How to make a steam machine at home. Steam engine with an oscillating cylinder from an antique Young Technician

The ship model is propelled by a steam-water jet engine. A ship with this engine is not a progressive discovery (its system was patented 125 years ago by the Briton Perkins), but otherwise it clearly demonstrates the operation of a simple jet engine.

Rice. 1 Ship with a steam engine. 1 - steam-water engine, 2 - plate made of mica or asbestos; 3 - firebox; 4 - nozzle outlet with a diameter of 0.5 mm.

Instead of a boat, it would be possible to use a car model. The choice was made for the boat due to its greater fire protection. The experiment is carried out with a vessel with water at hand, for example, a bath or basin.

The body can be made of wood (for example, pine) or plastic (expanded polystyrene), using a ready-made body of a toy polyethylene boat. The engine will be a small tin can, which is filled 1/4 of the volume with water.

On board, under the engine, you need to place a firebox. It is known that heated water is converted into steam, which, expanding, presses on the walls of the motor housing and exits at high speed from the nozzle hole, as a result of which the thrust necessary for movement appears. On the back wall of the engine can you need to drill a hole no larger than 0.5 mm. If the hole is larger, the operating time of the motor will become quite short, and the exhaust speed will be small.

The optimal diameter of the nozzle opening can be determined experimentally. It will correspond to the fastest movement of the model. In this case, the thrust will be greatest. As a firebox, it is possible to use a duralumin or iron lid of a tin can (for example, from a can of ointment, cream or shoe paste).

We use “dry alcohol” in tablets as fuel.

To protect the ship from fire, we attach a layer of asbestos (1.5-2 mm) to the deck. If the boat's hull is made of wood, sand it thoroughly and coat it with nitro varnish several times. The smooth surface reduces resistance in the water and your boat will definitely float. The boat model should be as light as possible. The design and dimensions are shown in the figure.

After filling the tank with water, light the alcohol placed in the firebox lid (this should be done when the boat is on the surface of the water). After a few tens of seconds, the water in the tank will make noise, and a thin stream of steam will begin to escape from the nozzle. Now the steering wheel can be set in such a way that the boat moves in a circle, and within a few minutes (from 2 to 4) you will observe the operation of a simple jet engine.

Throughout its history, the steam engine has had many variations of embodiment in metal. One of these incarnations was the steam rotary engine of mechanical engineer N.N. Tverskoy. This steam rotary engine (steam engine) was actively used in various fields of technology and transport. In the Russian technical tradition of the 19th century, such a rotary engine was called a rotary machine.

The engine was characterized by durability, efficiency and high torque. But with the advent of steam turbines it was forgotten. Below are archival materials raised by the author of this site. The materials are very extensive, so only a part of them is presented here so far.

Steam rotary engine by N.N. Tverskoy

Test rotation of a steam rotary engine with compressed air (3.5 atm).
The model is designed for 10 kW of power at 1500 rpm at a steam pressure of 28-30 atm.

At the end of the 19th century, steam engines - “N. Tverskoy’s rotary engines” were forgotten because piston steam engines turned out to be simpler and more technologically advanced to manufacture (for the industries of that time), and steam turbines provided more power.
But the remark regarding steam turbines is true only in their large weight and overall dimensions. Indeed, with a power of more than 1.5-2 thousand kW, multi-cylinder steam turbines outperform steam rotary engines in all respects, even with the high cost of turbines. And at the beginning of the 20th century, when ship power plants and power units of power plants began to have a power of many tens of thousands of kilowatts, only turbines could provide such capabilities.

BUT - steam turbines have another drawback. When scaling their mass-dimensional parameters downward, the performance characteristics of steam turbines sharply deteriorate. The specific power is significantly reduced, the efficiency drops, while the high cost of manufacturing and high speeds of the main shaft (the need for a gearbox) remain. That is why - in the area of power less than 1.5 thousand kW (1.5 MW), it is almost impossible to find a steam turbine that is efficient in all respects, even for a lot of money...

