Boost with EDF? (electric ducted fan)

AlexLTDLX

Administrator
Staff member
I was thinking about this last night and it's completely different. How about running high power EDF units (you know, like the cheap "electric turbo" garbage that gave all this stuff a bad rap in the first place) for boost? I wonder if those can actually create any significant pressure? I kind of doubt it, but could be good for a small HP boost, and can be easily installed.

Something like this:

Thoughts?
 
Here a "slightly" bigger one is being tested :

and here:

and these aluminium EDFs look solid too:


the question remains: lots of static thrust means lots of boost and flow?

He of course is explaining a bit regarding the terminology :

😛
 
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Ok ... Axial Flow Superchargers would be the Key Word...
And Latham Superchargers .. and Richard Paul Axialflow Engineering

... and here some "recent" nearly 20 year old conversation:



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and further down ... very interesting read!

But not exactly a simple EDF ... Axial yes, but very special blades, arranged in "stages"!

Unfortunately he sold his prototype on ebay (see here: https://bangshift.com/bangshift1320...impse-one-rarest-speed-parts-available-1960s/)


MAN e.g. is serious about it!

 
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ooops ... there is a 20 year old patent which has meanwhile EXPIRED!


@AlexLTDLX : quick! here is the shiznit! 😜
 
Those are some great finds! I was thinking more "off the shelf" stuff - thus EDFs. But you're right - axial compressors are pretty badass, but they're also complicated and difficult to manufacture. Though I wonder if you took several EDFs, and put them in series to get some pressure (I'm assuming the motor mounting ribs function as "stators"), would you get any measurable boost? That last article you posted says axial compressors are more efficient than centrifugal compressors - that's something I didn't know. My cousin is an engineer at Pratt & Whitney - he does destructive testing. I wonder if he knows more info on axial compressors? The thing that scares me the most with this idea is that a lot of parts are in the airflow stream. If any one of them fails, it's going into your engine...
 
Lol. That guy's trying to run it off the car's electrical system and only one stage. Not a chance that works (any more than a good ram air) - won't make any measurable boost. Once again, cmoalem, you are just a font of sources! Thanks!
 
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