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Fire breathing engine
tegwin - 12/12/11 at 05:11 PM

Figured I would share this with you guys seeings as I asked a few questions along the way... Its a "fire eating" engine. Plans adapted from Jan Ridders origional. Re-drawn in solidworks with some alterations so I could actually make all the bits with my limited skills...

Has been built as a Christmas present for my old man. Hope he likes it :-)

Cylinder is Aluminium. Piston and valve are graphite. Silver steel crankshaft, the rest is brass/copper :-)


Exploded view:


Rendered model:




All parts ready for assembly:


Finished :-)



big-vee-twin - 12/12/11 at 05:34 PM

That looks fantastic, Sterling Engine isn't it?

They have started using the Sterling engine inside boilers to use the exhaust gas to drive a small 1kw alternator, so when the boiler is on you get some free electricity which can recieve feed in tariff

r1_pete - 12/12/11 at 05:45 PM

That is superb, well done, I'm sure he'll love it, something of yourself in that gift, worth much more than anything money can buy.

Liam - 12/12/11 at 05:48 PM

Those last two renderings are really good - what package is that?

snakebelly - 12/12/11 at 06:06 PM

video of it running?

T66 - 12/12/11 at 06:29 PM

"I want a lathe now Santa, and one of them "




Very nice !!

designer - 12/12/11 at 06:34 PM

Good work.

David Jenkins - 12/12/11 at 07:26 PM

quote:
Originally posted by big-vee-twin
That looks fantastic, Sterling Engine isn't it?


No - not a Stirling engine - this one draws in very hot air from the flame on the intake stroke, then closes the valve (or the cylinder goes over the port). The gas then cools and the pressure drops, pulling the piston back until the port opens and more hot air can be drawn in. They are great fun to watch, and they make a good noise!

(A very rough description... )

The Stirling engine moves gas inside a closed system, between a hot cylinder and a cold one - it expands in the hot one and contracts in the cold one, pushing a piston in the process.

[Edited on 12/12/11 by David Jenkins]

jossey - 12/12/11 at 08:13 PM

can i order one please :O)

AdrianH - 12/12/11 at 08:16 PM

Flame licker or vacuum engine's search youtube and see more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5zIluPOkoU&feature=related.

Wish I had your patience tegwin


Adrian

[Edited on 12-12-11 by AdrianH]

MikeRJ - 12/12/11 at 09:11 PM

I presume the upper piston is used as the inlet valve, covering and uncovering the inlet port? What actually operates this valve? I can see the pushrod that goes through the cylinder, but nothing seems to be attached to it.

Edit: Ahh, think I understand, the main piston actually closes and opens the valve at the end of it's strokes?

[Edited on 12/12/11 by MikeRJ]

tegwin - 12/12/11 at 09:49 PM

As the piston gets to the bottom of its stroke it pulls the pushrod closing the valve..... as it then moves towards the top of the stroke the brass piston centres touch and the valve is pushed open. (In the exploded view, the piston on the right should be connected to the con-rod....thats the power piston, the one on the left is the valve)

I cant get the damn thing to run though. I have compression, it spins over niceley with out sticking. My thoughts are that the Methylated spirit is not giving enough heat. Need to try some alchohol instead. (If I can find some!)

The renderings are done in solidworks "photoview". Its their proprietry render engine, works reasonably well!


Want to try and make something a bit less finiky next.... a 2 stroke diesel type thing (AKA glow engine) or a prper steam engine would be fun!

[Edited on 12/12/11 by tegwin]

David Jenkins - 12/12/11 at 10:28 PM

quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
Want to try and make something a bit less finiky next.... a 2 stroke diesel type thing (AKA glow engine) or a prper steam engine would be fun!


What - like mine?



(5" gauge, weighs about 100lb)

Chippy - 12/12/11 at 10:35 PM

quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
I cant get the damn thing to run though. I have compression, it spins over niceley with out sticking. My thoughts are that the Methylated spirit is not giving enough heat. Need to try some alchohol instead. (If I can find some!)
[Edited on 12/12/11 by tegwin]

Just an observation having looked at a few on Youtube, it seems to me that the flame/wick on yours is too high so the heat is not being concentrated near the inlet. As said just looks that way to me. HTH Ray
Edit to add its still a bloody masterpiece though,

[Edited on 12-12-11 by Chippy]

tegwin - 12/12/11 at 11:13 PM

quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
Want to try and make something a bit less finiky next.... a 2 stroke diesel type thing (AKA glow engine) or a prper steam engine would be fun!


What - like mine?



(5" gauge, weighs about 100lb)


Thats pretty cool! Did you build it from plans? Would love to build a scale traction engine.... I dont think I have the patience for that though!

David Jenkins - 13/12/11 at 08:09 AM

Yes, from plans (the design is called "Sweet Pea" ) but with a few modifications. I also made a water tender that gets pulled behind it, making it even bigger and heavier!

I've pulled 2 carriages carrying 10 or more over-weight adults (including me!) behind that thing - the power of steam is amazing... Mind you - the engine did bark a bit, and threw out a fair bit of steam, smoke and cinders!

[Edited on 13/12/11 by David Jenkins]

tegwin - 13/12/11 at 09:06 AM

Very cool! Any suggestions of reputable sources of good quality plans?

Do you have to get the boiler inspected as you would with a full size one?

40inches - 13/12/11 at 09:13 AM

Nice video here He talks about the flame "sweet spot"
Love this comment "how do you build engines like these? do you have a special machine that cuts the metal for you?"
On this one he has a flame position adjuster.
How about a V4

[Edited on 13-12-11 by 40inches]

David Jenkins - 13/12/11 at 10:52 AM

quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
Very cool! Any suggestions of reputable sources of good quality plans?

Do you have to get the boiler inspected as you would with a full size one?


The drawings can be found in this book.

When I ran it regularly I was a member of the local model engineering club, who tested the copper boiler for insurance purposes every 2 years (every 1 year for steel boilers).