Steam Engine Design/Boiler
Boiler
A simple boiler implementation involves a Babington_Burner heating the inside of a 6 inch metal pipe of 1/8" wall thickness. A 100 foot long coil of 1/2 inch steel tubing is placed inside this coil, and an electronically-controlled Valve delivery system (note: in steam engine case, the 'solar boiler' in last link is replaced by the above 100-foot coil of steel tubing.
Materials
- Stainless steel tubing at McMaster Carr, $130 for 100 feet of 1/2" tubing - type 304 stainless - item number 8989K67 at http://mcmaster.com
- 200 psi pressure relief valve http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/guideBrowse.shtml $60.80.
Boiler Fuel:
For transportation vehicles some biomass fuel energy densification is required. Pyrolisis fuels without elaborate processing look promising here is a brief summary of some methods http://www.ars.usda.gov/sp2UserFiles/Program/307/biomasstoDiesel/RobertBrown&JenniferHolmgrenpresentationslides.pdf
http://www.biomasscombustion.com/horizontal_grate_technology.htm
Stationary applications can probably get by with a simple style grate biomass boiler. http://www.biomasscombustion.com/horizontal_grate_technology.htm
Example of Fully Integrated Steam Energy System
Description of this system by author and excellent background info on homepower steam http://www.fastonline.org/CD3WD_40/JF/JF_OTHER/BIG/Reciprocating%20Steam%20Engine.pdf
Apparently Skip Goebel thinks similar to me about electronically controlled steam engines taken from http://www.mail-archive.com/sustainablelorgbiofuel@sustainablelists.org/msg01818.html
Using Solenoid Valves for Steam Engine in Place of Mechanical Valving
Fwd from [1] - a steam engine producer, which says that 'The biggest news for steam is electric valves' - see Electric Valves for Steam Engine
Electronic Solenoid Valve Info: http://www.gwlisk.com/tech_info.html
Flash Steam Generator
- Coil bending jig - $400
- Stainless steel coil, 150 feet - $200
- Babington fittings and metal - $100
- Dremel tool - $40
- Dremel micro drill press - $40