3 Cilinder Vacuum Engine

This fourth engine is the first of my own design.
Dimensions used are scaled from a video i spotted of a simular single cilinder engine.
The aluminium burner takes 2cc of alcohol (96%), to ensure a hot and pure flame.
This engine runs on a vacuum formed by the cooling air inside a closed cilinder. The flame is sucked in on the downwards stroke, powered by the flywheel.
The vacuum valve on the cilinder head closes and the hot air cools against the cilinder inner surface. This causes a vacuum and the atmospheric pressure will now push the piston in the upward stroke.
The vacuum valve opens to let in the next flame and the cycle repeats.
To ensure enough inerta of the flywheel, a large diameter was needed, resulting in the rest of the engine's measurements.
This engine will run for about 4 minutes, after this time the cilinder gets so hot that the efficiency of forming the vacuum is lost.
After cooling down, a brief clean of the vacuum valves and cilinder/piston is required because a trace of contamination is formed by the flame.

Be sure to check out the amazing animation video made by Ben Sittner; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPIMVDvQvPQ , thank you very much Ben!

music: Johnny Cash, The ring of fire

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• three
• cilinder
• vacuum
• engine
• motor
• flame
• fire
• eater
• licker
• sucker
• flammenfresser
• vacuummotor
• model
• burner
• lathe
• mill

[AnotherGlenn]

The cylinders get too hot after 4 minutes? What if you create a flywheel that will cool the cylinders without disturbing the flame?

[JeroenJonkman]

@AnotherGlenn I think that would help, cooling from below is a good way to go. However, the fuel tanks are also almost drained after this time, so I would have to enlage those too. For a demonstration of the engine 4 minutes is sufficient and since it has no other purpose then that, i'll leave it as it is. Thanks for your keen idea on the flywheel!

[acharad]

Is it available to use graphite pistons or "piston sleeves" to make it quieter /reduce frictions ?

[JeroenJonkman]

I have never used these pistons before, so I would not know about reducing friction this way. The noise comes from the valverollers rocking on the cam and the sucking/blowing of the flame.

[xconrad455]

what about lubrication?

[JeroenJonkman]

no lubrication required, in fact, this wil stop the engine directly, because the hot flame will burn any oil. After running, the engine is cleaned with WD40 and rubbed dry with a paper towel.

[maqsoodu23]

so freaking cool!!!  *clapping*

[unambitious]

So awesome. Very steam punk.

[auburnfan817]

Beautiful.

[ricktbdgc]

Couple suggestions... lower the flames so it is sucking in the tips where its hottest, put a shrod to separate the outer flame area from the inner cooling area, and attach a large diameter lightweight fan blade to the drive shaft to increase cooling on the cylinders. Also enlarge the cooling fins on each cylinder, and make the cylinders out of aluminum. Also try creating fins on the inside of the chambers to increase heat transfer to the cooling fins. Oh yeah make a 6 cyclinder engine too

[LolzMan7756]

best song evar

[SwiftFoxSteamCo]

Nice to see a radial version of this type of engine, well done for achieving it!!

[16mmDJ]

Johnny Cash FTW

Stirling vacuum engines as well

[1960markN]

Amazing--I love it! The very first thing I thought of when I saw it start was: "How can that thing be hot-rodded? How to get more power?" It's kind of a sickness I guess, lol. It looks like a few other posters were thinking along the same lines. what about cooling the cylinders with a water mist or water jacket?