Mailing List flyrotary@lancaironline.net Message #22150
From: Russell Duffy <13brv3@bellsouth.net>
Subject: RE: [FlyRotary] Re: MAP measurement
Date: Thu, 19 May 2005 17:09:47 -0500
To: 'Rotary motors in aircraft' <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Message

Rusty, did you get my note regarding measuring the total pressure with pitot style probe?

Bernie

Hi Bernie,
 
I got it, but I didn't really "get it".  I just read it a couple more times, and think I might finally understand what you're saying!
 
It sounds like you're saying that a pitot probe will give a better reading of the actual (total) pressure of air in the runner.  You mentioned that the pitot reading in the plenum will be the same as the reading in the runner, minus frictional losses. 
 
This makes sense from what I've seen so far.  About the only thing I'm sure about intakes is that smooth transitions are really important.  Now I see that smoothing the flow is reducing the losses, and allowing more of the original energy to be retained as useful air volume that makes it into the rotor housing when the port opens.  
 
So, if you had a perfect intake, you would measure the same pitot pressure inside the runner, as you would read ambient static pressure at the inlet to the TB.  Since the TWM TB apparently has an excellent "static" style port, I'm only seeing part of the picture, which makes it look like my intake is lousy.  
 
From all this, it would seem like the real test would be to put a static style port in the runner, and see what it measures compared to ambient.  If this is near ambient, at WOT, then the intake is not causing a significant restriction in power.  If the pressure drop is still significant, then it proves I've got too much restriction.  
 
Would you agree with that test?  If so, I can pull one of the plugs out of an injector port on the TWM, and install a pitot tube that reaches down into the air stream temporarily for testing.   That would end up about the same location as the stock MAP port on the TB.  
 
I can't help but laugh at myself for all this effort to increase the MAP.  It all came to a head again when I wasn't making the RPM's I expected to make with the new engine and prop changes.  I bet if I spent the same amount of time flying, as I have thinking about the intake "problem", the engine would have broken in well enough to get all the RPM I originally expected. 
 
Thanks for making me go look at your message again.
 
Rusty (in need of therapy)    
 
 
 
 
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