That is why a whole “bouquet” of exotic and little-known designs appeared in this power range. But most often, they are also expensive and ineffective... Screw turbines, Tesla turbines, axial turbines, etc.
But for some reason everyone forgot about steam “rotary machines” - rotary steam engines. Meanwhile, these steam engines are many times cheaper than any blade and screw mechanisms (I say this with knowledge of the matter, as a person who has already made more than a dozen such machines with his own money). At the same time, N. Tverskoy’s steam “rotary rotary machines” have powerful torque from very low speeds, and have an average speed of rotation of the main shaft at full speed from 1000 to 3000 rpm. Those. Such machines, whether for an electric generator or a steam car (truck, tractor, tractor), will not require a gearbox, clutch, etc., but will be directly connected with their shaft to the dynamo, wheels of the steam car, etc.
So, in the form of a steam rotary engine - the “N. Tverskoy rotary machine” system, we have a universal steam engine that will perfectly generate electricity powered by a solid fuel boiler in a remote forestry or taiga village, at a field camp, or generate electricity in a boiler room in a rural settlement or “spinning” on process heat waste (hot air) in a brick or cement factory, in a foundry, etc.
All such heat sources have a power of less than 1 mW, which is why conventional turbines are of little use here. But general technical practice does not yet know of other machines for recycling heat by converting the pressure of the resulting steam into work. So this heat is not utilized in any way - it is simply lost stupidly and irretrievably.
I have already created a “steam rotary machine” to drive an electric generator of 3.5 - 5 kW (depending on the steam pressure), if everything goes as planned, soon there will be a machine of both 25 and 40 kW. Just what is needed to provide cheap electricity from a solid fuel boiler or process heat waste to a rural estate, small farm, field camp, etc., etc.
In principle, rotary engines scale well upward, therefore, by placing many rotor sections on one shaft, it is easy to repeatedly increase the power of such machines by simply increasing the number of standard rotor modules. That is, it is quite possible to create steam rotary machines with a power of 80-160-240-320 kW or more...

But, in addition to medium and relatively large steam power plants, steam power circuits with small steam rotary engines will also be in demand in small power plants.
For example, one of my inventions is “Camping and tourist electric generator using local solid fuel.”
Below is a video where a simplified prototype of such a device is tested.
But the small steam engine is already cheerfully and energetically spinning its electric generator and producing electricity using wood and other pasture fuel.

The main direction of commercial and technical application of steam rotary engines (rotary steam engines) is the generation of cheap electricity using cheap solid fuel and combustible waste. Those. small-scale energy - distributed power generation using steam rotary engines. Imagine how a rotary steam engine would fit perfectly into the operation scheme of a sawmill, somewhere in the Russian North or Siberia (Far East) where there is no central power supply, electricity is provided at an expensive price by a diesel generator powered by diesel fuel imported from afar. But the sawmill itself produces at least half a ton of sawdust chips per day - a slab that has nowhere to put...

Such wood waste has a direct path into the boiler furnace, the boiler produces high-pressure steam, the steam drives a rotary steam engine and it spins an electric generator.

In the same way, it is possible to burn unlimited millions of tons of agricultural crop waste, etc. And there is also cheap peat, cheap thermal coal, and so on. The author of the site calculated that fuel costs when generating electricity through a small steam power plant (steam engine) with a steam rotary engine with a power of 500 kW will be from 0.8 to 1.

2 rubles per kilowatt.

Another interesting option for using a steam rotary engine is to install such a steam engine on a steam car. The truck is a tractor-steam vehicle, with powerful torque and using cheap solid fuel - a very necessary steam engine in agriculture and the forestry industry.

With the use of modern technologies and materials, as well as the use of the “Organic Rankine cycle” in the thermodynamic cycle, it will be possible to increase the effective efficiency to 26-28% using cheap solid fuel (or inexpensive liquid fuel, such as “furnace fuel” or used engine oil). Those. truck - tractor with a steam engine

Truck NAMI-012, with a steam engine. USSR, 1954

and a rotary steam engine with a power of about 100 kW, will consume about 25-28 kg of thermal coal per 100 km (cost 5-6 rubles per kg) or about 40-45 kg of sawdust chips (the price of which in the North is free)...

There are many more interesting and promising areas of application of the rotary steam engine, but the size of this page does not allow us to consider them all in detail. As a result, the steam engine can still occupy a very prominent place in many areas of modern technology and in many sectors of the national economy.

LAUNCHES OF AN EXPERIMENTAL MODEL OF STEAM POWER ELECTRIC GENERATOR WITH STEAM ENGINE

May -2018 After lengthy experiments and prototypes, a small high-pressure boiler was made. The boiler is pressurized to 80 atm pressure, so it will maintain a working pressure of 40-60 atm without difficulty. Put into operation with a prototype model of a steam axial piston engine of my design. Works great - watch the video. In 12-14 minutes from ignition on wood it is ready to produce high pressure steam.

Now I am starting to prepare for the piece production of such units - a high-pressure boiler, a steam engine (rotary or axial piston), and a condenser. The installations will operate in a closed circuit with water-steam-condensate circulation.

