Author Topic: Rescue Mission (Read 3496 times)

healerenergy · « **on:** September 25, 2007, 04:27:57 PM »

I work in a large foundry and it is customary to scrap a machine when when it has broken to the point they no longer think it can be repaired. So this is where the story begins. I started working at this company 7 years ago in the maintenance department and started drooling over the motor and flywheel on an old 2 cylinder air compressor. Well this last weekend when I walked into the shop I saw that the top half of the flywheel was missing. So I went looking for it and found it on the scrap heep with some more pieces of the air compressor. I waited till I could talk to my shop supervisor and asked who I needed to talk to about buying the complete motor from the compressor. After I found out I had to wait wait yet again till could get a hold of the person Who was in charge of selling scrap for the company which was this morning because she was on vacation yesterday. Well I got permission to buy it at scrap price and will be picking up the pieces as they are removed from the compressor. I took a picture of the flywheel halves today so you would know the size of the motor. I will need to pour a lot of concrete to set it up and make it useful again but it will be worth it in the end. I will do my best to update you as I can on the progress of my rescue mission.

George

chadking · « **Reply #1 on:** September 25, 2007, 11:36:25 AM »

Sweet. I'm sure it has been used and abused at times, but as you know.old, heavy industrial equipment like that will last forever under the right circumstances. Let's hope this is the result in your case.

Good luck with your project and keep us informed.

Old F · « **Reply #2 on:** September 25, 2007, 12:44:00 PM »

Kind of hard to tell but if it's the kind I am thinking of.

One thing you mite need to have on hand is a pair of black rubber muck boots.

You can get several sets of valve gaskets from one pair. Been there done that : )

What is the motor Hp and fly wheel diameter ?

Old F

Have Fun

JW · « **Reply #3 on:** September 25, 2007, 06:37:16 PM »

Holy crap!!!

If im not mistaken that flwheel can still be put back togther! Its not cut in/half as I thought, at first glance.

Does this machine(air-compressor) use only one flywheel? Man, that reminds me of a trip I made to Greenfield village. Id consider high-speed steel rings. If you can rebuild the ones you have. Theres alot possible, I have no idea how many KW. What is the pistion diameter and stroke?

I really like the low-psi machines...

JW

healerenergy · « **Reply #4 on:** September 25, 2007, 08:57:29 PM »

Even though I have been drooling over the motor part of this compressor I am sorry but I do not know much about the compressor. I believe the pistons are somewhere around 12 inches in diameter and the rods are about 5 feet in length. The flywheel has not been cut it has two. It was designed to be taken apart and put back together with pins and bolts. This flywheel has four pins and four bolts that hold it together. The rotor part of the motor has no pins just bolts and is smaller than the flywheel but still has a lot of mass. With all the mass of both the flywheel and the rotor it should drive a generator for a while. I plan to spin the flywheel up with a hydraulic motor which will bedriven by a pump via a closed loop system attached to a VAWT I have been designing for the site. The VAWT design has been evolving for quite some time but is progressing nicely and should be ready about the time the concrete is cured for the motor and flywheel to be set.

George

Ps did you see the standard pallet in the fore ground of the picture.

chadking · « **Reply #5 on:** September 25, 2007, 09:01:55 PM »

Regarding your pallet comment. Damn! It's bigger than I first thought. That is a huge piece of equipment just to have around. You're in for some challenges, but it should be rewarding. Good luck!

thefinis · « **Reply #6 on:** September 26, 2007, 07:48:44 AM »

Ok George you got my curiosity up what kind and size vawt? Really good find on that monster no matter what you do with it.

Here is the road I am on at the moment and hmmmm got what I think will be the hydraulic pump plus tank and filter setup for it too no power out motor setup yet. Waiting for new tilt tower construction which should put a new version (2 or 3 that size stacked 8-12 ft high) at around 50 ft up in lots better air flow. Feel free to email.

Finis

wooferhound · « **Reply #7 on:** September 26, 2007, 08:21:28 AM »

So . . . How Heavy is it ?

