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Steam related discussions.
Re: Simple article advocating for steam tech. - 2 months ago
I wouldn't be here if I didn't love steam. I'm also active on some two stroke forums for the same reasons. I'm just looking at where the new efforts by large organizations is going. My first job after graduation at the height of the cold war was at the above mentioned company. Today, almost half of the best engineering graduates want to work for Tesla or Space X. Of the 20 companies on the lisby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Simple article advocating for steam tech. - 2 months ago
At this point, even steam central power stations are loosing their ability to compete with other central power sources. I would love to reserect a steam powered model boat to set some speed records. A steam land speed record would be a great project for someone with enough money and other resources. Steam powered vehicles can't compete in today's world, though. A steam power plant is too complby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Simple article advocating for steam tech. - 2 months ago
Steam is obsolete for a lot of reasons in vehicle power plants with one major exception. I once worked for this very modern steam boat company. Lohring Miller https://www.gdeb.com/by lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Simple article advocating for steam tech. - 2 months ago
Someone doesn't buy this BS. https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/tesla-trounced-toyota-californias-two-best-selling-cars-2022 Have you actually driven any vehicle with an advanced driver assistance system? I have used the constantly improving Autopilot for over 4 years and 80,000 miles. Tesla's FSD beta is amazing. Their Autopilot alone is much more capable than the Mercedes "level 3by lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Simple article advocating for steam tech. - 2 months ago
Key Electric Car Fire Statistics Electric-powered vehicles have the least risk of catching fire according to data from NTSB. Hybrid-powered vehicles are at the highest risk of catching fire. An estimated 215,000 vehicles will catch fire in 2020. Battery-electric vehicles are only .03% likely to ignite, compared to 1.5% for gas-powered vehicles and 3.4% for hybrid vehicles.by lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Simple article advocating for steam tech. - 2 months ago
I disagree that the government won't permit innovation. The problem is lack of management forward thinking in legacy automobile companies. Tesla developed a completely different type of car and is the first new car company to succeed in a very long time. Legacy companies are struggling to change over. We'll see how long it takes to completely rethink how a car is designed and produced. Teslaby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Some stupid questions... - 3 months ago
I think you misunderstood the first question. A FOUR CYLINDER, TRIPLE EXPANSION engine limits the low pressure cylinder to a reasonable diameter with two cylinders of half the displacement. It also allows better balance than in a three cylinder engine at the expense of a longer engine. Lohring Millerby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Flash Steam hydroplane - 11 months ago
That power plant might have been built by Paul Windross (windy). He is a flash steam tether boat record holder and has been working on a full size version that ran at Coniston Speed Week in 2016. See post #75 at https://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/threads/high-speed-steam-engine.21285/page-4 There are some other references as well, but I haven't heard from Paul for the last few years. Lby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Full Steam Proposal for Auto Mfrs - 1 year ago
All I can say is you need to actually drive an advanced electric car. I've been an IC enthusiast since high school. One of my favorite sounds is the twin big block Chevys in Dry Martini. However, the handwriting is on the wall for IC cars just as it was for steam in the early 20th century. Collectors will bring out their old IC cars for events and parades just as steam enthusiasts do today.by lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Presented Without Comment - 2 years ago
On that topic, I remember a navy inspector explaining to a worker on a nuclear submarine that he needed to replace a large number of stainless steel washers on a flange with nickel copper ones. The worker wasn't happy. Lohring Millerby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: General Electric steamers - 2 years ago
GE did some more recent work on steam engines. See https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyNET.exe/91011WKF.TXT?ZyActionD=ZyDocument&Client=EPA&Index=Prior+to+1976&Docs=&Query=&Time=&EndTime=&SearchMethod=1&TocRestrict=n&Toc=&TocEntry=&QField=&QFieldYear=&QFieldMonth=&QFieldDay=&IntQFieldOp=0&ExtQFieldOp=0&XmlQuery=&File=D%3A%5Czyfiles%5by lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Feasability study - dimensioning of engine parts - 2 years ago
I took data from the GE steam engine study. They found an over 300 psi BMEP at 1000 degrees F and 1000 PSI inlet pressure. That would give somewhere between 10 and 12 hp at 10000 rpm. My design information comes from the series of posts below. Lohring Miller https://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/threads/high-speed-steam-engine.21285/by lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Feasability study - dimensioning of engine parts - 2 years ago
I started to build an engine based on the 23 to 26 cc Zenoah engines I am familiar with. Their crankshafts and bearings have been used in engines that develop 10 hp and can turn 25,000 rpm. Peak power is around 18,000 rpm. I was planning around 1,000 psi steam. Lohring Millerby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Limits of p/T for steam engines - 2 years ago
There is a great series of articles on the flash steam hydros. Unfortunately, the copies I have are too large for this forum. Lohring Millerby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Self - Regulating Feed Pump - 2 years ago