The demand for such generators is very high, because 60% of the Russian territory does not have a central power supply and relies on diesel generation.

And the price of diesel fuel is growing all the time and has already reached 41-42 rubles per liter. And even where there is electricity, energy companies keep raising tariffs, and they demand a lot of money to connect new capacities.

Modern steam engines

The modern world forces many inventors to return again to the idea of using a steam plant in vehicles intended for transportation. The machines have the ability to use several options for power units running on steam.

Piston motor
Principle of operation
Rules for operating steam-powered vehicles
Advantages of the machine

Piston motor

Modern steam engines can be divided into several groups:

Structurally, the installation includes:

starting device;
two-cylinder power unit;
steam generator in a special container equipped with a coil.

Principle of operation

The process goes as follows.

After turning on the ignition, power begins to flow from the battery of the three engines. From the first, a blower is put into operation, pumping air masses through the radiator and transferring them through air channels to a mixing device with a burner.

At the same time, the next electric motor activates the fuel transfer pump, which supplies condensate masses from the tank through the serpentine device of the heating element to the body part of the water separator and the heater located in the economizer to the steam generator.
Before starting, there is no way for steam to get to the cylinders, since its path is blocked by a throttle valve or spool, which is controlled by the rocker mechanics. By turning the handles in the direction necessary for movement and slightly opening the valve, the mechanic puts the steam mechanism into operation.
The exhaust vapors flow through a single collector to a distribution valve, where they are divided into a pair of unequal shares. The smaller part enters the nozzle of the mixing burner, mixes with the air mass, and is ignited by a candle.

The resulting flame begins to heat the container. After this, the combustion product passes into the water separator, and moisture condenses and flows into a special water tank. The remaining gas escapes out.

The second part of the steam, larger in volume, passes through the distributor valve into the turbine, which drives the rotor device of the electric generator.

Rules for operating steam-powered vehicles

The steam plant can be directly connected to the drive unit of the machine's transmission, and when it begins to operate, the machine begins to move. But in order to increase efficiency, experts recommend using clutch mechanics. This is convenient for towing operations and various inspection operations.

During the movement, the mechanic, taking into account the situation, can change the speed by manipulating the power of the steam piston. This can be done by throttling the steam with a valve, or by changing the steam supply with a rocker device. In practice, it is better to use the first option, since the actions resemble working with the gas pedal, but a more economical way is to use the rocker mechanism.

For short stops, the driver slows down and uses the rocker to stop the operation of the unit. For long-term parking, the electrical circuit that de-energizes the blower and fuel pump is turned off.

Advantages of the machine

The device is distinguished by its ability to work with virtually no restrictions, overloads are possible, and there is a wide range of adjustment of power indicators. It should be added that during any stop the steam engine stops working, which cannot be said about the motor.

The design does not require installing a gearbox, a starter device, an air purification filter, a carburetor, or a turbocharger. In addition, the ignition system is simplified, there is only one spark plug.

In conclusion, we can add that the production of such cars and their operation will be cheaper than cars with an internal combustion engine, since the fuel will be inexpensive and the materials used in production will be the cheapest.

Read also:

Steam engines were installed and powered most steam locomotives from the early 1800s until the 1950s.

I would like to note that the operating principle of these engines has always remained unchanged, despite changes in their design and dimensions.

The animated illustration shows the operating principle of a steam engine.

To generate steam supplied to the engine, boilers using both wood and coal, and liquid fuel were used.

First measure

Steam from the boiler enters the steam chamber, from which it enters the upper (front) part of the cylinder through a steam gate valve (indicated in blue). The pressure created by the steam pushes the piston down to BDC. As the piston moves from TDC to BDC, the wheel makes half a revolution.

Release

At the very end of the piston's movement toward BDC, the steam valve moves, releasing remaining steam through an outlet port located below the valve. The remaining steam escapes, creating the sound characteristic of steam engines.

Second measure

At the same time, moving the valve to release residual steam opens the steam inlet to the lower (rear) part of the cylinder. The pressure created by the steam in the cylinder forces the piston to move towards TDC. At this time, the wheel makes another half revolution.

Release

At the end of the piston's movement to TDC, the remaining steam is released through the same exhaust port.

The cycle repeats again.

The steam engine has a so-called dead center at the end of each stroke as the valve transitions from the expansion stroke to the exhaust stroke. For this reason, each steam engine has two cylinders, allowing the engine to be started from any position.

