NEW TYPE OF ENGINE

[tom peat]

OK

THIS IS MY FIRST AND PROBABLY THE STRANGEST POST YOU WILL SEE.


I have reinvented the steam engine . I have a design for a hybrid piston turbine that i think would be good as a power source for boats! its not a complicated rotary steam engine (before you ask).

I was thinking of putting it in a car but apart from the money this looks to complicated.
A boat looks a better possibility as i could change the prop to get the optimum power out of the engine. The input steam needs to be quantified, and a demonstration trip worked out.

I need to know if any one has a steam launch with boiler, but not nessaraly engine, that i can demonstrate the engine on. i need to know the steam capacity of the boiler to start building the engine.

yes i am crazy but i just might have a good idea.

yours with constructivism

tom peat

[farmerden]

We're always interested in steam. What part of the planet are you located? Also Drawings or pictures are worth a thousand words Thanks Den

[tom peat]

hi
Thanks for asking what part of the planet i am on, and not what planet.
i am located in the far north of scotland, not ideal steam boat country unless you count the caladonian cannal. But i will be in Birmingham next mounth to look for manufacturing possibilitys at the nec.

As to drawings , that would give the game away, but i can tell you the engine would certanly be smaller than an equivlent compound . i would also need a prop shaft diameter to work from. i assume the engine mounts are in line with the prop as is the practice with marine diesels.

i was lookin at the possibility of a steam powered bycicle, but no one is going to take that seriously!

yours with extra graphite

tom peat

[PeteThePen1]

Hi Tom

This sounds rather fun.

I don't know about the other on this forum, but my boat has a 1" shaft being as I imported it from the USA, where I gather they count to 12 rather than 10. Perhaps they have more patience than us Europeans...

Once you have an engine, I am sure that some of us should be able to provide you with a test supply of steam. However, a useful figure might be how much steam your engine will gobble under normal operating cirumstances. That way we can get a better match of boiler. I gather lbs of water per hour is the normal yardstick for boiler output, but the others will tell you if I have got it wrong.

Regards

Pete

PS The Steam Boat Association of GB have a fair few members North of the Border. They are also a friendly bunch and the SBA sub is inexpensive. See http://www.steamboat.org.uk/ for details

[87gn@tahoe]

It's not really about patience, just some of us over here have 6 fingers per hand rather than the usual 5

[tom peat]

ok

hear is what i will aim for

125psi steam pressure

1 pound of steam per min

1 inch prop shaft

1000 rpm

all these figures are pulled from the air to be corrected by any one that knows better

i dont know about a boiler water feed pump, that may need to be seperate from the engine.
i will be able to test the engine with compressed air . does any one know the conversion
cubic feet compressed air to pounds of steam. i will work it out but comfirmation would be nice.

this will rewrite steam history, in a language no one understands.

tom peat

[PeteThePen1]

Hi Tom

I think 125PSI would not be unusual in steamboating circles, nor would 60lbs per hour. However, 1,000 RPM is sounding like one of Mr Parson's little numbers and would make the average steamboater's feed pump have a heart attack. How about seeking somebody with a separate self powered feed pump in the tradition of Weir, or possibly think loco practice and just rely on an injector.

Come the Autumn layup you might easily find folks taking out their boiler for winter storage and willing to let you have a puff of steam to test your machine.

Regards

Pete

[tom peat]

Summer is over ,i only got the sailing yacht to the orkneys, and i have to get back to work.

As yet i have not got any thing built, and have had to change tack so to speak.

the work on designing a new turbine has redirected itself to designing a pump , same mechanism less riggrous engineering . when i get the pump working i'l go back to the turbine engine. not likley to be this year.

in doing this i have come across some even more interesting mechanisms and am currently writing a paper, if it ever gets puplished i'l post the link.

hope no one is to disapointed but pumps might be more useful with the current weather.

yours tom peat

[mcandrew1894]

Air follows boyles law

PV = NRT

For Isothermal expansion/compression

P1V1 = P2V2 = a constant

For Steam, use the steam tables. This is easy if you not superheating.

As far as steam consumption is concerned, for small conventional engines ( say less than 10 BHP) use the swept volume of the cylinder to determine steam consumption / revolution. Then multiply by your Revolutions per hour, and you'll be pretty close.

I say use the swept volume as in small engines, condensation losses are pretty significant.

Dave

As far as 1000 rpm is concerned...it's all about piston speed....if your stroke is short...1000 rpm is no big deal...my 2 1/2" stroke compound is very happy at 500-600 rpm.

She'll go way over 1000 if asked....but not with a 16-18 prop on her

[froya66]

Dave

Even though tom peat has been very mysterious about the project, we now seem to know its a turbine, and not a piston engine.

the work on designing a new turbine has redirected itself to designing a pump , same mechanism less riggrous engineering . when i get the pump working i'l go back to the turbine engine. not likley to be this year.

Or have I misunderstood something?

Jørgen