I understand that. I was just wondering about the actual plumbing in a monotube. It seems to me that the "boiler" in this case is a long tube. Therefore, the connection needs to be along the tube where you want the water steam interface. Lohring Millerby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Limits of p/T for steam engines - 2 years ago
Tether hydros run temperatures and pressures even higher those mentioned. Of course their time between overhaul is measured in minutes, not hours. They run cast iron pistons with Dykes rings in a steel liner. See below. Lohring Millerby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Self - Regulating Feed Pump - 2 years ago
So does your pump's boiler feed and return tap into the monotube at a point where you want to maintain the water level? Lohring Millerby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Full Steam Proposal for Auto Mfrs - 2 years ago
Fine, then I own a 450 hp, 4 wheel drive, very high performance American made sedan that will out accelerate to 60 mph all non Tesla production American made cars with the exception of the Dodge Hellcat. The car it replaced was a real car. It was a Subaru BRZ front engine, rear wheel drive, with a 6 speed manual transmission. It was fun as well. Lohring Millerby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Full Steam Proposal for Auto Mfrs - 2 years ago
"A lot of people have bought the Elon Kool-Aid. Tesla consistently announces vehicle launch dates and then overshoots --- drastically. Far from being a manufacturing marvel, it's a bit of a joke in the industry. No other car company would get away with that, but he's running a cult and his followers loudly denounce anyone who points this out. The fact that he came out last on the J.D. Powersby lohring - SteamStuff
Steam Jet Drag Bike - 2 years ago
An interesting steam vehicle that uses stored steam. https://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/threads/melbourne-raceway-steam-jet-motorcycle.32404/ Lohring Millerby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Economics of advanced condensing steam locomotive - 2 years ago
With modern electronics I think hybrid diesel electric power plants with battery storage will be more efficient. Apparently, so does GE Locomotive, though I don't know if they actually are going into production with the changes in ownership. https://web.archive.org/web/20100926155450/http://www.railjournal.com/newsflash/ge-hybrid-locomotive-ready-for-the-market-in-2014-15.html Lohring Millerby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Economics of advanced condensing steam locomotive - 2 years ago
The engines are already electric. The question is where is the electricity coming from. Currently the engines have diesel electric generators on board. Modern railroads are often electrified with overhead wires. I believe fuel cells might be a future option but so far big diesels are less expensive. Battery storage is limited to automobiles or smaller power plants, but we'll see how Tesla's bby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Electric batch boiler - 2 years ago
Rick, I love it. I keep looking at things like steam bicycles and motorcycles as fun projects. I'm only talking about large scale commercial reality. Steam is a challenge, especially if you want to build a compact power plant. I've been working on a steam powered model boat for years. I once held several radio controlled model boat speed records and would love to get the steam powered RC boatby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Electric batch boiler - 2 years ago
Really? Why is Tesla building 2 new factories? Why do they have rising sales when all other manufacturers have falling sales? Nostalga is also reminiscing with a childhood friend about the annual birthday gifts his father, a Pontiac dealer, gave him. Those GTOs don't hold a candle to a Tesla Model 3 in acceleration, handling, or cost of operation. I run both IC and steam power in models. It'by lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Electric batch boiler - 2 years ago
Last time I checked, electricity was universally available. A plug in is pretty easy to find everywhere. Naturally a 115 volt charge will take some time, but try to find gasoline more easily. I mostly charge at home, but haven't found a lack of high current Superchargers on any long trips on major routes. I can't imagine transferring steam routinely, but who would have thought that transferrinby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Electric batch boiler - 2 years ago
I know this is a steam forum, But as the owner of an electric car with over 30,000 miles on it, I don't see a future for IC powered cars, much less steam powered ones. The major car companies seem to agree since that's where their R&D money is going. Investors also have voted with dollars. IC engines replaced steam in the last century because the complexity of steam power made them moreby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Seeking advice regarding turbocharging monotube boiler. - 3 years ago
Are you using these seal rings? If so which ones; the plain PTFE or the bronze filled PTFE? Lohring Millerby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Compact rotary steam engine for an automobile - 3 years ago
Cyclone was the latest version of this concept. It's very unlikely that small steam power plants will be able to compete with other systems today. Battery/electric power plants have all the torque advantages of steam at a higher efficiency than IC power plants. Steam hasn't been able to compete with IC engines for a very long time. Lohring Millerby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Modern Steam - Formula S Racecar - 3 years ago
A picture and drawing drawing of Chuk's engine derived from a Force outboard with a custom cylinder head: Lohring Millerby lohring - SteamStuff
Re: Modern Steam - Formula S Racecar - 3 years ago
More pictures of Chuk's burner: Lohring Millerby lohring - SteamStuff