JW · « **Reply #8 on:** September 26, 2007, 08:18:01 PM »

I bet the stroke is common to piston diameter. Most likely around 11 inchs. Its common to see long connecting rods on these type(vintage era), its a well known fact, that the longer a connecting rod the stronger the torque range(or in reverse in this case) for its given power band.

Ya, I bet that thing weighs a couple tonns.

I think that this is really facinating, that you have incorperated the flywheel into a windturbine design. I dont think it would hurt, to look into some type of 'floating-thrust-bearing', for rotating the flywheel with the least amount of friction possible within the parameters of a practical design. Perhaps you could drive the lubricating pump within the same design. Use a small electric to get things floating freely, then switch over.

Too-cool

JW

healerenergy · « **Reply #9 on:** September 26, 2007, 11:48:56 PM »

Well let the adventure begin! The first phase of this rescue mission was definitely not without peril. As I my wife and I got to where I work I freaked out half of the flywheel was gone and the other half was on the shop forklift headed towards the scrap can. Even though I had maid arrangements to buy them and pick them up they were headed to the scraper. Needless to say I jumped into action and saved the half that was on the forklift by getting it loaded on the 3/4 truck I borrowed from my uncle. Then I got a lifting strap from the shop and ran for the scrap can that was in the plant north yard. I was met at the scrap can by the forklift and it's driver to retrieve the other half of the flywheel from it's would be grave. After we retrieved the second half of the flywheel we put it in a safe place for later pickup. My wife and I drove out to one of the places my mom owns and dropped it off. Then we rushed back to the plant for the other half and got it loaded without a hitch and dropped it off with ease. It was to late for another load so we took the truck back to my uncle and made arrangements to borrow it again Friday morning. I was really glad that the gate guard had been informed that I was going to pick up the pieces for the motor and flywheel and that it needed to be scaled. As I drove onto the scale that first time and sat there with my wife for the guard to finish weighing the truck I was chomping at the bit to find out what that half actually weighed. When he got to the truck I was totally surprised at what was on the weight ticket. So this is for those who were interested and those who voted thanks to all. The Flywheel half weighed one hundred pounds less than four thousand pounds which is more than four times heavier than I thought it would be. So those who voted for more than two thousand pounds did you think it would be this heavy I know I didn't.

George

Capt Slog · « **Reply #10 on:** September 27, 2007, 04:20:49 AM »

I can never see big castings like that or go into that sort of factory, without thnking about my late father.

His first real job after leaving school in the early 1930's, was as a pattern maker, he made the shape out of wood so they could make the casting moulds from them. Some of the patterns were enormous, and they were constructed on large tables, where the plans were laid out and the bits of wood put on to fit.

As a joke to be played on the young lad (he'd be 14 or 15), someone placed a glue pot under his foot as he was climbing down backwards form the table. This was hot glue by the way, and my dad to be went into it upto the ankle so that thouroughly soaked his boot.

He was off work for two weeks and had to buy new boots. Oh what fun they had before the the days of Health and Safety.

Nothing to do with the thread I know, but I thought you'd like the story.

Good luck with your project.

Tritium · « **Reply #11 on:** September 27, 2007, 07:30:44 AM »

So the total weight is 200 lbs less than 4 tons (7800 lbs)?

Wow! That will take some force to start but once its moving watch out.

Thurmond

feral air · « **Reply #12 on:** September 27, 2007, 08:45:11 AM »

3.89 tons...that's a beast!

wooferhound · « **Reply #13 on:** September 27, 2007, 04:54:23 PM »

I want to see the tower you put this on . . .

healerenergy · « **Reply #14 on:** September 27, 2007, 08:50:39 PM »

Tritum

That is the approximate weight so far and that does not include the rotor or the shaft which will be picked up tomorrow. I plan on using a hydraulic motor to drive it.

George

healerenergy · « **Reply #15 on:** September 27, 2007, 08:55:46 PM »

Woof

I'm not about to put that much metal in the air. If you read my VAWT thread misspelled VWAT which should help you understand where I intend to go with this thing.

George

healerenergy · « **Reply #16 on:** September 27, 2007, 09:02:04 PM »

Capt

I worked in our companies pattern shop for a while so I understand a little of what you mean even though they now use tight bond II wood glue instead of hot glue.

