G.R. Patterson III opined

Greg Copeland wrote:

Is simple economics the answer? $30k piston versus something like $80k
turbine, or something like that?

It's certainly one answer. The price on that Maule is $450,000. With an
IO-540, it's
$173,420.

I've read that there are technical problems building small turbines; ie. the
smaller the diameter of the turbine, the faster the blades must spin to
produce power.

The biggie is edge effects. There is a minimum clearance between the turbine
and the case, and that clearance is independent of the diameter of the
turbine. So small turbines have much higher tip losses.


-ash
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