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File	Short description	Size
	G.S. Zhiritsky. Steam engines. Moscow: Gosenergoizdat, 1951. The book discusses ideal processes in steam engines, real processes in a steam engine, study of the machine's working process using an indicator diagram, multiple expansion machines, spool steam distribution, valve steam distribution, steam distribution in once-through machines, reversing mechanisms, dynamics of a steam engine, etc. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	27.8 Mb
	A.A. Radzig. James Watt and the invention of the steam engine. Petrograd: Scientific Chemical and Technical Publishing House, 1924. The improvement of the steam engine made by Watt at the end of the 18th century is one of the largest events in the history of technology. It had incalculable economic consequences, since it was the last and decisive link in a number of important inventions made in England in the second half of the 18th century and which led to the rapid and complete development of large capitalist industry both in England itself and then in other European countries. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	0.99 Mb
	M. Lesnikov. James Watt. Moscow: Publisher “Journal Association”, 1935. This edition presents a biographical novel about James Watt (1736-1819), an English inventor and creator of a universal heat engine. Invented (1774-84) a steam engine with a double-acting cylinder, in which he used a centrifugal regulator, a transmission from the cylinder rod to a balancer with a parallelogram, etc. Watt's machine played a big role in the transition to machine production. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	67.4 Mb
	A.S. Yastrzhembsky. Technical thermodynamics. Moscow-Leningrad: State Energy Publishing House, 1933. General theoretical principles are presented in the light of the two basic laws of thermodynamics. Since technical thermodynamics provides the basis for the study of steam boilers and heat engines, this course studies, as fully as possible, the processes of transforming thermal energy into mechanical energy in steam engines and internal combustion engines. In the second part, when studying the ideal cycle of a steam engine, the collapse of steam and the outflow of vapor from the holes, the importance of the i-S diagram of water vapor is noted, the use of which simplifies the research task. Particular attention is paid to the presentation of the thermodynamics of gas flow and the cycles of internal combustion engines.	51.2 Mb
	Installation of boiler systems. Scientific Editor Eng. Yu.M. Rivkin. Moscow: GosStroyIzdat, 1961. This book is intended to improve the skills of fitters who install boiler installations of low and medium power and are familiar with the techniques of metalwork.	9.9 Mb
	E.Ya.Sokolov. District heating and heating networks. Moscow-Leningrad: State Energy Publishing House, 1963. The book outlines the energy fundamentals of district heating, describes heat supply systems, gives the theory and methodology for calculating heating networks, discusses methods for regulating heat supply, provides designs and methods for calculating equipment for heat treatment plants, heating networks and subscriber inputs, provides basic information on the methodology of technical and economic calculations and on organizing the operation of heating networks.	11.2 Mb
	A.I.Abramov, A.V.Ivanov-Smolensky. Calculation and design of hydrogenerators In modern electrical systems, electrical energy is generated mainly at thermal power plants using turbogenerators, and at hydroelectric power plants using hydrogenerators. Therefore, hydrogenerators and turbogenerators occupy a leading place in the subject of coursework and diploma design of electromechanical and electrical power specialties in colleges. This manual provides a description of the design of hydrogenerators, justifies the choice of their sizes and outlines the methodology for electromagnetic, thermal, ventilation and mechanical calculations with brief explanations of the calculation formulas. To facilitate the study of the material, an example of the calculation of a hydrogenerator is given. When compiling the manual, the authors used modern literature on manufacturing technology, design and calculation of hydrogenerators, an abbreviated list of which is given at the end of the book.	10.7 Mb
	F.L. Liventsev. Power plants with internal combustion engines. Leningrad: Publishing House "Machine Building", 1969. The book examines modern standard power plants for various purposes with internal combustion engines. Recommendations are given for the selection of parameters and calculation of elements of fuel preparation, fuel supply and cooling systems, oil and air-starting systems, and gas-air ducts. An analysis of the requirements for internal combustion engine installations is given, ensuring their high efficiency, reliability and durability.	11.2 Mb
	M.I.Kamsky. Steam hero. Drawings by V.V. Spassky. Moscow: 7th printing house "Mospechat", 1922. ...In Watt’s homeland, in the city council of the town of Greenock, there is a monument to him with the inscription: “Born in Greenock in 1736, died in 1819.” Here, there still exists a library named after him, founded by him during his lifetime, and at the University of Glasgow, prizes for the best scientific works in Mechanics, Physics and Chemistry are issued annually from the capital donated by Watt. But James Watt, in essence, does not need any other monuments than those countless steam engines that, in all corners of the earth, make noise, knock and hum, working on the yardarm of humanity.	10.6 Mb
	A.S. Abramov and B.I. Sheinin. Fuel, furnaces and boiler systems. Moscow: Publishing House of the Ministry of Communal Services of the RSFSR, 1953. The book discusses the basic properties of fuels and their combustion processes. A method for determining the heat balance of a boiler installation is presented. Various designs of combustion devices are given. The designs of various boilers are described - hot water and steam, from water tube to fire tube and with smoke tubes. Information is provided on the installation and operation of boilers, their piping - fittings, instrumentation. Issues of fuel supply, gas supply, fuel depots, ash removal, chemical treatment of water at stations, auxiliary equipment (pumps, fans, pipelines...) are also discussed in the book. Information is given on layout solutions and the cost of calculating heat supply.	9.15 Mb
