Students in Durham College’s (DC’s) Power Engineering Technician program will have the rare opportunity to work directly on exhaust gas turbines, or jet engines, thanks to the work of Ralph Trauzzi, professor, School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship and Renewable Technology (START).

Trauzzi made two of these engines available for students to coincide with the advanced curriculum DC developed and implemented for its START students to ensure their success upon graduation.

“When the opportunity arose, I said I would love to get a turbine engine for the program. We are so lucky to have this opportunity,” said Trauzzi. “Having the ability to work directly on an engine will benefit these students greatly, not only with the knowledge, but with experience as well.”

The final purchased turbines were acquired online as kits requiring some assembly, but the cost was low enough for Trauzzi to buy two and the required ancillary equipment. Currently, the engines sit on a wooden test stand that is clamped to a table. Eventually, they will be mounted on a floating stand that enables horizontal movement to allow students determine engine thrust.

“This engine can be run-up automatically through its start cycle, but I believe the student will learn more by doing it manually,” said Trauzzi. He has built a control panel, which will require the students to perform the proper steps in the correct order for both startup and shutdown.

This is just one of the many ways DC is constantly staying up-to-date and providing students with opportunities for success. To view a demonstration of this gas turbine engine, view the video on the left.