DIY camping steam generator. Steam engine with an oscillating cylinder from an old Young Technician Make a steam engine with your own hands

It began its expansion at the beginning of the 19th century. And already at that time, not only large units were built for industrial purposes, but also decorative ones. Most of their customers were rich nobles who wanted to amuse themselves and their children. After steam units became a part of society, decorative engines began to be used in universities and schools as educational models.

Steam engines of modern times

At the beginning of the 20th century, the relevance of steam engines began to decline. One of the few companies that continued to produce decorative mini-engines was the British company Mamod, which allows you to purchase a sample of such equipment even today. But the cost of such steam engines easily exceeds two hundred pounds sterling, which is not so little for a trinket for a couple of evenings. Moreover, for those who like to assemble all sorts of mechanisms on their own, it is much more interesting to create a simple steam engine with their own hands.

Very simple. The fire heats a pot of water. Under the influence of temperature, water turns into steam, which pushes the piston. As long as there is water in the container, the flywheel connected to the piston will rotate. This is a standard diagram of the structure of a steam engine. But you can assemble a model with a completely different configuration.

Well, let's move on from the theoretical part to more exciting things. If you are interested in doing something with your own hands, and you are surprised by such exotic machines, then this article is just for you, in which we will be happy to talk about various ways of how to assemble a steam engine with your own hands. At the same time, the process of creating a mechanism itself gives joy no less than its launch.

Method 1: DIY Mini Steam Engine

So, let's begin. Let's assemble the simplest steam engine with our own hands. Drawings, complex tools and special knowledge are not needed.

To begin with, we take from any drink. Cut off the lower third from it. Since the result will be sharp edges, they must be bent inward with pliers. We do this carefully so as not to cut ourselves. Since most aluminum cans have a concave bottom, it is necessary to level it. It is enough to press it tightly with your finger to some hard surface.

At a distance of 1.5 cm from the top edge of the resulting “glass”, you need to make two holes opposite each other. It is advisable to use a hole punch for this, since it is necessary for them to be at least 3 mm in diameter. Place a decorative candle at the bottom of the jar. Now we take regular table foil, crumple it, and then wrap our mini-burner on all sides.

Mini nozzles

Next, you need to take a piece of copper tube 15-20 cm long. It is important that it is hollow inside, since this will be our main mechanism for setting the structure in motion. The central part of the tube is wrapped around the pencil 2 or 3 times to form a small spiral.

Now you need to place this element so that the curved place is placed directly above the candle wick. To do this, we give the tube the shape of the letter “M”. At the same time, we bring out the areas that go down through the holes made in the jar. Thus, the copper tube is rigidly fixed above the wick, and its edges act as a kind of nozzle. In order for the structure to rotate, it is necessary to bend the opposite ends of the “M-element” 90 degrees in different directions. The design of the steam engine is ready.

Engine starting

The jar is placed in a container with water. In this case, it is necessary that the edges of the tube are under its surface. If the nozzles are not long enough, you can add a small weight to the bottom of the jar. But be careful not to drown the entire engine.

Now you need to fill the tube with water. To do this, you can lower one end into the water, and draw in air with the other as if through a straw. We lower the jar into the water. Light the candle wick. After some time, the water in the spiral will turn into steam, which, under pressure, will fly out of the opposite ends of the nozzles. The jar will begin to rotate in the container quite quickly. This is how we made our own steam engine. As you can see, everything is simple.

Steam engine model for adults

Now let's complicate the task. Let's assemble a more serious steam engine with our own hands. First you need to take a paint can. You should make sure that it is absolutely clean. On the wall, 2-3 cm from the bottom, cut out a rectangle with dimensions of 15 x 5 cm. The long side is placed parallel to the bottom of the jar. We cut out a piece of metal mesh with an area of 12 x 24 cm. We measure 6 cm from both ends of the long side. We bend these sections at an angle of 90 degrees. We get a small “platform table” with an area of 12 x 12 cm with 6 cm legs. We install the resulting structure on the bottom of the jar.

It is necessary to make several holes around the perimeter of the lid and place them in the shape of a semicircle along one half of the lid. It is advisable that the holes have a diameter of about 1 cm. This is necessary in order to ensure proper ventilation of the internal space. A steam engine cannot operate well unless sufficient air is supplied to the fire source.

Main element

We make a spiral from a copper tube. You need to take about 6 meters of soft copper tubing with a diameter of 1/4-inch (0.64 cm). We measure 30 cm from one end. Starting from this point, it is necessary to make five turns of the spiral with a diameter of 12 cm each. The rest of the pipe is bent into 15 rings with a diameter of 8 cm. Thus, at the other end there should be 20 cm of free tube.

Both leads pass through vent holes in the lid of the jar. If it turns out that the length of the straight section is not enough for this, then you can unbend one turn of the spiral. Coal is placed on a pre-installed platform. In this case, the spiral should be placed just above this platform. The coal is carefully laid out between its turns. Now the jar can be closed. As a result, we got a firebox that will power the engine. The steam engine is almost made with your own hands. Left a little.

Water container

Now you need to take another paint can, but of a smaller size. A hole with a diameter of 1 cm is drilled in the center of its lid. Two more holes are made on the side of the jar - one almost at the bottom, the second above, near the lid itself.

Take two crusts, in the center of which a hole is made with the diameter of a copper tube. 25 cm of plastic pipe is inserted into one cork, 10 cm into the other, so that their edge barely peeks out from the plugs. A korok with a long tube is inserted into the lower hole of a small jar, and a shorter tube into the upper hole. We place the smaller can on the larger can of paint so that the hole in the bottom is on the opposite side from the ventilation passages of the large can.

Result

The result should be the following design. Water is poured into a small jar, which flows through a hole in the bottom into a copper tube. A fire is lit under the spiral, which heats the copper container. Hot steam rises up the tube.

