engines utilized it and can anyone support the story we were told in class?

Click to expand...

When I was in the Nav there was an ELINT EC-121 based at our field that had turbo compound 3350s. It was parked out by the Flying Club, and whenever it wasn't flying it had one or more cowlings stripped off and mechs working on it. I never ceased to marvel at the plumber's nightmare that was revealed every time they opened a cowling.
Decades later you could still see on Google Earth the four stains on the pavement where that plane parked.
Cheers,
Wes

 

• Apr 17, 2018

• #8

BiffF15

Tech Sergeant

1,997

3,540

Aug 15, 2010

Florida

XBe02Drvr said:

Decades later you could still see on Google Earth the four stains on the pavement where that plane parked.
Cheers,
Wes

Click to expand...

Sounds like a MacAir ramp...