	V. Dombrovsky, A. Shmulyan. Victory of Prometheus. Stories about electricity. Leningrad: Publishing House "Children's Literature", 1966. This book is about electricity. It does not contain a complete exposition of the theory of electricity or a description of all the possible uses of electricity. Ten such books would not be enough for this. When people mastered electricity, unprecedented opportunities opened up for them to facilitate and mechanize physical labor. The machines that made it possible to do this and the use of electricity as a motive force are described in this book. But electricity makes it possible not only to increase the strength of human hands, but also the strength of the human mind, to mechanize not only physical, but also mental labor. We also tried to talk about how this can be done. If this book helps young readers even a little to imagine the great path that technology has taken from the first discoveries to the present day, and to see the breadth of the horizon that tomorrow opens before us, we can consider our task completed.	23.6 Mb
	V.N. Bogoslovsky, V.P. Shcheglov. Heating and ventilation. Moscow: Publishing House of Construction Literature, 1970. This textbook is intended for students of the “Water Supply and Sewerage” faculty of construction universities. It was written in accordance with the program for the course “Heating and Ventilation” approved by the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education of the USSR. The purpose of the textbook is to give students basic information about the design, calculation, installation, testing and operation of heating and ventilation systems. Reference materials are provided to the extent necessary to complete the course project on heating and ventilation.	5.25 Mb
	A.S.Orlin, M.G.Kruglov. Combined two-stroke engines. Moscow: Publishing House "Machine Building", 1968. The book contains the fundamentals of the theory of gas exchange processes in the cylinder and in adjacent systems of two-stroke combined engines. Approximate dependencies related to the influence of unsteady motion during gas exchange and the results of experimental work in this area are presented. Experimental work performed on engines and models is also considered in order to study the quality of the gas exchange process, issues of development and improvement of design schemes and individual components of these engines and equipment for research. In addition, the state of work on supercharging and improving the designs of two-stroke combined engines and, in particular, air supply systems and supercharging units, as well as prospects for the further development of these engines are described. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	15.8 Mb
	M.K.Weisbein. Heat engines. Steam engines, rotary machines, steam turbines, air engines and internal combustion engines. Theory, design, installation, testing of heat engines and their care. A guide for chemists, technicians and owners of thermal machines. St. Petersburg: Publication by K.L. Ricker, 1910. The purpose of this work is to acquaint persons who have not received a systematic technical education with the theory of heat engines, their design, installation, care and testing. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	7.3 Mb
	Nikolay Bozheryanov Theory of steam engines, with a detailed description of the double-action machine according to the Watt and Bolton system. Approved by the Marine Scientific Committee and printed with the Highest permission. St. Petersburg: Printing house of the naval cadet corps, 1849. “... I would consider myself happy and completely rewarded for my labors if this book were accepted by Russian mechanics as a guide, and if it, like Tredgold’s work, although in a small way, contributed to the development of mechanical knowledge and industry in our dear fatherland.” N. Bozheryanov. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	42.6 Mb
	VC. Bogomazov, A.D. Berkuta, P.P. Kulikovsky. Steam engines. Kyiv: State Publishing House of Technical Literature of the Ukrainian SSR, 1952. The book examines the theory, design and operation of steam engines, steam turbines and condensing plants and provides the basics of calculation of steam engines and their parts. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	6.09 Mb
	Lopatin P.I. Victory couple. Moscow: New Moscow, 1925. “Tell me - do you know who created our factories and plants for us, who was the first to give a person the opportunity to race on trains by rail and boldly sail across the oceans? Do you know who was the first to create a car and that same tractor that now so diligently and obediently does hard work in our agriculture? Are you familiar with the one who defeated the horse and the ox and was the first to conquer the air, allowing a person not only to stay in the air, but also to control his flying machine, to send it where he wants, and not the capricious wind? All this was done by steam, the simplest water vapor that plays with the lid of your kettle, “sings” in the samovar and rises in white puffs above the surface of boiling water. You’ve never paid attention to it before, and it never occurred to you that useless water vapor could do such enormous work, conquer land, water and air and create almost all of modern industry.” Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	10.1 Mb
	Shchurov M.V. Guide to Internal Combustion Engines. Moscow-Leningrad: State Energy Publishing House, 1955. The book examines the design and operating principles of engines of common types in the USSR, instructions for caring for engines, organizing their repairs, basic repair work, provides information on the economics of engines and assessing their power and load, and covers issues of organizing the workplace and the driver’s work. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	11.5 Mb
	Technological engineer Serebrennikov A. Foundations of the theory of steam engines and boilers. St. Petersburg: Printed in the printing house of Karl Wulff, 1860. Currently, the science of working in pairs is one of the types of knowledge that arouses keen interest. Indeed, hardly any other science, in practical terms, has made such advances in such a short time as the use of steam for all kinds of applications. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	109 Mb
	High-speed diesel engines 4Ch 10.5/13-2 and 6Ch 10.5/13-2. Description and maintenance instructions. Editor-in-Chief Eng. V.K.Serdyuk. Moscow - Kyiv: MASHGIZ, 1960. The book describes the designs and sets out the basic rules for maintenance and care of diesel engines 4Ch 10.5/13-2 and 6Ch 10.5/13-2. The book is intended for mechanics and mechanics servicing these diesel engines. Sent me a book Stankevich Leonid.	14.3 Mb
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Hi all! Kompik92 is with you again!
And today we will make a steam engine!
I think everyone at one time or another wanted to make a steam engine!
Well, let's make your dreams come true!