In order for the mechanism to be completed, it is necessary to attach a piston and flywheel to the upper end of the copper tube. As a result, the thermal energy of combustion will be converted into mechanical forces of rotation of the wheel. There are a huge number of different schemes for creating such an external combustion engine, but in all of them two elements are always involved - fire and water.

In addition to this design, you can assemble a steam one, but this is material for a completely separate article.

The ship model is propelled by a steam-water jet engine. A ship with this engine is not a progressive discovery (its system was patented 125 years ago by the Briton Perkins), but otherwise it clearly demonstrates the operation of a simple jet engine.

Rice. 1 Ship with a steam engine. 1 - steam-water engine, 2 - plate made of mica or asbestos; 3 - firebox; 4 - nozzle outlet with a diameter of 0.5 mm.

Instead of a boat, it would be possible to use a car model. The choice was made for the boat due to its greater fire protection. The experiment is carried out with a vessel with water at hand, for example, a bath or basin.

The body can be made of wood (for example, pine) or plastic (expanded polystyrene), using a ready-made body of a toy polyethylene boat. The engine will be a small tin can, which is filled 1/4 of the volume with water.

On board, under the engine, you need to place a firebox. It is known that heated water is converted into steam, which, expanding, presses on the walls of the motor housing and exits at high speed from the nozzle hole, as a result of which the thrust necessary for movement appears. On the back wall of the engine can you need to drill a hole no larger than 0.5 mm. If the hole is larger, the operating time of the motor will become quite short, and the exhaust speed will be small.

The optimal diameter of the nozzle opening can be determined experimentally. It will correspond to the fastest movement of the model. In this case, the thrust will be greatest. As a firebox, it is possible to use a duralumin or iron lid of a tin can (for example, from a can of ointment, cream or shoe paste).

We use “dry alcohol” in tablets as fuel.

To protect the ship from fire, we attach a layer of asbestos (1.5-2 mm) to the deck. If the boat's hull is made of wood, sand it thoroughly and coat it with nitro varnish several times. The smooth surface reduces resistance in the water and your boat will definitely float. The boat model should be as light as possible. The design and dimensions are shown in the figure.

After filling the tank with water, light the alcohol placed in the firebox lid (this should be done when the boat is on the surface of the water). After a few tens of seconds, the water in the tank will make noise, and a thin stream of steam will begin to escape from the nozzle. Now the steering wheel can be set in such a way that the boat moves in a circle, and within a few minutes (from 2 to 4) you will observe the operation of a simple jet engine.

Throughout its history, the steam engine has had many variations of embodiment in metal. One of these incarnations was the steam rotary engine of mechanical engineer N.N. Tverskoy. This steam rotary engine (steam engine) was actively used in various fields of technology and transport. In the Russian technical tradition of the 19th century, such a rotary engine was called a rotary machine.

The engine was characterized by durability, efficiency and high torque. But with the advent of steam turbines it was forgotten. Below are archival materials raised by the author of this site. The materials are very extensive, so only a part of them is presented here so far.

Steam rotary engine by N.N. Tverskoy

Test rotation of a steam rotary engine with compressed air (3.5 atm).
The model is designed for 10 kW of power at 1500 rpm at a steam pressure of 28-30 atm.

At the end of the 19th century, steam engines - “N. Tverskoy’s rotary engines” were forgotten because piston steam engines turned out to be simpler and more technologically advanced to manufacture (for the industries of that time), and steam turbines provided more power.
But the remark regarding steam turbines is true only in their large weight and overall dimensions. Indeed, with a power of more than 1.5-2 thousand kW, multi-cylinder steam turbines outperform steam rotary engines in all respects, even with the high cost of turbines. And at the beginning of the 20th century, when ship power plants and power units of power plants began to have a power of many tens of thousands of kilowatts, only turbines could provide such capabilities.

BUT - steam turbines have another drawback. When scaling their mass-dimensional parameters downward, the performance characteristics of steam turbines sharply deteriorate. The specific power is significantly reduced, the efficiency drops, while the high cost of manufacturing and high speeds of the main shaft (the need for a gearbox) remain. That is why - in the area of power less than 1.5 thousand kW (1.5 MW), it is almost impossible to find a steam turbine that is efficient in all respects, even for a lot of money...

That is why a whole “bouquet” of exotic and little-known designs appeared in this power range. But most often, they are also expensive and ineffective... Screw turbines, Tesla turbines, axial turbines, etc.
But for some reason everyone forgot about steam “rotary machines” - rotary steam engines. Meanwhile, these steam engines are many times cheaper than any blade and screw mechanisms (I say this with knowledge of the matter, as a person who has already made more than a dozen such machines with his own money). At the same time, N. Tverskoy’s steam “rotary rotary machines” have powerful torque from very low speeds, and have an average speed of rotation of the main shaft at full speed from 1000 to 3000 rpm. Those. Such machines, whether for an electric generator or a steam car (truck, tractor, tractor), will not require a gearbox, clutch, etc., but will be directly connected with their shaft to the dynamo, wheels of the steam car, etc.
So, in the form of a steam rotary engine - the “N. Tverskoy rotary machine” system, we have a universal steam engine that will perfectly generate electricity powered by a solid fuel boiler in a remote forestry or taiga village, at a field camp, or generate electricity in a boiler room in a rural settlement or “spinning” on process heat waste (hot air) in a brick or cement factory, in a foundry, etc.
All such heat sources have a power of less than 1 mW, which is why conventional turbines are of little use here. But general technical practice does not yet know of other machines for recycling heat by converting the pressure of the resulting steam into work. So this heat is not utilized in any way - it is simply lost stupidly and irretrievably.
I have already created a “steam rotary machine” to drive an electric generator of 3.5 - 5 kW (depending on the steam pressure), if everything goes as planned, soon there will be a machine of both 25 and 40 kW. Just what is needed to provide cheap electricity from a solid fuel boiler or process heat waste to a rural estate, small farm, field camp, etc., etc.
In principle, rotary engines scale well upward, therefore, by placing many rotor sections on one shaft, it is easy to repeatedly increase the power of such machines by simply increasing the number of standard rotor modules. That is, it is quite possible to create steam rotary machines with a power of 80-160-240-320 kW or more...

