--------------------------------
Andrew:
Your idea of iron is not a problem.
First simply make a "half cast" of the chamber,
and then forge it twice.
On the inside simply weld or braze small iron bars.
---------------------------------
- Hannu
You mean that after twice forged it will be easy
to weld? I will consult my friends, who work
for a very big foundry here.
-------------------------------
Andrew:
As many as you can.
Next have one of the villagers mix up
some clay or ceramic type mix.
Simply paint the iron bars and the inside
of the chamber as much as you can cover.
Do this with the other half as well.
Welding shouldn't be a problem
if the ceramic has time to harden.
Weld the halves together.
---------------------------------
- Hannu
Don't you think we should fire the whole thing
in a kiln
after welded together?
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
Andrew:
For your water towers, gravity will be fine.
Do not paint them black as you could get too
much pressure that it could force open the intake
valve prematurely.
------------------------------------
- Hannu
Yes. One of the main problem will be to control the
pressures.
I'm thinking that we might make the chamber that way
that the steam starts flowing out fast
and even creates a bit
suction. If we make the chamber to expand towards
the turbine and make it like a spiral inside?
------------------------------------
Andrew:
As for the efficiency. I don't think you can beat pv cells.
This machine at MOST will be about 20% efficient.
Simply because of the thermal losses of the chamber,
the turbine only being pulsed by steam,
and not continuous flow.
--------------------------------------
- Hannu
Yes I think that we have got two possibilities for the
design:
- a pulsing steam system or
- a continuous flow
system.
I'm trying to design this power system to be
as much as possible 'village technology',
'self-made'
so that the cost in money would be low.
PV cells you cannot make
in a village easily, so they cost money.
The cost will then depend heavily on the
salaries of the local hired people, like blacksmiths.
I'm thinking that some engineers in India, in Nepal,...
could try making something like these
in small villages there.
I agree that concerning how effectively we
are using solar radiation, good PV cells are
already hard to beat.
------------------------------------
Andrew:
(Probably compensate for this by adding
a large flywheel.) The longer the chamber the better.
A coil type chamber would be ideal.
This is how I made mine. About 2 or 3 turns.
------------------------------------
You already made one???
You seem to be very fast.
Please describe more!
-------------------------------------
Andrew:
Now on the design....
Put the intake poppet valve right near
the water towers (ball valve could work too).
Add heat sinks
(as much as you could machine or weld, etc.).
When the high pressure steam shoots out
both directions, it will head toward the chamber.
It will approach the valve, and then cool off.
It will draw a vacuum when cooling off
forcing more water in the chamber.
(The neat part about this design is it needs
no water towers for pressure,
it can intake the water straight up, vertically,
which means that instead one could simply
put the intake hose in a small pond or lake, etc)
If you put the valve right next to the chamber
it will not work like this.
You WILL need water towers.
-----------------------------------
- Hannu
I agree that making a pulsing steam flow would
be easier to make.
Could you, please
describe a bit more your
'heat sinks' concept?
---------------------
Andrew:
As for your turbine....
A simple pelton wheel type turbine will be excellent.
You will probably need access to a lathe,
as balancing this will be a pain.
(you are spinning at many tens of thousands of rpm)
I got my little pelton wheel to about 22,000 rpm.
----------------------------------
- Hannu
You think that a pelton wheel might work better than
a simple crossflow?
Are you running your pelton with this
steam system already???
------------------------------------
Andrew:
Everything else looks fine. (if there is anything else)
------------------------------------
Thank you a lot
for your very good contributions!
I've informed about this site some
of my friends in Nepal and in India , too.
Maybe some of them would start making
these things.
- Hannu
-Andrew
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