I have two options for making it: easy and difficult. Both options are very cool and interesting, and if you think that there will be only one option, then you are right. I'll post the second option a little later!

And let's get straight to the instructions!

But first....

Safety regulations:

When the engine is running and you want to move it, use tongs, thick gloves or non-heat-conducting material!
If you want to make an engine more complex or more powerful, it is better to learn from someone than to experiment! Incorrect assembly may cause the boiler to explode!
If you want to take a running engine, do not point the steam at people!
Do not block the steam in the can or tube, or the steam engine may explode!

And here are the instructions for option No. 1:

We will need:

Aluminum Coke or Pepsi can
Pliers
Metal scissors
Paper hole punch (not to be confused with a wood crusher)
small candle
Aluminum foil
3mm copper tube
Pencil
Salad bowl or large bowl

Let's get started!
1. You need to cut the bottom of the jar with a height of 6.35 cm. For a better cut, first draw a line with a pencil and then cut the bottom of the jar exactly along it. This is how we get our engine housing.

2. Remove sharp edges. For safety, remove the sharp edges of the bottom using pliers. Wrap no more than 5mm! This will help us further work with the engine.

3. Push down the bottom. If the jar does not have a flat bottom, press it down with your finger. This is necessary for our engine to float well; if this is not done, then air will remain there which can heat up and overturn the platform. This will also help our candle stand.

4. Make two holes. Make two holes as shown in the picture. There should be 1.27cm between the edge and the hole and the hole itself should be at least 3.2mm in diameter. The holes should be opposite each other! We will insert our copper tube into these holes.

5. Light a candle. Using foil, place the candle so that it does not move in the body. The candle itself should be on a metal stand. We installed a boiler that will heat our water, thereby ensuring the operation of the engine.

6. Create a coil. Make three to four skeins in the middle of the tube using a pencil. There should be at least 5 cm on each side. We made a coil. Don't know what it is?

Here's a quote from Wikipedia.

A coil is a long metal, glass, porcelain (ceramic) or plastic tube, bent in some regular or irregular way, designed to ensure maximum heat transfer in a minimum volume of space between two media separated by the walls of the coil. Historically, such heat exchange was originally used to condense vapors passing through the coil.

I think it has become easier, but if it still hasn’t become easier, I will explain it myself. A coil is a tube through which liquid flows to be heated or cooled.

7. Place the handset. Place the tube using the holes you made, and make sure that the coil is exactly next to the candle wick! Thus, we are almost finished with the engine; the heating can already work.

8. Bend the tube. Bend the ends of the tube using pliers so that they point in different directions and are bent 90 degrees from the coil. We got outlets for our hot air.

9. Preparation for work. Lower our engine into the water. It should float well on the surface, and if the tubes are not submerged at least 1 cm in water, then weigh down the body. We made tubes exit into the water so that it could move.