But, in addition to medium and relatively large steam power plants, steam power circuits with small steam rotary engines will also be in demand in small power plants.
For example, one of my inventions is “Camping and tourist electric generator using local solid fuel.”
Below is a video where a simplified prototype of such a device is tested.
But the small steam engine is already cheerfully and energetically spinning its electric generator and producing electricity using wood and other pasture fuel.

The main direction of commercial and technical application of steam rotary engines (rotary steam engines) is the generation of cheap electricity using cheap solid fuel and combustible waste. Those. small-scale energy - distributed power generation using steam rotary engines. Imagine how a rotary steam engine would fit perfectly into the operation scheme of a sawmill, somewhere in the Russian North or Siberia (Far East) where there is no central power supply, electricity is provided at an expensive price by a diesel generator powered by diesel fuel imported from afar. But the sawmill itself produces at least half a ton of sawdust chips per day - a slab that has nowhere to put...

Such wood waste has a direct path into the boiler furnace, the boiler produces high-pressure steam, the steam drives a rotary steam engine and it spins an electric generator.

In the same way, it is possible to burn unlimited millions of tons of agricultural crop waste, etc. And there is also cheap peat, cheap thermal coal, and so on. The author of the site calculated that fuel costs when generating electricity through a small steam power plant (steam engine) with a steam rotary engine with a power of 500 kW will be from 0.8 to 1.

2 rubles per kilowatt.

Another interesting option for using a steam rotary engine is to install such a steam engine on a steam car. The truck is a tractor-steam vehicle, with powerful torque and using cheap solid fuel - a very necessary steam engine in agriculture and the forestry industry.

With the use of modern technologies and materials, as well as the use of the “Organic Rankine cycle” in the thermodynamic cycle, it will be possible to increase the effective efficiency to 26-28% using cheap solid fuel (or inexpensive liquid fuel, such as “furnace fuel” or used engine oil). Those. truck - tractor with a steam engine

Truck NAMI-012, with a steam engine. USSR, 1954

and a rotary steam engine with a power of about 100 kW, will consume about 25-28 kg of thermal coal per 100 km (cost 5-6 rubles per kg) or about 40-45 kg of sawdust chips (the price of which in the North is free)...

There are many more interesting and promising areas of application of the rotary steam engine, but the size of this page does not allow us to consider them all in detail. As a result, the steam engine can still occupy a very prominent place in many areas of modern technology and in many sectors of the national economy.

LAUNCHES OF AN EXPERIMENTAL MODEL OF STEAM POWER ELECTRIC GENERATOR WITH STEAM ENGINE

May -2018 After lengthy experiments and prototypes, a small high-pressure boiler was made. The boiler is pressurized to 80 atm pressure, so it will maintain a working pressure of 40-60 atm without difficulty. Put into operation with a prototype model of a steam axial piston engine of my design. Works great - watch the video. In 12-14 minutes from ignition on wood it is ready to produce high pressure steam.

Now I am starting to prepare for the piece production of such units - a high-pressure boiler, a steam engine (rotary or axial piston), and a condenser. The installations will operate in a closed circuit with water-steam-condensate circulation.

The demand for such generators is very high, because 60% of the Russian territory does not have a central power supply and relies on diesel generation.

And the price of diesel fuel is growing all the time and has already reached 41-42 rubles per liter. And even where there is electricity, energy companies keep raising tariffs, and they demand a lot of money to connect new capacities.

Modern steam engines

The modern world forces many inventors to return again to the idea of using a steam plant in vehicles intended for transportation. The machines have the ability to use several options for power units running on steam.

Piston motor
Principle of operation
Rules for operating steam-powered vehicles
Advantages of the machine

Piston motor

Modern steam engines can be divided into several groups:

Structurally, the installation includes:

starting device;
two-cylinder power unit;
steam generator in a special container equipped with a coil.

Principle of operation

The process goes as follows.

After turning on the ignition, power begins to flow from the battery of the three engines. From the first, a blower is put into operation, pumping air masses through the radiator and transferring them through air channels to a mixing device with a burner.

At the same time, the next electric motor activates the fuel transfer pump, which supplies condensate masses from the tank through the serpentine device of the heating element to the body part of the water separator and the heater located in the economizer to the steam generator.
Before starting, there is no way for steam to get to the cylinders, since its path is blocked by a throttle valve or spool, which is controlled by the rocker mechanics. By turning the handles in the direction necessary for movement and slightly opening the valve, the mechanic puts the steam mechanism into operation.
The exhaust vapors flow through a single collector to a distribution valve, where they are divided into a pair of unequal shares. The smaller part enters the nozzle of the mixing burner, mixes with the air mass, and is ignited by a candle.

The resulting flame begins to heat the container. After this, the combustion product passes into the water separator, and moisture condenses and flows into a special water tank. The remaining gas escapes out.

The second part of the steam, larger in volume, passes through the distributor valve into the turbine, which drives the rotor device of the electric generator.

Rules for operating steam-powered vehicles

The steam plant can be directly connected to the drive unit of the machine's transmission, and when it begins to operate, the machine begins to move. But in order to increase efficiency, experts recommend using clutch mechanics. This is convenient for towing operations and various inspection operations.

During the movement, the mechanic, taking into account the situation, can change the speed by manipulating the power of the steam piston. This can be done by throttling the steam with a valve, or by changing the steam supply with a rocker device. In practice, it is better to use the first option, since the actions resemble working with the gas pedal, but a more economical way is to use the rocker mechanism.

For short stops, the driver slows down and uses the rocker to stop the operation of the unit. For long-term parking, the electrical circuit that de-energizes the blower and fuel pump is turned off.

Advantages of the machine

The device is distinguished by its ability to work with virtually no restrictions, overloads are possible, and there is a wide range of adjustment of power indicators. It should be added that during any stop the steam engine stops working, which cannot be said about the motor.

