Recent content by Inventus

Sounds good so far Fred, thanks for your input. I'm sure there are gear-pumps available, capable of handling far more corrosive fluids than steam, so I don't think this will be a major issue. Also, since the engine will be recirculating the water (and hopefully with a minimal loss), it should...

Comments & Clarifications Hi Danger, Thanks for the welcome and your comments about my gear-pump idea. Very nice forum this one, and I'm glad to hear that my posts were of interest. I too had a small steam-engine when I was a boy, and with the same kind of sliding valve you describe...

Hi, I'm looking into making a simple steam-engine. For that purpose I need a Diesel burner which should be as efficient as possible, both with regard to oil-consumption and pollution, which I guess is to say that it should provide as complete and stoichiometric a combustion of the oil as...

Regarding the original post: Instead of making a gigantic "wind sock" in a mountain pass, have you considered this: Make a gigantic wind-turbine, then lift it into the jet-stream in the stratosphere (or wherever it is the jet-stream occurs?) where the wind always blows in the same...

Hi, I'm looking into the possibility of making a small steam-engine, with focus on simplicity and low water-loss. Since I need high torque at low rpm, I don't think a turbine would be ideal, but would instead prefer something operating on the principle of "positive displacement", only the...

You should check the thermostatic valve, which is typically placed somewhere in the coolant-loop (either near the radiator or near the engine block - See your workshop manual for the specific location). These are typically mechanical units, and thus may vary in calibration. Thus, if you have a...

Hi, I've seen a working prototype of a "spherical electric motor" (on some university website I think, but I forget the URL), so it can be done. However, it wasn't the simplest of constructions. As far as I remember, the concept was to use permanent magnets for the rotor, mounted on the...

Hi, Without being an expert, I just want to mention this: As mentioned previously, the reason for all those fins on a car radiator is the low thermal conductivity of air, which then requires a much greater surface area to transfer the same amount of heat as the water does inside the pipes...

Hi (again), Just a few clarifications to my previous post: In 1. I am obviously talking about the idea of evaporating the water, without the use of a pump. However, In 3. I am of course assuming a system where you use a steam engine to drive a pump, which I kind of forgot to mention. Likewise...

Some comments & suggestions Hi Bernie, I don't know if this thread is still active, but just in case here's my 5 cents worth: 1. The idea of evaporating the water seems like a good way to overcome the huge head (as much as 900 feet I gather). As mentioned condensation might be a problem...