10. A little more. Fill our tube, dip one tube in water, and pull the other like through a cocktail straw. We're almost done with the engine!

Steam engine

Manufacturing difficulty: ★★★★☆

Production time: One day

Materials at hand: ████████░░ 80%

In this article I will tell you how to make a steam engine with your own hands. The engine will be small, single-piston with a spool valve. The power is quite enough to rotate the rotor of a small generator and use this engine as an autonomous source of electricity while hiking.

Telescopic antenna (can be removed from an old TV or radio), the diameter of the thickest tube should be at least 8 mm
Small tube for the piston pair (plumbing store).
Copper wire with a diameter of about 1.5 mm (can be found in a transformer coil or radio store).
Bolts, nuts, screws
Lead (from a fishing store or found in an old car battery). It is needed to cast the flywheel in the mold. I found a ready-made flywheel, but this item may be useful to you.
Wooden bars.
Spokes for bicycle wheels
Stand (in my case, made from a 5 mm thick PCB sheet, but plywood will also work).
Wooden blocks (pieces of boards)
Olive jar
A tube

Superglue, cold welding, epoxy resin (construction market).
Emery
Drill
Soldering iron
Hacksaw

How to make a steam engine

Engine diagram

Cylinder and spool tube.

Cut 3 pieces from the antenna:
? The first piece is 38 mm long and 8 mm in diameter (the cylinder itself).
? The second piece is 30 mm long and 4 mm in diameter.
? The third is 6 mm long and 4 mm in diameter.

Let's take tube No. 2 and make a hole in it with a diameter of 4 mm in the middle. Take tube No. 3 and glue it perpendicular to tube No. 2, after the superglue has dried, cover everything with cold welding (for example POXIPOL).

We attach a round iron washer with a hole in the middle to piece No. 3 (the diameter is slightly larger than tube No. 1), and after drying, we strengthen it with cold welding.

Additionally, we coat all seams with epoxy resin for better tightness.

How to make a piston with connecting rod

Take a bolt (1) with a diameter of 7 mm and clamp it in a vice. We begin to wind copper wire (2) around it for about 6 turns. We coat each turn with superglue. We cut off the excess ends of the bolt.

We coat the wire with epoxy. After drying, we adjust the piston with sandpaper under the cylinder so that it moves freely there without letting air through.

From a sheet of aluminum we make a strip 4 mm long and 19 mm long. Give it the shape of the letter P (3).

We drill holes (4) 2 mm in diameter at both ends so that a piece of the knitting needle can be inserted. The sides of the U-shaped part should be 7x5x7 mm. We glue it to the piston with the 5 mm side.

The connecting rod (5) is made from a bicycle spoke. To both ends of the knitting needle we glue two small pieces of tubes (6) from the antenna with a diameter and length of 3 mm. The distance between the centers of the connecting rod is 50 mm. Next, we insert the connecting rod at one end into the U-shaped part and hinge it with a knitting needle.

We glue the knitting needle at both ends so that it does not fall out.

Triangle connecting rod

The triangle connecting rod is made in a similar way, only there will be a piece of knitting needle on one side and a tube on the other. Connecting rod length 75 mm.

Triangle and spool

Steam boiler

The steam boiler will be an olive jar with a sealed lid. I also soldered a nut so that water could be poured through it and tightened tightly with the bolt. I also soldered the tube to the lid.
Here is a photo:

Photo of the engine assembly

We assemble the engine on a wooden platform, placing each element on a support

Video of a steam engine in action
Version 2.0

Cosmetic modification of the engine. The tank now has its own wooden platform and saucer for dry fuel tablets. All parts are painted in beautiful colors. By the way, it is best to use a homemade one as a heat source.

In O. Kurti’s book “Building Model Ships,” which can be downloaded in full here depositfiles.com/files/3b9jgisv9, there are a couple of interesting drawings of machines for driving model ships.
Here they are:

STEAM ENGINE WITH SINGLE ACTION OSCILLATING CYLINDER AND STEAM DISTRIBUTION PLATE (VALVED CONTROLLED)