The design does not require installing a gearbox, a starter device, an air purification filter, a carburetor, or a turbocharger. In addition, the ignition system is simplified, there is only one spark plug.

In conclusion, we can add that the production of such cars and their operation will be cheaper than cars with an internal combustion engine, since the fuel will be inexpensive and the materials used in production will be the cheapest.

Read also:

Steam engines were installed and powered most steam locomotives from the early 1800s until the 1950s.

I would like to note that the operating principle of these engines has always remained unchanged, despite changes in their design and dimensions.

The animated illustration shows the operating principle of a steam engine.

To generate steam supplied to the engine, boilers using both wood and coal, and liquid fuel were used.

First measure

Steam from the boiler enters the steam chamber, from which it enters the upper (front) part of the cylinder through a steam gate valve (indicated in blue). The pressure created by the steam pushes the piston down to BDC. As the piston moves from TDC to BDC, the wheel makes half a revolution.

Release

At the very end of the piston's movement toward BDC, the steam valve moves, releasing remaining steam through an outlet port located below the valve. The remaining steam escapes, creating the sound characteristic of steam engines.

Second measure

At the same time, moving the valve to release residual steam opens the steam inlet to the lower (rear) part of the cylinder. The pressure created by the steam in the cylinder forces the piston to move towards TDC. At this time, the wheel makes another half revolution.

Release

At the end of the piston's movement to TDC, the remaining steam is released through the same exhaust port.

The cycle repeats again.

The steam engine has a so-called dead center at the end of each stroke as the valve transitions from the expansion stroke to the exhaust stroke. For this reason, each steam engine has two cylinders, allowing the engine to be started from any position.

