monotube boiler question
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- Lighting the Boiler
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- Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2009 8:40 am
monotube boiler question
To controll a too hot fire in my box wood stove, I have in the past, reduced the temperature by dousing the coals with a spray of water over the flames. I know about problems related to constant running the boiler exaust gasses at "dew point" and the dangers of cooling a firetube or even watertube boiler too rapidly but I am wondering if this method could be used to control a monotube on standby or in an emergency.
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- Stirring the Pot
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- Boat Name: Steam Queen
- Location: Shawnigan Lake B.C. Canada
Re: monotube boiler question
Maybe the key word here is "emergency" In an emergency you have to reduce pressure and heat and quick! I've found that coming into dock or to load the boat on a trailer simply using the injector reduces pressure and cools the boiler by adding water but the water is warm not cold.And after a while you can predict when the shut off the fire and not run out of steam too early-Now thats embarrassing! I once did that coming into Canada Customs in Sidney I had the whole narrow channel plugged while I built up steam with all these million dollar infernal combustion boats impatiently waiting behind me! Den
Re: monotube boiler question
Perhaps a pressure regulator controlling the closing and opening of the damper door?
Also a "clutch" for the engine, so that you coud use steam and circulate water through the coil, without going anywhere (The Wayard Belle has this feature, but she is strictly liquid fuel fired).
Also a "clutch" for the engine, so that you coud use steam and circulate water through the coil, without going anywhere (The Wayard Belle has this feature, but she is strictly liquid fuel fired).
- barts
- Full Steam Ahead
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Re: monotube boiler question
If you're considering a solid fuel monotube, 87gn is right: I'd make _sure_ that there was some way of getting water into the tubing when the proper wasn't turning.... I remember Wendel Early (sp?) had a boiler design he called "flash overfeed", where about 2/3rds of the way along the monotube he had a steam trap
fitted w/ a discharge he could see into the hotwell. He'd adjust the boiler feed rate so that there was always water coming out of the trap, which meant he could add more feed water if things got too hot so he didn't overdo the superheat. I believe it was patterned after a Herreshoff design... anyway, this design worked very well on his paddlewheeler named the "Indian", IIRC.
- Bart
fitted w/ a discharge he could see into the hotwell. He'd adjust the boiler feed rate so that there was always water coming out of the trap, which meant he could add more feed water if things got too hot so he didn't overdo the superheat. I believe it was patterned after a Herreshoff design... anyway, this design worked very well on his paddlewheeler named the "Indian", IIRC.
- Bart
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Bart Smaalders http://smaalders.net/barts Lopez Island, WA
Bart Smaalders http://smaalders.net/barts Lopez Island, WA
Re: monotube boiler question
Jim Tangeman would be a good authority on solid fuel firing of a monotube.
- fredrosse
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Re: monotube boiler question
I had a small monotube boiler, and steam pressure would move about much too quickly to allow solid fuel firing. My boat was fired with propane. There is a short film of this plant on Radow Rainer's website, (look up "steam scanoe") and you can observe the steam pressure jumping up about 20 psi between each admission of steam to the engine! If you have a larger steam reservoir, then the pressure swings will not be so rapid, however I would think control of a monotube boiler with solid fuel firing would be challenging.
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- Full Steam Ahead
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Re: monotube boiler question
You can read about the woodfired monotube boiler aboard the SL Alba here. He details his method of controlling his plant.