Steam Engine

They Don't Have To Be So Dirty If Their Built Right.

Here's A Link That Might Help You.

http://www.steamautomobile.com/ForuM/list.php?1

These Guys Have Great Steam Knowledge & There Is A Lot About Design & Build Of Steam Systems, Discussed Daily.

Cheers

Bond

bondjamesbond@rock.com

These are the sort of subjects that appear as feature articles in hobby engineering magazines. Sometimes one finds kits for them in the advertising features at each end of the featured materials.

http://www.modeleng.org/

http://npmccabe.tripod.com/steam.htm

Small HP Steam Engines...

I encourage You.. the above mentioned flaws are very easy to overcome!

are you willing to use Stainless steel and other alloys? and If you are willing to think "out of the box" you may have created a machine which has none of the traditional problems. You may (should) find a way to avoid the use of oils altogether. (get a small machining, lathe, mill unit & make/modify own parts)

EG piston lubrication can be a problem, perhaps, a magnetic bearing composed of piston & liner would do the trick, along with noncorrosive support guide(support bearing surface), the rest of the engine should be similarly waterproof (proof against corrosion to marine standards) avoid using any water modifiers at the outset so as to refine the basic stability of the parts.

If You are thourogh, You will be able to market this device having built and tested the proto type already. Then, find/build a multi fuel boiler design, using same standards as above, and it will sell...like wild fire! (home power unit fuelled by any thing from peat, dung, to oil/gas methane etc) if one were available to my specs, i'd purchase it right off...

if boiler could use 'dirty water/brine then use steam output as a clean water source...[easy,if no tramp oils present) avoid using super heat cycles if possible, use low pressures etc. consider Stirling engine principals (think new thoughts, do several jobs at one stroke) it's much easier/cheaper to certify low pressure vessels, considering exports & mfg regs. safety etc.

You are aiming at the perfect size product by the way... millions of anxiously waiting home customers.. did you know an automobile needs only 5 steam horsepower to run adequately? That output could provide a house hold several utilities if heat is completely scavenged..

building in heat reclamation, water purification etc. makes the product Greener than kryptonite ...that could make you and your city quite rich...

Now that i've said so.. i'm very tempted to go and do likewise. any way, email with more questions at jsta130 at yahoo . com

i am a machinist/millwright

this happens to be a pet project waiting in my mind, but havn't the time to pursue.. i've so many ideas like that... i must distribute them to others...lest they never get done.

The Hard way is usually the Right way...

J Bo

Dear J Bo, thanks for your response!

As a matter of fact, what I actually would like to build is a small engine to be placed in an old 25 Ft. steel hull I discovered in a junkjard some weeks ago. I have access to the required machinery, but, as it will be my first experience using steam, I do not dare to go much farther than using late 19th century technology, and metals like steel or brass.

If I succed, I certainly will go for more than that... but let me try first!

By the way, you are gladly invited to participate in this project!

Cosme

Machinists tips provided gladly... Copper & brass.. should be lots of pre made or easy to adapt parts new or used around, very cheap if saves much machining..i build lotsa things [fab] using already formed items, use minimal alteration.. job done quick! When i go to metal yard i must use strong discipline & blinders LoL.tempted to bring it all in to my already too huge shop..

J Bo

Oh yeah, you said magic word.. Hull. thats my beef with boat builders...

I have 17' aluminum production boat [lone star] i will soon install 4 in thick marine grade foam thru out in side to strut height this provid appx 6000# flotation. so boat can navigate full of water if needed, then make alum plate iterior liner, then if hit sharp object, much better chance to get home dry..

My boat already has electric b-up drive. i'd never leave port w/out that i hate idea to row that thing...i would not abandon. i'd row if it came to that. (i always carry oars too..)

