Any tinkerers?

I've been thinking long and hard about trying to build a steam engine using modern technology. After researching Abner Doble and what he and his brothers accomplished before going broke, I don't see why the same basic principles aren't worth pursuing today. I'm thinking a small steam engine, possibly variable displacement, using a cheap and plentiful fuel(kerosene)with computer controlled (megasquirt?) combustion. If in 1930 they were able to go 1500 miles on 24 gallons of water @15 mpg of kerosene and accelerate to 75mph in about 10 seconds, weighing 5000 pounds, I should be able to create a vehicle that could deliver at least 70 non polluting mpg utilizing modern technology and construction materials. Yes/No? ideas welcome.

What are you going to use to heat the water?

Steam engine / Electric Hybrid?

Never dealt with these folks, but they will sell you the castings for your choice of engines (from 4HP single cylinder to 200HP V4s) and you have the parts machined to spec and assemble.

They also sell boiler plans or will build you one.

Not cheap, but very interesting. I though I was the only one crazy enough to be thinking about steam engines. http://www.pioneertelephonecoop.com/~carlich/RSE/RSEhome.html

grtechguy wrote: What are you going to use to heat the water?

Uranium would work nicely...

Throttle response is going to be a problem.

Beware the boiler explosion.

Use a CVT and throttle response won't be a problem. Or go regenerative steam over electric.

I bought an eBook on eBay on hobby sized steam turbines. It came with a free eBook on DIY boilers. Both were only like five bucks or so, and are reprints (scans, really) of very old books. You might look for them.

Steam over electric is probably simpler that the CVT and should work pretty well.

As far as tinkering I've been thinking about building a small crane to help with some of the bizarre lifting and winching projects the previous owner left around my property

How hard would it be (relatively speaking) to modify a torque converter into a steam turbine? You could use it to drive a generator or the transmission.

Tommy Suddard wrote: How hard would it be (relatively speaking) to modify a torque converter into a steam turbine? You could use it to drive a generator or the transmission.

Quite hard actually. A steam turbine must pass the steam through. A torque converter basically hold the fluid within itself.

Ah. You learn something new every day.

I'd think it would be easier to use parts from a regular car turbo to make a steam turbine...you already have some centrifugal compressors right there...

I've thought about the automotive turbo thing. I think this will work:

Take a couple of turbine sections and hook them together with a stationary flow reverser inbetween to direct the output from the first section into the second, as is done in true milti-stage steam turbines. Block off the input side and mount jets at a tangental angle. Final exhaust side goes to your condensor. Shaft has a small gear on it turning a larger gear that your generator is hooked to for gear reduction. Now, I think do that with freon instead of steam and that's the future of DIY power systems.

Dr. Hess wrote: I've thought about the automotive turbo thing. I think this will work: Take a couple of turbine sections and hook them together with a stationary flow reverser inbetween to direct the output from the first section into the second, as is done in true milti-stage steam turbines. Block off the input side and mount jets at a tangental angle. Final exhaust side goes to your condensor. Shaft has a small gear on it turning a larger gear that your generator is hooked to for gear reduction. Now, I think do that with freon instead of steam and that's the future of DIY power systems.

http://www.holset.co.uk/mainsite/files/2_5_1_3-turbocompound%20system.php

check out the turbocompound. The gear coming off the end of the HP841 radial power turbine would probably work for you.

Yeah, like that. No compressor needed, just the gear on the shaft to do something with. It still needs to be multi-stage to get better thermodynamic efficiency.

You'd think that someone would take a measly million dollars and design, build and sell a system that could make the United States energy independant in a year. Nope. Not gonna happen.

With boiler technology and ceramics what they are, I think I can keep the heat plant fairly small and safe.Original thoughts included a steam turbine utilizing slotted discs instead of fins, connected to some sort of alternator to power an electric motor, but I think I'll just stick to a steam powered car for starters. Doble was able to produce excellent durability and reliability, with no transmission. Even was able to get rolling in 30 seconds after initial fire-up. I should be able to better that, with modern lightweight materials even if I utilize the 70 year old technology.