Homemade Steam Engine

Steam engine, powered by woodstove, designed to generate electricity for grid.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• steam engine
• homemade steam engine
• home power generation
• power from steam
• live steam engine
• electricity from wood
• Walschaerts
• home steam power
• electricity from woodstove
• wood electricity
• Longhill Wood-Electric

[prismalightstudio]

Yes you were correct on all counts concerning my home made 'right off the side of a narrow gage locomotive', 4hp steam engine. I designed it in Solidworks and acquired a cnc mill and software to make parts directly from the model. I have a home made 6BHP boiler, tastefully hooked up to my wood stove with closed loop condenser and electronic feed water injection.

[prismalightstudio]

At present I'm still fine tuning feed water control for 200psig, but the boiler that condenses through an 87,000btu hydronic steam radiator extracts around twice the btu's that the stove used to produce without the boiler. When connected, the engine will run one grid synced polyphase alternator, and one 12 volt alternator to power the feed water injection system which is also backed up by a 100W solar collector. I'll let you know when it's all working in unison.

[prismalightstudio]

I have the same list of interests that you have, only I have been working at it some 30 years longer. I am a mechanical engineer with a nuclear power plant option. I used to fire steam locomotives for a tourist railroad in my early days. I am an old time bar musician and have played professionally from 1974 to 1989 playing everything from country&western swing and bluegrass to traditional Celtic/Irish jigs, waltz's and reels.

[prismalightstudio]

I currently work as an instrument designer for neutron scattering experiments connected to the particle accelerator at Los Alamos National Laboratory, though my passion/hobby is developing good ways to convert heat energy into electricity. (I really took to thermodynamics in school - obviously I'm partial to steam in that pursuit.)

[prismalightstudio]

I loved your Schaghticoke fair video and commentary, and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised to find someone your age carrying on with passions that I though might soon be lost to the passing of generations.

[prismalightstudio]

Be not weary in well doing, your interests lay in a field that is important as well as fun, exciting and historically blissful.

[LeonRFpoa]

If you have this thing rigged up to a generator I would LOVE to see this guy in action. I wish I had that kind of technical expertise.

[2ndJett]

very very cool - good job. I'd love for you to pist the email body here for all to read. Interesting and brililant.