Steam

Confession of an neophyte... During my apprenticeship I built, (on company time, I was pretty well unsupervised) a couple of small steam engines. .50 bore, etc. They both ran well on compressed air, even put a reverse on one...

I wanted to see them run on steam so I built a small boiler, steel pipe, fire tubes, etc., couple of propane torches, made some steam, I didn't try for pressure, just wanted something to move my flywheel. It did, I was happy...till the next day when my engine had rusted solid. I never thought about the fact that seam was water.
 
Received the plans, by PDF for the "two cylinder 10hp" steam engine. No way is the machine represented anywhere near 10hp. Maybe 10mp (mouse power).
 
For those that are not aware, a steam engine explosion in Ohio was the catalyst for certifying boilers. Even though it was Ohio that enacted legislation, I believe others have used it as a model. I don't know much at all about steam engines or certification but I remember this Ohio accident.

Tragedy at the Medina County Fairgrounds - Farm Collector

Five people were killed at the Medina County Fairgrounds when a Case 110 steam traction engine exploded.
www.farmcollector.com
 
T Bredehoft said:
Confession of an neophyte... During my apprenticeship I built, (on company time, I was pretty well unsupervised) a couple of small steam engines. .50 bore, etc. They both ran well on compressed air, even put a reverse on one...

I wanted to see them run on steam so I built a small boiler, steel pipe, fire tubes, etc., couple of propane torches, made some steam, I didn't try for pressure, just wanted something to move my flywheel. It did, I was happy...till the next day when my engine had rusted solid. I never thought about the fact that seam was water.
Click to expand...
Yikes! Were you able to get it working again?
 
I tried, but it was just too badly rusted. It would have been easier to make new ones.
 
MattM said:
Received the plans, by PDF for the "two cylinder 10hp" steam engine. No way is the machine represented anywhere near 10hp. Maybe 10mp (mouse power).
Click to expand...
Any chance the power is stored in the flywheel?

Steam engines can be deceptively small for the power output.
 
He sent me the calculations used to come up with the 12hp. No argument with the calcs as they use all the specs of the engine.

My problem is with strength of materials. It just does not seem that the materials and dimensions of those materials would stand up to producing 12hp. I asked him if the engine had been tested under load, say 5-6 hours run time producing 5-6KW. Haven't heard back.

The flywheel is very small.
 
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