Grant: Strategic Projects - Group

Developing clean mechanical power sources is strategic for developed countries to remain competitive in the years to come due to a constantly growing environmental pressure and stringent emissions regulations. This research develops a new type of gas turbine based on rotary ramjets for motive and stationary power systems. Compared to conventional gas turbines, the proposed engine, named the R4E (Rim-Rotor Rotary Ramjet Engine), promises potential for up to ten times the power density, similar efficiencies, low NOx emissions, and low costs. Such advantages could make this engine design a breakthrough technology for future gas turbines. Designing functional rotary ramjet engines requires pushing the limit of material strength and known combustion physics with combustion taking place in centrifugal acceleration fields of more than half a million « g's ». A first research initiative, funded from an NSERC Strategic Grant, developed the necessary fundamental understanding to get rotary ramjet engines to work and lead to very promising results proving the concept feasibility and even demonstrating positive blade power.This new proposal builds on these exciting results and continues the development of the R4E toward the demonstration of an engine prototype that can provide positive brake power continuously. At this stage of development, problematics of heat management, optimal aerothermodynamic design, windage loss reductions as well as system integration will be studied. The work is done in collaboration with the National Research Council Canada, Composites Atlantic, Hydrogenics, Pratt and Whitney Canada, and Cognitek Canada. The outcomes of the research are a new engine design and derived technologies that can be used by Canadian industries as well as highly qualified personnel in the clean power generation sector.