Impulse Turbine with guide vanes

thingiverse

Inspired by the parameterised Wells Turbine posted by Parkinbot (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:224320), here is a parameterised impulse turbine with guide vanes designed to give unidirectional rotation in bi-directional air flows, such as air flows generated by an oscillating water column (OWC). Guide vanes and turbine buckets of this model were inspired by Antonio Falcao's papers in the literature and others. This is my first attempt at an OpenSCAD model, hopefully it's not too embarrassing! At the start of the code are a number of variables to control the number of buckets and guide vanes, radius of the turbine, inner hole radius through the assembly, thickness of ribs and rims, cut-outs in the rib of the turbine to reduce weight, and vane height. Three variables also switch on or off three pieces in the drawing for individual export and printing. The profiles of buckets, guide vanes and guide vane hubs are described as points in modules, so change these points to alter profiles. Hope this is useful to someone, feel free to use and modify as suits your needs, just acknowledge if you do!