Steam Group

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Comment by john wayne blount on October 28, 2009 at 10:15am

Steam is great, but isn't an operators license required for anything over 14 lb sq in (atmospheric) pressure? It can be dangerous. You wouldn't want to be standing beside a high pressure line if a flange gave out.
But asides from all that, it is so much smoother than internal combustion cause any changes in load are absorbed by gas pressures. I grew up in the Texas oilpatch when my dad was running steam rigs. He cried when they switched to diesels.
There are probably lots of smaller steam turbines suitable for stationary power plants around any kind of naval salvage.

Comment by Jeff on September 6, 2009 at 1:00pm

use the wood gas to fire up one larger than this.

Comment by Jeff on September 6, 2009 at 12:59pm

Comment by Jeff on June 26, 2009 at 1:13pm

I think I will change the photo of me. One that shows me getting my hands dirty
Anyhow, I love this site and all the ideas put into action.
I have a idea of running tubes in the reactor zone,external,internal or both, so that the
high heat can be used to produce steam. the steam runs the engine that runs the chipper/drier and pellet maker and if I'm lucky run the auto feeder.

Comment by Eric Schrack on May 13, 2009 at 10:04am

Hi Steve,
I checked out the links you posted, very nice. Definitely a nice and simple design with the Liberty Stationary.

I also like the big battery charger they built at Other Power.

There is no question that we need to be looking to steam to broaden our energy resources.

Beamer

Comment by Steve Unruh on May 12, 2009 at 6:51pm

Hey Guys
Now that I've boldly stated modern steam is here, now and available here is a link to a company that makes marine, automotive and small stationary systems
http://strathsteam.com/page6.html
About half the power and size as what I and Ben (TinySteam?) have posted previously. Modern steam is real, and available. Problem is I am NOT an all purpose machinist, but a mechanic/operator here in the U.S. surrounded by all of these available cast off IC engines.
Regards
SteveU.

Comment by Steve Unruh on May 10, 2009 at 9:07am

Hi Guys
Here is some info and pictures of an actual working 2.5KW steam generating plant. Even though they are using an antique set you could buy all of this as current production equipment. Shows quite a bit of detailing of their own made axial flux alternators. Link to a shot running youtube video, then you can see other vidios of what other steam people are up to.
www.otherpower.com/steamengine.shtml
Enjoy
SteveU.

Comment by Steve Unruh on March 30, 2009 at 7:23pm

Hello Paul F.
I almost went on my home power system with a 10 HP Roberts bulk wood boiler and a 7 HP Triple Expansion engine from these folks:
www.pioneertelephonecoop.com?~carlich/RSE/RSE Engines.html
This combo would have matched the wood useage of the gasifier/engine assemble I did decide to go with instead.
Seems like with steam you have to be a machinist AND an operator.
And with Gasification a chemist/welder AND still be an operator.
I looked at the Mason web site, you will have seen steam actually working and would be interested in hearing your ideas.
Regards
SteveU.

Comment by Paul Fennema on March 9, 2009 at 10:20pm

Hi, Im new here, building my first gas unit, but i have experience with live steam locos. Currently working for Masons trains, we have customers interested in using producer gas/steam generator units to power historical sites and small farms. prototypes are in the works. but we have lots of literature and access to information on many scales of steam engines, not just scale locomotives! We also have the capability of building boilers up to 350 cu/In (hobby boilers). looking foreward to making knowledge/photo contributions as the project proceeds

Comment by Eric Schrack on March 4, 2009 at 11:39pm

On "The Fab Shop" page, Radam, brought up an interesting point about connecting the hot water from a venturi scrubber set up to a boiler system. By doing this, the scrubber would not only clean the woodgas more efficiently, it would add to the heat collection of the boiler. Correct me if I'm wrong.

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