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	G.S. Zhiritsky. Steam engines. Moscow: Gosenergoizdat, 1951. The book discusses ideal processes in steam engines, real processes in a steam engine, study of the working process of a machine using an indicator diagram, multiple expansion machines, spool steam distribution, valve steam distribution, steam distribution in once-through machines, reversing mechanisms, dynamics of a steam engine, etc. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	27.8 Mb
	A.A. Radzig. James Watt and the invention of the steam engine. Petrograd: Scientific Chemical and Technical Publishing House, 1924. The improvement of the steam engine made by Watt at the end of the 18th century is one of the largest events in the history of technology. It had incalculable economic consequences, since it was the last and decisive link in a number of important inventions made in England in the second half of the 18th century and which led to the rapid and complete development of large capitalist industry both in England itself and then in other European countries. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	0.99 Mb
	M. Lesnikov. James Watt. Moscow: Publisher “Journal Association”, 1935. This edition presents a biographical novel about James Watt (1736-1819), an English inventor and creator of a universal heat engine. Invented (1774-84) a steam engine with a double-acting cylinder, in which he used a centrifugal regulator, a transmission from the cylinder rod to a balancer with a parallelogram, etc. Watt's machine played a big role in the transition to machine production. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	67.4 Mb
	A.S. Yastrzhembsky. Technical thermodynamics. Moscow-Leningrad: State Energy Publishing House, 1933. General theoretical principles are presented in the light of the two basic laws of thermodynamics. Since technical thermodynamics provides the basis for the study of steam boilers and heat engines, this course studies, as fully as possible, the processes of transforming thermal energy into mechanical energy in steam engines and internal combustion engines. In the second part, when studying the ideal cycle of a steam engine, the collapse of steam and the outflow of vapor from the holes, the importance of the i-S diagram of water vapor is noted, the use of which simplifies the research task. Particular attention is paid to the presentation of the thermodynamics of gas flow and the cycles of internal combustion engines.	51.2 Mb
	Installation of boiler systems. Scientific Editor Eng. Yu.M. Rivkin. Moscow: GosStroyIzdat, 1961. This book is intended to improve the skills of fitters who install boiler installations of low and medium power and are familiar with the techniques of metalwork.	9.9 Mb
	E.Ya.Sokolov. District heating and heating networks. Moscow-Leningrad: State Energy Publishing House, 1963. The book outlines the energy fundamentals of district heating, describes heat supply systems, gives the theory and methodology for calculating heating networks, discusses methods for regulating heat supply, provides designs and methods for calculating equipment for heat treatment plants, heating networks and subscriber inputs, provides basic information on the methodology of technical and economic calculations and on organizing the operation of heating networks.	11.2 Mb
	A.I.Abramov, A.V.Ivanov-Smolensky. Calculation and design of hydrogenerators In modern electrical systems, electrical energy is generated mainly at thermal power plants using turbogenerators, and at hydroelectric power plants using hydrogenerators. Therefore, hydrogenerators and turbogenerators occupy a leading place in the subject of coursework and diploma design of electromechanical and electrical power specialties in colleges. This manual provides a description of the design of hydrogenerators, justifies the choice of their sizes and outlines the methodology for electromagnetic, thermal, ventilation and mechanical calculations with brief explanations of the calculation formulas. To facilitate the study of the material, an example of the calculation of a hydrogenerator is given. When compiling the manual, the authors used modern literature on manufacturing technology, design and calculation of hydrogen generators, an abbreviated list of which is given at the end of the book.	10.7 Mb
	F.L. Liventsev. Power plants with internal combustion engines. Leningrad: Publishing House "Machine Building", 1969. The book examines modern standard power plants for various purposes with internal combustion engines. Recommendations are given for the selection of parameters and calculation of elements of fuel preparation, fuel supply and cooling systems, oil and air-starting systems, and gas-air ducts. An analysis of the requirements for internal combustion engine installations is given, ensuring their high efficiency, reliability and durability.	11.2 Mb
	M.I.Kamsky. Steam hero. Drawings by V.V. Spassky. Moscow: 7th printing house "Mospechat", 1922. ...In Watt’s homeland, in the city council of the town of Greenock, there is a monument to him with the inscription: “Born in Greenock in 1736, died in 1819.” Here, there still exists a library named after him, founded by him during his lifetime, and at the University of Glasgow, prizes for the best scientific works in Mechanics, Physics and Chemistry are issued annually from the capital donated by Watt. But James Watt, in essence, does not need any other monuments than those countless steam engines that, in all corners of the earth, make noise, knock and hum, working on the yardarm of humanity.	10.6 Mb
	A.S. Abramov and B.I. Sheinin. Fuel, furnaces and boiler systems. Moscow: Publishing House of the Ministry of Communal Services of the RSFSR, 1953. The book discusses the basic properties of fuels and their combustion processes. A method for determining the heat balance of a boiler installation is presented. Various designs of combustion devices are given. The designs of various boilers are described - hot water and steam, from water tube to fire tube and with smoke tubes. Information is provided on the installation and operation of boilers, their piping - fittings, instrumentation. Issues of fuel supply, gas supply, fuel depots, ash removal, chemical treatment of water at stations, auxiliary equipment (pumps, fans, pipelines...) are also discussed in the book. Information is given on layout solutions and the cost of calculating heat supply.	9.15 Mb
	V. Dombrovsky, A. Shmulyan. Victory of Prometheus. Stories about electricity. Leningrad: Publishing House "Children's Literature", 1966. This book is about electricity. It does not contain a complete exposition of the theory of electricity or a description of all the possible uses of electricity. Ten such books would not be enough for this. When people mastered electricity, unprecedented opportunities opened up for them to facilitate and mechanize physical labor. The machines that made it possible to do this and the use of electricity as a motive force are described in this book. But electricity makes it possible not only to increase the strength of human hands, but also the strength of the human mind, to mechanize not only physical, but also mental labor. We also tried to talk about how this can be done. If this book helps young readers even a little to imagine the great path that technology has taken from the first discoveries to the present day, and to see the breadth of the horizon that tomorrow opens before us, we can consider our task completed.	23.6 Mb
	V.N. Bogoslovsky, V.P. Shcheglov. Heating and ventilation. Moscow: Publishing House of Construction Literature, 1970. This textbook is intended for students of the “Water Supply and Sewerage” faculty of construction universities. It was written in accordance with the program for the course “Heating and Ventilation” approved by the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education of the USSR. The purpose of the textbook is to give students basic information about the design, calculation, installation, testing and operation of heating and ventilation systems. Reference materials are provided to the extent necessary to complete the course project on heating and ventilation.	5.25 Mb
	A.S.Orlin, M.G.Kruglov. Combined two-stroke engines. Moscow: Publishing House "Machine Building", 1968. The book contains the fundamentals of the theory of gas exchange processes in the cylinder and in adjacent systems of two-stroke combined engines. Approximate dependencies related to the influence of unsteady motion during gas exchange and the results of experimental work in this area are presented. Experimental work performed on engines and models is also considered in order to study the quality of the gas exchange process, issues of development and improvement of design schemes and individual components of these engines and equipment for research. In addition, the state of work on supercharging and improving the designs of two-stroke combined engines and, in particular, air supply systems and supercharging units, as well as prospects for the further development of these engines are described. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	15.8 Mb
	M.K.Weisbein. Heat engines. Steam engines, rotary machines, steam turbines, air engines and internal combustion engines. Theory, design, installation, testing of heat engines and their care. A guide for chemists, technicians and owners of thermal machines. St. Petersburg: Publication by K.L. Ricker, 1910. The purpose of this work is to acquaint persons who have not received a systematic technical education with the theory of heat engines, their design, installation, care and testing. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	7.3 Mb
	Nikolay Bozheryanov Theory of steam engines, with a detailed description of the double-action machine according to the Watt and Bolton system. Approved by the Marine Scientific Committee and printed with the Highest permission. St. Petersburg: Printing house of the naval cadet corps, 1849. “... I would consider myself happy and completely rewarded for my labors if this book were accepted by Russian mechanics as a guide, and if it, like Tredgold’s work, although in a small way, contributed to the development of mechanical knowledge and industry in our dear fatherland.” N. Bozheryanov. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	42.6 Mb
	VC. Bogomazov, A.D. Berkuta, P.P. Kulikovsky. Steam engines. Kyiv: State Publishing House of Technical Literature of the Ukrainian SSR, 1952. The book examines the theory, design and operation of steam engines, steam turbines and condensing plants and provides the basics of calculation of steam engines and their parts. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	6.09 Mb
	Lopatin P.I. Victory couple. Moscow: New Moscow, 1925. “Tell me - do you know who created our factories and plants for us, who was the first to give a person the opportunity to race on trains by rail and boldly sail across the oceans? Do you know who was the first to create a car and that same tractor that now so diligently and obediently does hard work in our agriculture? Are you familiar with the one who defeated the horse and the ox and was the first to conquer the air, allowing a person not only to stay in the air, but also to control his flying machine, to send it where he wants, and not the capricious wind? All this was done by steam, the simplest water vapor that plays with the lid of your kettle, “sings” in the samovar and rises in white puffs above the surface of boiling water. You’ve never paid attention to it before, and it never occurred to you that useless water vapor could do such enormous work, conquer land, water and air and create almost all of modern industry.” Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	10.1 Mb
	Shchurov M.V. Guide to Internal Combustion Engines. Moscow-Leningrad: State Energy Publishing House, 1955. The book examines the design and operating principles of engines of common types in the USSR, instructions for caring for engines, organizing their repairs, basic repair work, provides information on the economics of engines and assessing their power and load, and covers issues of organizing the workplace and the driver’s work. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	11.5 Mb
	Technological engineer Serebrennikov A. Foundations of the theory of steam engines and boilers. St. Petersburg: Printed in the printing house of Karl Wulff, 1860. Currently, the science of working in pairs is one of the types of knowledge that arouses keen interest. Indeed, hardly any other science, in practical terms, has made such advances in such a short time as the use of steam for all kinds of applications. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	109 Mb
	High-speed diesel engines 4Ch 10.5/13-2 and 6Ch 10.5/13-2. Description and maintenance instructions. Editor-in-Chief Eng. V.K.Serdyuk. Moscow - Kyiv: MASHGIZ, 1960. The book describes the designs and sets out the basic rules for maintenance and care of diesel engines 4Ch 10.5/13-2 and 6Ch 10.5/13-2. The book is intended for mechanics and mechanics servicing these diesel engines. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	14.3 Mb
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The reason for the construction of this unit was a stupid idea: “is it possible to build a steam engine without machines and tools, using only parts that can be bought in a store” and do everything with your own hands. The result is a design like this. The entire assembly and setup took less than an hour. Although it took six months to design and select parts.

