boilers ?

[antopia]

I've always been interested in steam,of any description,a pet interest is boilers,
I am in the middle of designing a vertical with a 54mm copper tube only cause I have some spare!.the thing that I have noticed is heat/flame path keep it a slow as
possible,in a vertical boiler heat goes straight up the flue if using a single central pipe with gas, well you heat the chimney more than the boiler,simply natural aspiration of  a vertical and coupled with blast pipe equals a good draw from the fire,so a way to slow this down has to be found ,the same is true for any small boiler,other peoples test results with ceramic seem to indicate that heat drop after
about 3-4 (3/4 flue)inches in a horizontal boiler,the heating properties drop very quickly,
so in my design i use 3 off 22mm end stops coupled to 8 or 10mm flue tube coil wound about 5 close coupled coils(hard part) as small a diameter as I can do then goes to the central stay at the top of the boiler where they are joined so the only possible non part that cannot be soldered easy from the outside is the join from flue to 22mm end stop.
using 3 off 1/2 dia ceramic burners,the interesting point is to see if the design
will work...

this is just to give food for thought as in everything experimentation is needed
i am not a qualified engineer I am simply just a turner with, to me, a rewarding and interesting job,its even worse as i do it as a hobby!

Geoff as always I am interested in how you progress,


Regards
Steven


 

 
   

[R.G.Y.]

Yes I am pleased over 500 read es. But I am no expert just a rough carpenter (retiered) with no engineering training, but I do visit the library and they always get the obscure books required. So thanks for the encouragement.  Another advantage with this boiler is most of the complication concerns the case. The boiler it's self has no stays no internal tubes, and the fittings are available commercially, although I have made my own. The most difficult is the silver soldering and this is easier than soft soldering given enough heat.  I believe the ability to use tools is the important requirement, and you can do that can't you Jim, Mike & Talisman.  Thanks for the interest.  Geoff

[Talisman]

.  I believe the ability to use tools is the important requirement, and you can do that can't you Jim, Mike & Talisman.  Thanks for the interest.  Geoff

Reminds me off my induction training to the band saw by my dad when i was about 12 -

Now Son, i have a friend that lost 2 fingers using a bandsaw. He was cutting a piece of wood when his wife walked into the room - an attractive blond with no clothes on - his attention wandered from the saw  to the wife while cutting - Remember son allways concentrate on the machine.

To this day i still have ten fingers and one eye on the door 

[Eddy Matthews]

It reminds me of my grammar school days - Our woodwork teacher had three fingers on one hand and two on the other, and HE was teaching us!!

And that isn't a joke, it's perfectly true!!

Eddy

[Talisman]

It reminds me of my grammar school days - Our woodwork teacher had three fingers on one hand and two on the other, and HE was teaching us!!

And that isn't a joke, it's perfectly true!!

Eddy

Should have gone to spec savers - 
Is the only Decent reply i can come up with to that one .

[steamboatmodel]

It reminds me of my grammar school days - Our woodwork teacher had three fingers on one hand and two on the other, and HE was teaching us!!

And that isn't a joke, it's perfectly true!!

Eddy

Those who can do those who can't teach

Regards,
Gerald

[antopia]

Geoff,
its interesting ,silver soldering is quite easy as long as the correct flux/solder is used,I do feel that anyone who wants to develop an interest in engineering cannot go wrong by starting with a simple pot boiler as there is very little in the way of  equipment needed, a propane/butane mix torch,simple drill press and a bench grinder to make the flanged bushes,or you could go fancy and use a hand drill and a file (but be careful with the file) with the bush on a mandrel(tap and a securing  nut)
with care a lathe is not needed.
then just  a £10 pressure gauge and a garden sprayer for pressure test.
there is very little chance of a boiler blowing up!,just look at any mamod
and these are brass not copper......

Steven

[R.G.Y.]

Managed to spend a day in the cellar, good progress. dry run assembly. Bushes soldered to end caps. Main tubes not soldered yet, waiting for son and his OXY-GAS torch, my MAPP torch will provide background heat. Geoff I hope I have attached over all view, one of each end and the displacement oiler.

[R.G.Y.]

This shot in better focus. but the manafold is not so clear. G

[R.G.Y.]

better attach it!

[Talisman]

Geoff,
at the risk of showing my complete lack of knowledge on this subject is there any chance of a quick layman's guide to what all the bits and pieces are, what they do & how they do it.
Appreciated,
Kim

[R.G.Y.]

Steven let me know how the vertical boiler is progressing.

Kim, I am no expert but this is what I have read. On the gauge end of the boiler, right top is the round pressure gauge on a syphon, the bent piece of pipe. The syphon is to prevent damage to the gauge.  On the left the glass tube is the water level gauge. Bottom right is the blow down valve, to empty the boiler. None of this is strictly necessary, a removable plug at the water level could give the level at the fill,  but you can't add water when working. The pressure gauge just tells you when the engine has enough steam to start. By removing the safety valve and inverting, the boiler can be emptied.  On the other end top is the steam pipe, the steam doesn't go straight through the manifold, it goes into the small pipe and a round the boiler, before retuning to the manifold. On the end of the manifold is the steam stop valve this holds the steam until working pressure is reached. Bottom right is the clack valve where water can be pumpted into the boiler when under pressure. This also has a lope of tube to heat the water before it enters the boiler proper On the left another blowdown valve. All that is really necessary is the steam pipe and this could come straight out.  The displacement oiler has a small hole in the steam pipe as it passes through a little of the steam condenses, water being heavier  than oil sinks to the bottom forcing oil in to the steam pipe and on to the engine. Hope this is OK. Geoff

[R.G.Y.]

Sorry I forgot the most important fitting, On top center is the saftey valve this one is set at 28psi. Geoff

[R.G.Y.]

The casing & funnel.  R.G.Y.

[R.G.Y.]

Don't tell the wife the back of her washing machine has a big hole in it!! R.G.Y.