Oscillating Paddle Wheel Engine

[Eddy Matthews]

That looks like it runs superbly Tony, a job well done!

What's next? The boiler/burner, or the model itself?

Regards
Eddy

[Tony Bird]

Hi Eddy,

What's next? The boiler/burner, or the model itself?

Well the engine needs to be finished, the video showed it running only on its one engine.  The second should be finished and maybe tested later today.

This prototype engine is too big for any hull I would build.  The A.J. Goddard including its paddle wheel is a little under 60' long, the engine as built is more powerful than I thought it would be and is about 1" scale compared with AJG. Something around the 3' length would suit me.  So this engine will be finished and tested and another built to suit the scale selected.

With luck the engine will be completed later today.

Regards Tony.

[steam up]

Show me show me

[Tony Bird]

Hi,

Yesterday finished and fitted the second engine and ran it on air.



Video.



The engine was then connected to a test boiler.



Video.



The engine performs quite well and is more powerfull than expected.  There is still some more R+D to do regarding condensation in the steam and exhaust pipes.  Super heating and lagging will help, both the boiler and the engines will be quite away from each other so some sort of engine preheat and drain cock will be tried, this has been done successfully before but not with engines so far apart.  This issue will have to be resolved before going further with this project. One will see!

Regards Tony.

[kno3]

That's a well running engine and the wooden cladding on the cylinders is very nice.

[Talisman]

Tony,
I don't know much about steam engines but i know that yours looks & runs well.
I'm impressed!.....
Regards,
Kim

[R.G.Y.]

Very Verry GOOD .Tony R.G.Y.

[Tony Bird]

Hi,

Found a larger heavier flywheel and fitted it.  As this is very much a prototype engine the materials used being to hand, the crank axle is only 1/8" silver steel so the engine beds have been moved closer together.  As well as doing some work on a cylinder drain system, a reversing system that will allow the engines to exhaust separately which I believe they did is being thought out



Video


Happy and Healthy New Year.

Regards Tony.

[Tony Bird]

Happy New Year!

New flywheel has now been tried with both engines working.

Video.



At 10psi the engine has quite a lot of power.




This is the largest engine of this type that I have built along with the smallest that has been used to power a model locomoive.

Regards Tony.

[Tony Bird]

Hi,

Happy New Year!

An Aderyn regulator reversing valve has been made that allows the exhaust from each engine to go up a its own chimney,  ito looks a little like Spaghetti Junction but works OK.

Port block.


Regulator reversing valve.


Valve connected to engine.



The engine has been run on air and at 25psi is quite powerful.


Running on steam.  The test boiler will only manage 10psi while the engine runs continuously, the engine probably only getting a couple of psi of very wet steam.  The engine was run for about 20 minutes.


With the engine at one end of the boat and the boiler at the other there is bound to be an issue with condensation, super heating and lagging will help.  A valve will be fitted to each cylinder so the steam passageway can be connected to the exhaust passageway, when opened the engine will not work but the pipes, reversing valve and cylinders will be heated up and purged of old steam oil and water.  I have done this before and found it a good way of starting oscillating engines quickly and cleanly.  I think that what ever is done the engine will run rather wetly and need a large oil separator connected to it, also the cylinder will need a tray to collect oil and water that will drip from it.  We go away for a couple of weeks but on return I will start on a smaller version of the engine for a smaller hull at least the engine and boiler will be closer together.

Regards Tony.   

[Tony Bird]

Hi Again,

Forgot to mention the last two photographs are short videos.

Regards Tony.

[kno3]

It's the first time I see a reversing valve built with 2 discs. Usually there's only one, even for twin engines. Why did you use 2 in this case?

[Tony Bird]

Hi,

It's the first time I see a reversing valve built with 2 discs. Usually there's only one, even for twin engines. Why did you use 2 in this case?

A lot of stern wheel river boats have two chimneys at the back of the hull one each for each engine.  This was the only way I could think of replacating this and still be able to use the valve as a regulator as well.  There are probably other ways to do this which are probably better.

Regards Tony.

[SteamSurge]

This is amazing work!

I will try to replicate (not nearly as well) this when I convert my OcCre Mississippi steamer to working steam engines.

[kno3]

Hi,

It's the first time I see a reversing valve built with 2 discs. Usually there's only one, even for twin engines. Why did you use 2 in this case?

A lot of stern wheel river boats have two chimneys at the back of the hull one each for each engine.  This was the only way I could think of replacating this and still be able to use the valve as a regulator as well.  There are probably other ways to do this which are probably better.

Regards Tony.

Ok it makes sense now. It's always nice to see the sternwheelers puffing out steam alternatively from the two exhausts. This effect might be visible in model size too if the cylinders run slow enough.