Re: My first ARSG, or a Dangerous Design?

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "tesla by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <tesla-at-paradise-dot-net.nz>

It's great to see useful suggestions on how to improve safety with Terry
Blakes propeller designs.

Like ALL high speed rotating gaps there are dangers should things go wrong
but I believe this design offers so much advantage over higher mass designs
that to completely dismiss it on safety grounds as Scott has done does not
reflect the increased danger in this design. In fact many aspects of this
design are safer than higher mass rotors and there are many simple means to
improve the safety of this type of system.

There are a few very simple changes that can greatly improve the safety.

1) I used reinforced Nylon for the centre hub. This material has improved
creep performance and this does matter here. Careful selection of hub
material is important

2) A metal sleeve was used in the centre of the rotor. This increased the
size of the rotor thru the hub increasing adhesion to the hub.

3) The rotor was glued into the hub.

4) Alternativley or better still a small compression pin could be used to
hold the rotor to the hub and another to the hold the hub to the motor
shaft.

5) And yes the shroud around the rotor. I'd did not install this and my bet
is I'm in good company here. This design is particularly suited to fitting a
simple shroud. Really with safety in mind its very hard to say a shroud
should not be used on ALL RSG's whatever their design

Best to all
Ted L in NZ