George

healerenergy · « **Reply #17 on:** September 29, 2007, 04:28:13 PM »

Phase 2 of the rescue mission is complete I was able to bring the nearly 4 thousand pound stator home. The 3/4 ton pickup I borrowed from my uncle had a low tire which didn't show it's self until we put the stator on it. 22 pounds of air in a tire that is supposed to have 60 pounds of air in it is alarming when you have 2 tons of metal on a truck that is right on the edge of being overloaded. My wife and I drove the truck to the nearest gas station and filled the tire with all the little pay compressor had which was 44 pounds. So far I have brought home close to 12 thousand pounds of of the motor. Now comes the hard part getting the 8860 pound rotor and shaft home and I would like to do it without taking it apart. but I don't have access to a big enough truck or trailer that could carry it. So I think I am going to have to take the bolts out and of the middle and bring the rotor home in three pieces and that is just the way it has to be. I think I am going to take the 2 eccentrics that are on the ends of the shafts off to lighten the load before I bring it home the rest of the rotor home.

George

healerenergy · « **Reply #18 on:** October 01, 2007, 10:44:47 PM »

I brought the rotor home today but it was in three pieces and the shaft and the counterweights for the piston rods was the last load. I had to take the rotor assembly apart just to get it home because of the combined weight. I do like the way they designed this motor over 50 years ago and it was made by Chicago Pneumatic Tool Company. I haven't looked this company up yet but I will tonight just to see if they still exist. I haven't calculated the total weight of the entire motor yet but it is going to be expensive because I am paying by the ton and it is going to be close to ten tons and about a thousand dollars.

George

Tritium · « **Reply #19 on:** October 02, 2007, 10:02:10 AM »

/4 ton truck = 1500 pounds capacity
pound stator = badly overloaded 3/4 ton truck NOT nearly overloaded. :-)

Thurmond

healerenergy · « **Reply #20 on:** October 02, 2007, 05:26:24 PM »

I got the chance to calculate the weights today and the heaviest load 3580 pounds so which was the shaft and rod counter weights. The flywheel halves came in right at 3460 pounds each so it will not weigh as much as I first thought. The flywheel when I put it back together on the shaft will weigh in at 6920 pounds not including shaft weight. Each rotor half weights around 2700 pounds and will probably get a bit lighter because I am going to need to strip the copper from it just to pay for everything because the the motor flywheel combination is at least twice as heavy as I thought it would be so the cost will be double or more. I am figuring around 1100 dollars because the total that I am paying for is 20,040 pounds.

George

healerenergy · « **Reply #21 on:** October 02, 2007, 05:30:51 PM »

Thurmond

Yes it was a badly overloaded pickup and that is why I am glad it had overload blocks on it. I did spot an old two ton tow truck with twin booms on it that has been sitting for three years I want to buy and get running so I don't have to bowwow again to put thie thing back together again.

healerenergy · « **Reply #22 on:** October 02, 2007, 06:37:31 PM »

In my writeup I think I forgot to mention that I got a couple of huge roller bearings from the foundry I work for which were only slightly used. These bearings weigh in at 220 pounds each and have two sets of rollers which are around 2 inches in diameter and about 3 inches long each. My supervisor told me that when these bearings are new they cost around 6000 dollars each so I am really glad to get them for scrap price. This motor originally had babbitt bearings which would produce more drag than roller bearings. I am going to need to design and have machined a bearing housing for these bearings complete with a dry oil sump and pump system similar to Harley Davidson motorcycle has.

George

willib · « **Reply #23 on:** October 10, 2007, 08:23:00 PM »

George i just read your amazing story.

I really like the idea of the flywheel, but on a pedal ( excercize bike).

when i get mine going it only lasts a few seconds before it starts slowing down ,If i had your Flywheel ,lol , i imagine that once i got it going it would last several minutes before it started to slow down..

healerenergy · « **Reply #24 on:** October 11, 2007, 12:03:39 AM »

You might want to put a transmission between the exercise bike and the flywheel, rotor assembly because it weighs close to 16,000 pounds.

George

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Author Topic: Rescue Mission (Read 3496 times)