Ever try to coddle a cranky wet motor in 4' chop? no fun ..might fall in soup! my motor balked [50hp] so i try 6 hp [already monted, but it didnt just go & i was losin my header to waves & could roll. so i flip switch & move off slow but sure.. sooo cool that..electric also nice for docking in rough cond...i have bow mount troll mtr too..just flip it down & thats _control_ each end

i think its kinda siilly to go into sea with boat that can just go to bottom & quickly to boot....the first time was the last time for me..rogue wave fill boat in 1./2 second then i was swimming for an hour.. in salt water..yuck.. diatoms! plankton, i thought they were chewing on me..taste nasty..burn mouth cell phone toast!..etc it was small & because of some flotation, damn thing hover few inches under water, motor, equipt and all sooo i tow the whole deal into surf nasty all day job all that was

cuz i didnt look to flotation..that was last time for me to get in that position..

when fix is so easy..@ 60# @ cu ft flotation power.. Foam is a Bargain.. specially if it saves one's boat and life.. no reason solid hull can not perform as a tube boat...& wont deflate if big fish bites it or you drop sharp object, bang stick, whatever

with your hull, good idea to make out rigger "trailing fish on a chain" stabiliser used by fishermen to navigate impossible seeming cond {google that }

The Hard way is usually the best way, and cheapest after all.. {you will come back with your boat!]

J Bo

Recently a vessel has been launched close to these co-ordinates that is similar to this description. It is open-plan, fitted with a canopy and has varnished woodwork in abundance. It is powered by a 150psi 2-cylinder compound steam engine built 1982, and is fitted with a condenser in the bilges that encourages the greater efficiency and economy that re-use of condensed steam can provide. The heat source is 90% 40-second gas-oil and 10% unleaded petrol, blended. It is almost silent in operation.

When underway, the operator wears a straw 'boater' hat with a red ribbon around it that hangs down at the back, with the word "Venezia" in white thereon.

The vessel's name is 'Olive'.

Wonderful!

One more idea.. with the advanced plastics avail today, many engine component incl piston/cylinders can be made entirely of plastics (delrin/nylon, etc) or Carbon composite...crank bearings a rotary engine style might be the ticket..

rotary power transfer thru sealed case..(Eng case need not be metal!) magnetic x-fer.. avoiding bearing and shaft seal... [thats major in my book] one can spend a lot of $ with pressure / water proof bearings and shaft seals. this would eliminate clutch hassles, alignments, shaft dampers etc...

how about a perm mag gen enclosed in case? then produces electrical out put... simple to use, kill 2 birds with one stone..

There are also Metallised plastics... some with oper temps to 300 c +

also makes for easy machining and forming, waste chips etc can be easily recycled for 100% mat'l useage.

You know what? every now and then I tell my wife about some projects like this I have in mind. She usually stares at me like thinking "well, my worst fears have come true, I'm gonna take him to the shrink righ now"...

It's good to know I am not the only dreamer!

In regard to your latest post: hold your horses! My project is very modest, I will touch heaven should I be able to build a very basic engine.

By the way, how much enriched uranium do you think I may need to heat 10 gallons of water???

Best regards, Cosme

very little, if done rite.. however that wouldnt be very green.. lotsa lead or lotsa water.. machining exotic alloys with virgin cutters & the lot...eventuall all very toxic waste. i prefer the idea of using Trees, bushes to scavenge elctrons [ions] from the air, or even on a cellular lever.. now thats space cookn there but, likely true..

acheievable now.. like a silk leaf tree [artificial] built with cappilary tubing to collect solar heat and heat pump from the air...pretty, and rather wind proof..designer colours...outta fly of the shelves [whse]

just ask Jules

Steam eng...is this a boat hull? then if so, eng should double as a desalinator..its good to have impossible idea installed just back of practical one just in case. you suddnly want to switch targets.. [happen to me all the time] J Bo

well, to be honest, I also prefer to burn some wood instead of uranium to boil water!

My idea is to use this boat iat the delta of a large river we have down here: plenty of sweet water (no distiller needed though!)... as well as lots of wood from fallen trees