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Thank you for the prompt reply, Rolly!! So the two nozzles sit side-by-side in the end of the air tube, and you manually regulate the volume of combustion air? What happens during the changeover, if anything?
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Burt
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SteamStuff
Hello Rolly:
I was intrigued by your mention of a two-stage burner for your Derr Boiler. I had been noodling the possibility of two burners for mine, and arranging to operate them similarly to a 3-way light bulb: 1, 2, and 1+2, depending on the steam demand. Having a two-stage burner in a single unit would, I think be a better way to go. How did you accomplish this?
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Burt
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SteamStuff
Hi Rolly, and Happy 2021!
Your comments regarding the bending shops got my attention. Are there any you might recommend? Local to So Cal would be terrific, but by no means necessary, and in the scheme of things the shipping costs are trivial.
The design criteria I had in mind for the boiler were maximum SF heating area that would be more or less the size of a 30 hp Stanley boiler. I thou
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Burt
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SteamStuff
Hi Chuk:
Several shops have already told us they cannot (or don't want to) do what we're asking. We have gotten one quote. Looking for more.
bending 3/4" pipe is clearly out of my league!
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Burt
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SteamStuff
Dear Rick:
Here are some corrections and comments:
"I'm not sure about this current design and would like to give it some deep thought. Let me test understanding in terms that I work with:
- Center Drum Diameter is 10"
- Center Drum Height is 18"
- Coil tube diameter is 3/4"
- Generating Coil diameter is 7" on the OD
- Generating Coil height is also 18"
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Burt
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SteamStuff
Thank you, Rick, for the information. I too will need to digest all this and read thru the thread again. In answer to your question about a burner capable of 500k BTU, Beckett does indeed make one that runs on 12-24v and puts out up to 770k BTU: https://www.beckettcorp.com/product/sdc-oil-burner/
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Burt
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SteamStuff
It's an interesting, informative article! Thank you.
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Burt
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SteamStuff
Locomotives of that era usually had three safety valves--one set at a pound or two above nominal boiler pressure, another one set 2 psi over that, and a third set 4 psi over the first. I can only imagine the din if all three are going. So, it's unlikely that a locomotive boiler would blow because of simple overpressure. It's almost like the front tube sheet failed.
As locomotives grew in
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Burt
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SteamStuff
Hello Rick:
My apologies for such a tardy reply.
I had some conversations with Ron Rogers regarding his Ofeldt style boiler, and playing around with dimensions to get the maximum square footage in the available space I came up with a unit that uses 10" pipe for the central core and 16 coils, 18" high (or therebouts) of 3/4" steel pipe with a 7" OD on the coils. 8 left ha
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Burt
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SteamStuff
Looking at the picture a bit more closely it appears that much of what was vomited out of the boiler was the superheater, where you see the looped tube ends. It doesn't appear that any of the barrel courses of the boiler let go, but I suppose a tube sheet could have, which could have explained the forward pressure discharge. When a crown sheet blows, the boiler is usually catapulted end over end
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Burt
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SteamStuff
In most of the pictures that I've seen of locomotive boiler explosions, it's the crown sheet that fails--but not always--and the bulk of the energy is directed downward thru the firebox and out thru the grate. Interesting that this one blew the smoke box off, and that the boiler stayed on the frame.
There are records of boilers breaking free of the frames and going as much as a half mile. A S
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Burt
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SteamStuff
I've decided on an Ofeldt boiler, which will have about 65 SF of heating surface in the coils. Right now the car is in an upholstery shop getting its interior. I had a discussion today with a shop that does custom brake installations, to get four-wheel hydraulic brakes.
As soon as I get some CAD drawings of the boiler coils there's a shop not far from here that specializes in coiling pipe and
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Burt
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SteamStuff
I should mention that I'm installing a modern 7 row staggered tube copper core in my condenser. It should be capable of much better performance than the original. (fingers crossed).
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Burt
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SteamStuff
I would be very happy if it were able to maintain 50-55 mph on reasonably level terrain. Higher speed surface streets, and of course freeways are a way of life here. That speed would be well above minimums and the car wouldn't be an undue hazard to other traffic.
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Burt
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SteamStuff
Good information. Thank you, Keith.
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Burt
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SteamStuff
Recently I acquired a 1922 Stanley 740, sans boiler. Since this provides me with what is essentially a blank slate, I'm interested to hear about their experiences with non-OEM boiler designs from other car owners, particularly Stanley owners. I'm not convinced that the fire-tube Stanley or Stanley-like boiler is the way to go.
I live in urban Southern California where driving the car will req
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Burt
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SteamStuff
Thank you, Rick. The for sale ad that got my interest is for a condensing Stanley that is located in Tennessee. Some assembly required. What concerns me, thus the reason to have someone competent to give a second opinion and some education, is what's going to need to be acquired and/or made. Fabricating parts doesn't scare me; I just want a clearer sense of what I'd be getting into before writi
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Burt
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SteamStuff
Thank you. I'd expect, living in California, that something will be required if/when I get a vehicle ready to roll. I was more interested to find out if there are people I could hire to go and inspect prospective vehicles and provide a second and hopefully unbiased opinion. In my previous life, recently completed, I owned, restored, and operated vintage railroad passenger cars. Prospective buy
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Burt
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SteamStuff
I am a novice here, interested in purchasing a steam auto. The car I would purchase will become a 'driver' rather than a concours car. I know enough to know that I don't know nearly enough. So, my question is: who might I contact to perform on-site inspections of cars being considered for purchase?
Burt Hermey
Costa Mesa, CA
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Burt
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SteamStuff