Most of the structure consists of plumbing fittings. At the end of the epic, the questions from sellers of hardware and other stores: “can I help you” and “why do you need them” really infuriated me.

And so we assemble the foundation. First the main cross member. Tees, bochata, and half-inch angles are used here. I secured all the elements with sealant. This is to make it easier to connect and separate them with your hands. But for final assembly it is better to use plumber's tape.

Then the longitudinal elements. The steam boiler, spool, steam cylinder and flywheel will be attached to them. Here all the elements are also 1/2".

Then we make the stands. In the photo, from left to right: a stand for the steam boiler, then a stand for the steam distribution mechanism, then a stand for the flywheel, and finally a holder for the steam cylinder. The flywheel holder is made from a 3/4" tee (external thread). Bearings from a repair kit for roller skates are ideally suited to it. The bearings are held in place by a coupling nut. Such nuts can be found separately or taken from a tee for metal-plastic pipes. This tee is pictured in the bottom right corner (not used in the design). A 3/4" tee is also used as a holder for the steam cylinder, only the threads are all internal. Adapters are used to attach 3/4" to 1/2" elements.

We assemble the boiler. A 1" pipe is used for the boiler. I found a used one on the market. Looking ahead, I want to say that the boiler turned out to be too small and does not produce enough steam. With such a boiler, the engine works too sluggishly. But it works. The three parts on the right are: plug, adapter 1"-1/2" and squeegee. The squeegee is inserted into the adapter and closed with a plug. Thus, the boiler becomes airtight.

This is how the boiler turned out initially.

But the steam tank turned out to be not high enough. Water got into the steam line. I had to install an additional 1/2" barrel through the adapter.

This is a burner. Four posts earlier there was the material “Homemade oil lamp from pipes”. This is how the burner was originally designed. But no suitable fuel was found. Lamp oil and kerosene smoke heavily. Need alcohol. So for now I just made a holder for dry fuel.

This is a very important detail. Steam distributor or spool. This thing directs steam into the slave cylinder during the power stroke. When the piston moves in reverse, the steam supply is shut off and a discharge occurs. The spool is made from a cross for metal-plastic pipes. One of the ends must be sealed with epoxy putty. This end will be attached to the rack through an adapter.

And now the most important detail. It will determine whether the engine will start or not. This is the working piston and spool valve. Here we use an M4 pin (sold in furniture fittings departments; it’s easier to find one long one and saw off the required length), metal washers and felt washers. Felt washers are used for fastening glass and mirrors with other fittings.

Felt is not the best material. It does not provide sufficient tightness, but the resistance to movement is significant. Later we managed to get rid of the felt. Non-standard washers were ideal for this: M4x15 for the piston and M4x8 for the valve. These washers need to be placed as tightly as possible, through plumbing tape, onto a pin and with the same tape wound 2-3 layers from the top. Then thoroughly rub in the cylinder and spool with water. I didn't take a photo of the upgraded piston. Too lazy to take it apart.

This is the actual cylinder. Made from a 1/2" barrel, it is secured inside a 3/4" tee with two coupling nuts. On one side, with maximum sealing, the fitting is tightly attached.

Now the flywheel. The flywheel is made from a dumbbell plate. A stack of washers is inserted into the center hole, and a small cylinder from a roller skate repair kit is placed in the center of the washers. Everything is secured with sealant. A furniture and picture hanger was ideal for the carrier holder. Looks like a keyhole. Everything is assembled in the order shown in the photo. Screw and nut - M8.

We have two flywheels in our design. There must be a strong connection between them. This connection is ensured by a coupling nut. All threaded connections are secured with nail polish.

These two flywheels appear the same, however one will be connected to the piston and the other to the spool valve. Accordingly, the carrier, in the form of an M3 screw, is attached at different distances from the center. For the piston, the carrier is located further from the center, for the valve - closer to the center.

Now we make the valve and piston drive. The furniture connecting plate was ideal for the valve.

The piston uses the window lock escutcheon as a lever. She came up like family. Eternal glory to whoever invented the metric system.

Drives assembled.

Everything is installed on the engine. Threaded connections are secured with varnish. This is the piston drive.

Valve drive. Please note that the positions of the piston carrier and valve differ by 90 degrees. Depending on which direction the valve carrier leads the piston carrier, it will depend on which direction the flywheel will rotate.

Now all that remains is to connect the tubes. These are silicone hoses for aquariums. All hoses must be secured with wire or clamps.

It should be noted that there is no safety valve provided here. Therefore, extreme caution should be taken.

Voila. Fill with water. Let's set it on fire. We are waiting for the water to boil. During heating, the valve must be in the closed position.

The entire assembly process and the result are on video.

STEAM ROTORY ENGINE and STEAM AXIAL PISTON ENGINE

A steam rotary engine (rotary-type steam engine) is a unique power machine, the development of which has not yet received proper development.

On the one hand, various designs of rotary engines existed back in the last third of the 19th century and even worked well, including for driving dynamos for the purpose of generating electrical energy and powering all kinds of objects. But the quality and precision of manufacturing of such steam engines (steam engines) was very primitive, so they had low efficiency and low power. Since then, small steam engines have become a thing of the past, but along with the truly ineffective and unpromising piston steam engines, steam rotary engines with good prospects have also become a thing of the past.