Machines of this type are most often used in ship modeling (Fig. 562, a, b). Typically the parts are made of brass; the cylinder, so as not to be lubricated, is made of phosphor bronze, and the piston is made of steel. The machine is mounted on a square or rectangular foundation, depending on the installation location in the housing. An L-shaped post is placed on the foundation, to which a steam distribution plate with holes (windows) for inlet and outlet of steam is attached. These windows are placed along an arc, the length of which is equal to the circular path traversed by the swinging cylinder. The cylinder is made from a piece of brass tube and soldered to the base plate. There is a hole in the middle of the plate and cylinder through which steam is admitted and released. The bolt in the plate, which serves as the cylinder's swing axis, has a spring. Its tension is adjusted with a nut, thanks to which it is possible to achieve a good fit of the support plate to the steam distribution plate.
A rod is screwed into a piston made of a round piece of bronze and attached to the crank with a bolt and nut.
The drive shaft is made of a round brass rod, the ends of which are threaded. One end of the shaft is screwed into the crank, then the shaft is passed through a hollow screw that supports it in an L-shaped rack, and a flywheel is screwed onto the other end.
Steam tubes for supplying and discharging steam are made of brass or copper tubes and are attached to small fittings, which, in turn, are soldered to the steam distribution plate. The parts of a steam engine of this type have the following average dimensions:
cylinder: internal diameter - 12-15 mm, length - 30-45 mm;
stand: height - 40-60 mm, width - 40-50 mm;
flywheel: diameter - 35-45 mm, thickness - 12-15 mm;
pipelines: 5xb mm (internal and external diameters).
In Fig. 562, c and d shows a steam engine similar to the one described, but with a double-acting cylinder, so two more small holes are drilled on the steam distribution plate for the inlet and outlet of steam, and a second small hole is drilled on the cylinder.

Rice. 562. Steam engine with an oscillating cylinder for the model: a) - structural drawing; b) – view in detail; c) – type of machine with a double-acting cylinder; d) – fundamental operation of a machine with a double-acting cylinder.
1 – foundation slab; 2 – stand; 3 – plate of steam distribution windows; 4 – detail for fastening the inlet and outlet pipes; 5 – cylinder mounting base plate; 6 – cylinder; 7 – cylinder cover; 8 – piston; 9 – rod; 10 – bloodworm; 11 – hollow screw; 12 – drive shaft; 13 – flywheel; 14 – spring with nut; 15 – tube for steam supply; 16 – tube for steam removal; 17 – fitting for connection with the steam supply pipe from the boiler; 18 – control bolt on the cylinder; 19 – steam output; 20 – steam supply.

STEAM ENGINE WITH A FIXED, SIMPLE-ACTING CYLINDER AND A SLEEVE STEAM DISTRIBUTOR

The machine is designed so that it can be installed in both horizontal and vertical positions (Fig. 563, a). The cylinder is mounted on a base plate and is a rectangular brass block with through holes for the piston, as well as for the inlet and outlet of steam. At the top of the cylinder there is a steam distribution box with a spool. The side of the cylinder is closed with a lid mounted on four bolts.
The piston is made from a piece of round bronze. The inside of the piston is hollow. One end of the connecting rod is connected to the piston using a piston pin and two support rings; the other - with a cylindrical brass bloodworm.
The drive shaft rotates in two support brass bearings, which are secured to the foundation with through bolts. On the drive shaft, in addition to the crank, there is an eccentric connected to the spool rod by a fork, and the movement of the eccentric is shifted in phase relative to the movement of the piston. At the end of the drive shaft there is a flywheel. Make the spool as seen in Fig. 563, easy.
Steam inlet and outlet piping is usually made from copper or brass tubing.
Average dimensions of machine parts:
cylinder: length - 45-55 mm, height - 35-45 mm, width - 35-45 mm;
foundation slab: length - 100-120 mm, width - 65-85 mm;
flywheel: diameter - 45-50 mm, thickness - 12-15 mm.
pipelines: 5x6 mm.
It is easy to change the direction of rotation of a steam engine; to do this, it is enough to use a reversing valve (Fig. 563, b).

Rice. 563. Steam engine with a spool steam distributor: a - structural drawing; b - reversing valve to change the direction of rotation of the machine; s - details.
1 - cylinder; 2 - cylinder cover; 3 - piston; 4 - connecting rod; 5 - flywheel with a connecting bolt for mounting on the drive shaft; 6 - cylindrical bloodworm; 7 - fastening of the crankshaft support bearing; 8 - eccentric; 9 - piston pin; 10 - steam distribution chamber; 11 - spool; 12 - oil seal for sealing the spool rod;
13 - sealing ring; 14 - spool rod; ment plate for horizontal positioning of the machine; 15 - drive shaft; 16 - fork for connecting the rod with the eccentric; 17 - foundation slab for horizontal positioning of the machine; 18 - additional support plate for vertical positioning of the machine; 19 - steam supply; 20 - back; 21 - forward; 22 - steam output.