DIY Electric Turbojet
Initial Design
The objective was to engineer a functional turbojet using a hybrid electric-combustion approach. The design utilized a high-KV BLDC motor to drive a custom 3D-printed impeller, acting as a compressor to force high-velocity air into a steel combustion chamber, with fuel delivered via a single ceramic injector tube.
What Happened
The system experienced rapid, catastrophic thermal failure during testing. The PLA outer casing could not withstand the ambient heat of the combustion cycle, and the ceramic injector tube fractured due to extreme thermal shock. Without precise sealing or an active cooling jacket, the hand-built chamber could not stabilize the pressure, resulting in uncontrolled combustion (heat, noise, and smoke) rather than sustained, directed thrust.
Lessons Learned
Hobby-grade thermoplastics and unsealed metal are fundamentally incompatible with jet engine thermal dynamics. This project highlighted the massive gap between theoretical fluid dynamics and the harsh realities of materials science. Achieving sustained thrust requires high-temperature alloys, precise machining for pressure sealing, and calculated thermal management. The project was successfully shelved after two test runs yielded conclusive failure data.
Built at 14 years 8 months