The main reason is that at the level of technology of the late 19th century, it was not possible to make a truly high-quality, powerful and durable rotary engine.
Therefore, of the entire variety of steam engines and steam machines, only steam turbines of enormous power (from 20 MW and above), which today produce about 75% of electricity in our country, have survived safely and actively to this day. High-power steam turbines also provide energy from nuclear reactors in missile-carrying combat submarines and large Arctic icebreakers. But these are all huge machines. Steam turbines dramatically lose all their efficiency as their size decreases.

…. That is why there are no power steam engines and steam engines with a power below 2000 - 1500 kW (2 - 1.5 mW), which would effectively operate on steam obtained from the combustion of cheap solid fuel and various free combustible wastes, in the world.
It is in this empty field of technology today (and an absolutely bare, but commercial niche that is in great need of a product supply), in this market niche of low-power power machines, that steam rotary engines can and should take their very worthy place. And the need for them in our country alone is tens and tens of thousands... Especially small and medium-sized power machines for autonomous power generation and independent power supply are needed by small and medium-sized enterprises in areas remote from large cities and large power plants: - in small sawmills, remote mines, in field camps and forest plots, etc., etc.
…..

..
Let's look at the factors that make rotary steam engines better than their closest relatives - steam engines in the form of reciprocating steam engines and steam turbines.
… — 1) Rotary engines are positive displacement power machines - like piston engines. Those. they have low steam consumption per unit of power, because steam is supplied to their working cavities from time to time, and in strictly dosed portions, and not in a constant, abundant flow, as in steam turbines. That is why steam rotary engines are much more economical than steam turbines per unit of output power.
— 2) Rotary steam engines have a shoulder of application of the acting gas forces (torque shoulder) significantly (several times) greater than piston steam engines. Therefore, the power they develop is much higher than that of steam piston engines.
— 3) Rotary steam engines have a much longer stroke than piston steam engines, i.e. have the ability to convert most of the internal energy of steam into useful work.
— 4) Steam rotary engines can operate effectively on saturated (wet) steam, without difficulty allowing a significant part of the steam to condense into water directly in the working sections of the steam rotary engine. This also increases the efficiency of a steam power plant using a steam rotary engine.
— 5 ) Steam rotary engines operate at speeds of 2-3 thousand revolutions per minute, which is the optimal speed for generating electricity, in contrast to the too low-speed piston engines (200-600 revolutions per minute) of traditional locomotive-type steam engines, or from too high-speed turbines (10-20 thousand revolutions per minute).

At the same time, technologically, steam rotary engines are relatively simple to manufacture, which makes their production costs relatively low. In contrast to steam turbines, which are extremely expensive to produce.

SO, A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THIS ARTICLE — a steam rotary engine is a very effective steam power machine for converting steam pressure from the heat of burning solid fuel and combustible waste into mechanical power and electrical energy.

The author of this site has already received more than 5 patents for inventions on various aspects of the design of steam rotary engines. A number of small rotary engines with power from 3 to 7 kW have also been produced. The design of steam rotary engines with power from 100 to 200 kW is currently underway.
But rotary engines have a “generic drawback” - a complex system of seals, which for small engines turn out to be too complex, miniature and expensive to manufacture.

At the same time, the author of the site is developing steam axial piston engines with opposed - counter-movement of pistons. This arrangement is the most energy-efficient variation of all possible schemes for using a piston system.
These motors in small sizes are somewhat cheaper and simpler than rotary motors and the seals they use are the most traditional and simplest.

Below is a video of a small axial piston boxer engine with counter-piston motion being used.

Currently, such a 30 kW axial piston opposed engine is being manufactured. The engine life is expected to be several hundred thousand operating hours because the speed of a steam engine is 3-4 times lower than the speed of an internal combustion engine, the friction pair “piston-cylinder” is subjected to ion-plasma nitriding in a vacuum environment and the hardness of the friction surfaces is 62-64 units. H.R.C. For details on the process of surface hardening using the nitriding method, see.

Here is an animation of the operating principle of a similar axial piston boxer engine with counter-moving pistons

Steam locomotives or Stanley Steamer automobiles often come to mind when one thinks of “steam engines,” but the use of these mechanisms is not limited to transportation. Steam engines, which were first created in primitive form about two millennia ago, have become the largest sources of electrical power over the past three centuries, and today steam turbines produce about 80 percent of the world's electricity. To further understand the nature of the physical forces on which such a mechanism operates, we recommend that you make your own steam engine from ordinary materials using one of the methods suggested here! To get started, go to Step 1.

Steps

Steam engine made from a tin can (for children)

Cut the bottom of the aluminum can to 6.35 cm. Using tin snips, cut the bottom of the aluminum can straight to about a third of the height.

Bend and press the rim using pliers. To avoid sharp edges, bend the rim of the jar inward. When performing this action, be careful not to injure yourself.

Press down on the bottom of the jar from the inside to make it flat. Most aluminum beverage cans will have a round base that curves inward. Level the bottom by pressing down with your finger or using a small, flat-bottomed glass.

Make two holes in opposite sides of the jar, 1/2 inch from the top. Both a paper hole punch and a nail and hammer are suitable for making holes. You will need holes that are just over three millimeters in diameter.

Place a small tea light in the center of the jar. Crumple up the foil and place it under and around the candle to keep it in place. Such candles usually come in special stands, so the wax should not melt and leak into the aluminum jar.

Wrap the central part of a copper tube 15-20 cm long around a pencil 2 or 3 turns to form a coil. The 3mm diameter tube should bend easily around the pencil. You will need enough curved tubing to extend across the top of the jar, plus an extra 5cm of straight pipe on each side.

Insert the ends of the tubes into the holes in the jar. The center of the coil should be located above the candle wick. It is desirable that the straight sections of the tube on both sides of the can be the same length.

Bend the ends of the pipes using pliers to create a right angle. Bend the straight sections of the tube so that they point in opposite directions from different sides of the can. Then again bend them so that they fall below the base of the jar. When everything is ready, you should get the following: the serpentine part of the tube is located in the center of the jar above the candle and turns into two inclined “nozzles” looking in opposite directions on both sides of the jar.

