flame licker/gulper/sucker

[mjt60a]

we've probably all seen this engine, or other similar ones before, yes? - http://youtube.com/watch?v=iF9bvnobZ0k&feature=related - (look at it before you read further - well, you don't have to I suppose...)
I thought these were just experimental toys until I saw this full size one - http://youtube.com/watch?v=MSEuJ4EVwHs - I'd never even heard of them before!

[derekwarner_decoy]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iF9bvnobZ0k&feature=related........ ...irrespective of the name of the person posting this......we cannot miss his voice can we....& I think I recognise the chuck in the drill press  ...but where are Bandit & Vinnie hiding?

[bogstandard]

Derek,

Bandit and Vinnie are having a break at the moment, I am updating my workshop to produce bigger and better things.

The engine you see in the you tube post, now no longer exists, because of the side induction rather than end induction, all sorts of problems appeared. It is now turned into this one.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=IyrWRBoC-2c

John (Blogwitch, bogstandard, bogs, BS, or even S*** House)

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's.......... ...considering the prose & effort this Member has provided over the past years    we could  atest  a special title....like

a) Vicount John of the Blogwitch......
b) HE of bogstandard......of mechanical items ....HE = His Excellancccccccaey/ie
c) not sure of the S***House rammification.......

However having bestowed all of these accolades we must not forget ........

d) Sir Sandy of the Campbell of the Scottish parts  ...we hope Kate & you are just getting on fine......did you ever finish the kitchen???

Derek 

[oldie]

Derek, I don`t understand a lot of your technical discussions, but I do appreciate the illustrations, keep at it.   Oldie

[bogstandard]

By the way, the two types mentioned in the first post are in fact very dissimilar.

My flame gulper uses vacuum to produce the power.

The full sized one is basically a diesel engine.

http://www.cottonginmuseum.org/bessemer.htm

The type mine was based on where in fact commercially produced, but because of the very limited power they produced, they quickly became obsolete.

John

[scotfriend]

Hi PD's,

i go every year to the Sinzheim live steam exhibition where you can see not only steam engines. There you can see also a lot of different as we call it in German "Flammenfresser" in English "flameeater" you find there different types of it i remember a 6 cylinder V engine. I send a photo of it to Eddy so he can post it here.

Regards Hans

[mjt60a]

....The full sized one is basically a diesel engine....

really? I didn't know that....so the flames are there to keep the cylinders hot?

[bogstandard]

Just to warm it up while it is started.

I also think it was the single cylinder vertical version that were used in the early years to power our inland waterways barges. Where they had a spirit blowlamp playing on a hotspot on top of the engine.

John

[Dinosaursoupman]

Hello everyone,

Could someone explain to me and maybe others how this works? Profusely illustrated diagrams without any math would be greatly appreciated too.

Randy

[bogstandard]

As far as I can surmise, they were what was classed as a peanut engine.

They are designed to run on almost any oil based fuel, from the original peanut oil, to petrol.

Basically, the fuel was heated externally until it reached its flash point. This would allow the engine to run on these vapours. When the engine warmed up, the combustion process produced enough heat to vapourise the fuel itself, so the burners could then be turned off.

For the flame licker, it would be best if you go to the website of the designer that I based mine on. Go to the top of the article and select English. He explains it very well.

http://heetgasmodelbouw.ridders.nu/Webpaginas/pagina_happer_inw_schuif/inw_schuif_frameset.htm

There are a lot of different designs of flame lickers on the inlet side, using cams and sliding plates, mine uses the contra piston method as described in the text.

John

[mjt60a]

Hello everyone,

Could someone explain to me and maybe others how this works? Profusely illustrated diagrams without any math would be greatly appreciated too.

Randy

So far as I can tell, the valve opens as the piston moves 'forward' (when steam is going in if it was a single acting steam engine) sucking in heat (heated air actually) from the flame, then the valve closes. This hot air immediately starts to cool, aided by the cooling fins on the cylinder, and contracts as it does so, pulling the piston back...
I found this helpful...http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7p_1QO1iG9M&feature=related

[bogstandard]

Mick

sucking in heat (heated air actually) from the flame, then the valve closes. This hot air immediately starts to cool, aided by the cooling fins on the cylinder, and contracts as it does so, pulling the piston back...

Spot on. But first the cylinder has to be brought up to a temperature where the air isn't cooled down straight away, so killing the vacuum action. You know when you reach the right temp, you get a slight pop out of the intake port as it opens.

Just a little note on these model engines, even a small amount of friction or a bad seal on the piston and you will try forever to get them to run, only to end in failure.
I used cast iron for the cylinder and both main and contra pistons. Because of the high carbon content of the iron, it is that which provides the lubrication. Put oil anywhere near the cylinder and it just stops. These engines produce so little power, even the slightest friction makes them stop. They can't even be described as gnat power.
It is a fascinating subject to be involved with, you can spend days lapping in pistons and cylinders, only to find you have gone just a little too far and have to start again. There must be thousands of these little engines sitting under benches, destined never to run.

John