Steam Engine Design/Solenoid
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Design
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/design-guide.aspx
Some college students put electric solenoids on a small gas engine and here's a video of it working -- kinda!
Electrohydraulic valves are commercially available for internal combustion engines. Sturman is one maker.
Man Diesel has been using electrohydraulic exhaust valves on large marine engines since 2003, however note these engines only run 80-90rpm.
Some design information on the Lotus/Eaton valve development for automotive engines here.
"Camless" automotive engines have been researched for decades and many prototypes of different electronically-controlled-timing valve lifters have been built; none have made it to a production car. A steam engine typically runs at lower rpm than a gasoline IC and is therefore much less demanding on this technology.
References
Solenoid Valve design - is included in this book:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~davebowesevic/
It would be good to design a strong solenoid for a hydraulic valve.