Place the jar in a bowl of water, allowing the ends of the tube to submerge. Your “boat” must stay securely on the surface. If the ends of the tube are not submerged enough, try to weigh the jar down a little, but be careful not to drown it.

Fill the tube with water. The easiest way is to dip one end into the water and pull from the other end like through a straw. You can also use your finger to block one outlet from the tube and place the other under running water from the tap.

Light a candle. After a while, the water in the tube will heat up and boil. As it turns to steam, it will come out through the "nozzles", causing the entire can to spin around in the bowl.

Paint Can Steam Engine (Adults)

Cut a rectangular hole near the base of a 4-quart paint can. Make a horizontal 15cm x 5cm rectangular hole in the side of the jar near the base.
- You need to make sure that this can (and the other one you are using) only contained latex paint, and wash it thoroughly with soapy water before use.
Cut a strip of wire mesh 12 x 24 cm. Bend 6 cm along each edge at an angle of 90 o. You will end up with a 12 x 12 cm square “platform” with two 6 cm “legs”. Place it in the jar with the “legs” down, aligning it with the edges of the cut hole.

Make a semicircle of holes around the perimeter of the lid. You will subsequently burn coal in the can to provide heat to the steam engine. If there is a lack of oxygen, coal will burn poorly. To ensure proper ventilation in the jar, drill or punch several holes in the lid that form a semicircle along the edges.
- Ideally, the diameter of the ventilation holes should be about 1 cm.
Make a coil from copper tubing. Take about 6 m of soft copper tube with a diameter of 6 mm and measure 30 cm from one end. Starting from this point, make five turns with a diameter of 12 cm. Bend the remaining length of the pipe into 15 turns with a diameter of 8 cm. You should have about 20 cm left .

Pass both ends of the coil through the vent holes in the lid. Bend both ends of the coil so that they point up and pass both through one of the holes in the lid. If the pipe is not long enough, you will need to slightly bend one of the turns.

Place the coil and charcoal in the jar. Place the coil on the mesh platform. Fill the space around and inside the coil with charcoal. Close the lid tightly.

Drill holes for the tube in a smaller jar. Drill a hole with a diameter of 1 cm in the center of the lid of a liter jar. On the side of the jar, drill two holes with a diameter of 1 cm - one near the base of the jar, and the second above it near the lid.

Insert the sealed plastic tube into the side holes of the smaller jar. Using the ends of a copper tube, make holes in the center of the two plugs. Insert a hard plastic tube 25 cm long into one plug, and the same tube 10 cm long into the other plug. They should sit tightly in the plugs and look out a little. Insert the stopper with the longer tube into the bottom hole of the smaller jar and the stopper with the shorter tube into the top hole. Secure the tubes in each plug using clamps.

Connect the tube from the larger jar to the tube from the smaller jar. Place the smaller can over the larger one, with the tube and stopper pointing away from the larger can's vent holes. Using metal tape, secure the tube from the bottom plug to the tube coming out of the bottom of the copper coil. Then similarly secure the tube from the top plug with the tube coming out of the top of the coil.

Insert the copper tube into the junction box. Using a hammer and screwdriver, remove the center portion of the round metal electrical box. Secure the electrical cable clamp with the locking ring. Insert 15 cm of 1.3 cm diameter copper tubing into the cable clamp so that the tube extends a few centimeters below the hole in the box. Bend the edges of this end inward using a hammer. Insert this end of the tube into the hole in the lid of the smaller jar.

Insert the skewer into the dowel. Take a regular wooden barbecue skewer and insert it into one end of a hollow wooden dowel that is 1.5 cm long and 0.95 cm in diameter. Insert the dowel and skewer into the copper tube inside the metal junction box with the skewer facing up.
- While our motor is running, the skewer and dowel will act as a "piston". To make the movements of the piston better visible, you can attach a small paper “flag” to it.
Prepare the engine for operation. Remove the junction box from the smaller top jar and fill the top jar with water, allowing it to pour into the copper coil until the jar is 2/3 full of water. Check for leaks at all connections. Secure the lids of the jars tightly by tapping them with a hammer. Reinstall the junction box in place above the smaller top can.
Start the engine! Crumple up pieces of newspaper and place them in the space under the screen at the bottom of the engine. Once the charcoal is lit, let it burn for about 20-30 minutes. As the water in the coil heats up, steam will begin to accumulate in the top jar. When the steam reaches enough pressure, it will push the dowel and skewer to the top. After the pressure is released, the piston will move downwards under the influence of gravity. If necessary, cut off part of the skewer to reduce the weight of the piston - the lighter it is, the more often it will “float”. Try to make a skewer of such weight that the piston “moves” at a constant pace.
- You can speed up the combustion process by increasing the air flow into the vents with a hairdryer.
Stay safe. We believe it goes without saying that care must be taken when working and handling a homemade steam engine. Never run it indoors. Never run it near flammable materials such as dry leaves or overhanging tree branches. Only use the engine on a solid, non-flammable surface such as concrete. If you work with children or teenagers, they should not be left unattended. Children and teenagers are prohibited from approaching the engine when charcoal is burning in it. If you don't know the temperature of the engine, assume it is too hot to touch.
- Make sure that steam can escape from the top "boiler". If for any reason the plunger gets stuck, pressure can build up inside the smaller can. In the worst case scenario, the bank could explode, which Very dangerous.

Place the steam engine in a plastic boat, dipping both ends into the water to create a steam toy. You can cut a simple boat shape out of a plastic soda or bleach bottle to make your toy more eco-friendly.

Warnings

To handle a running engine, use tongs, pliers or a potholder.
Don't try to make a more complex steam engine with a boiler if you have never made one before. An explosion of even a small boiler can cause serious injury.
If you need to handle a running engine, do not point the ends of the tubes at people, as hot steam or water can scald your skin.
Do not plug the ends of the copper tube by any means other than immersion in water. It is unlikely, however, that excess pressure may occur and cause the tube to rupture.