Steam engine

[Dang911]

As a project to keep myself busy, I would like to build a small steam engine, one maybe cylinders with a boiler. Something for a nice desk model, it will mostly likely not power anything.

Does anyone have some good clear plans on the parts/ assembly. I will CNC almost everything (I know it takes the fun out of it). Please feel free to post blueprints in any format (CAD's) etc.....

Thanks In advance!

[marksteamnz]

Check out plans and blueprints group on Yahoo. They have a bunch of steam engine files from memory.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/plansandblueprints

[Dang911]

Oh hell, what started out as one cylinder, turned into 4, and at that point I just figured I would make the whole thing original, so I completely designed it myself. Feel free to build it, but you might want to wait till I do first. Its an inline 4, single stroke, with a total displacement of 22 cc. Its going to have aluminum pistons, brass sleeves, aluminum rods, stainless shafts, and brass cams. I will start with using UHMW-PE bushings, but may buy bearings after the engine has proven itself. It has a 0.75" stroke AND bore. Rough estimates prove a conservative 2++HP.

[Johansson]

Fun project!

//Anders

[Dang911]

Well, after a bit of CNC programming, I made my first piston. I CNC milled the inside, and then I manually added the oil grooves and then turned down the outside with a tolerance of 0.0005". I might consider CNC programming the lathe, but I think it will take longer to program and set up for each run, than it will take to just do it manually.

Piston made from 6061 which I then polished.

[Jim Berquist]

Dang911:

Looks cool! I could not find how you was going to inject the steam?


Do you have any Idea's on a Stirling Engine ?? I have a 8 ft satellite dish that I would like to repaint crome and run a Stirling!!! Think the bakeing link!!!

I was thinking a fly wheel and piston set up!

Do you have something better for me???

Jim

[Dang911]

The PDF blueprint was thrown together quickly, and did not represent any pipe runs. The 4 cylinders all have a hole at the end. Cylinders 1,3 will be connected together with a pipe, and the same for 2,4. On either side of the 4 cylinder grouping, I have built valves, each with a pressure inlet, and an exhaust outlet, and then an outlet/inlet to each cylinder group. Its a double acting valve. The one on the left will control 1,3 the valve on the right will control 2,4. While one set of cylinders is being pressurized and pushed down, the other are releasing their air. Both pressurizing and depressurizing all comes from that single hole at the top of the cylinders, that's what made the double acting valve necessary. The valves will also time the engine, and I have done the most calculation in achieving the longest port open time, with the quickest close possible, for the most power.

A stirling is basically a large piston, with a heat source on one side, and a cool source on the other, using your make shift parabolic mirror, it should produce more than enough heat to run a medium sized stirling.

[Dang911]

RODS.... Also polished 6061

[Dang911]

The cams on the crank, 12 in total. 360 brass

Machined or Polished?

[Johansson]

Beautiful work!

//Anders

[Nick]

Oh hell, what started out as one cylinder, turned into 4, and at that point I just figured I would make the whole thing original, so I completely designed it myself. Feel free to build it, but you might want to wait till I do first. Its an inline 4, single stroke, with a total displacement of 22 cc. Its going to have aluminum pistons, brass sleeves, aluminum rods, stainless shafts, and brass cams. I will start with using UHMW-PE bushings, but may buy bearings after the engine has proven itself. It has a 0.75" stroke AND bore. Rough estimates prove a conservative 2++HP.

Really nice project mate, a small suggestion if its not too late, or perhaps on another later version?.
if you are going down the multicyclinder route you could quite easily do a triple expansion engine, for steam of course with air there's little point but it occurs to me you could do this with out further complication.
I dont know if you are familiar with triple expansion theory but basically it means 3 cylinders each larger than the other with the smallest (HP) being injected with steam first, this then vents into the 2 larger cyl where the steam continues to expand and finally the LP (largest cyl) which takes care of the final expansion. It would be really nice to see a CNC'ed version of that going!.
I have a small CNC mill that would easily cope with this sort of thing, i think you may have inspired me to use it for this sort of thing, cheers.
Nick

[Dang911]

I am really trying to stay away from more complication, and I do not really care too much about efficiency on my first engine. I am almost done, just finishing up boring the cylinders. Maybe on a second engine that would be a cool feature to add.

[Dang911]

Time for an update....

I am now at the stage of final assembly, everything has been machined. The valves and cylinders are supported by two machined pieces of white derlin. I machined my pillow blocks from aluminum and then tapped them to simplify mounting. Each one will hold two ball bearings. I am in the process of building my crank, the last major thing needed to be assembled. The finished engine should be done with in the next week or so!

[Nick]

Reaaaaaly nice mate!, i like the idea of holding all the cylinders with the delrin i look forward to seeing more!

cheers

Nick

[Jim Berquist]

Dang911:

We us Derlin at work to build fixture blocks. We don't subject it to any heat. How will it hold up???? Will it get soft? Just a thought! Your not using it were it would be subject to any really high heat exept the injection or head end. I don't know the thermal properties of it!

Jim