Converting small gas engine to steam

[quantum]

Ok, please don't laugh...

Is there any reason why a small lawnmower engine cannot be converted to run on steam? how many HP would it produce? how much steam is required? I searched the internet and found very little to nothing at all on it. Either I'm not asking the right question or I'm not searching correctly. Has anyone done this? I look forward to any ideas, comments or links. Thank you!

[George Andreasen]

Why laugh...it's been done. I've seen a Briggs and Stratton converted by changing the valve timing. Since the intake and exhaust valves are on individual cams, they were simply advanced or retarded for the desired result. I've seen an Evinrude outboard (two stroke) in the rear of a Volkswagen and a flash boiler up front. That was back in the sixties and the car was nicknamed "Puff the magic beetle". Ran pretty good too! So basically anything with a reciprocating piston can be converted.

[KeithW]

A custom cam and away you go. A couple of issues. As it would not be double acting it would not self start on the exhaust stroke so you would have to get it turning by hand. You would have to expect less power as your steam pressure would be much less than the fuel burning. As a WAG I would think a 5 HP gas might make about 1 HP on steam. Usefull but not a hot rod. Don't forget to inject oil in the steam to lube the piston and the crankcase oil is going to get lots of water in it. Yes, I've thought about this also.

keithw

[Wayne Welch]

Here is a picture of one I have. I thought it was interesting so I bought it. It does run on air. There was a boiler with it, but it didn't look safe.

[Andrew Mackey]

I recently sold a B&S 5-s that had been converted to steam, back in the '40s. It was used on an old shrimp trawler, based in southern NJ. When I first aquired it, it was slightly stuck, had all the cooling fins removed, a 1/4"pipe plug in the spark plug hole, and what appeared to be a cast iron valve wheel for a flywheel. I found it while 'sidewalk shopping', and brought it home. I pit some Kero in the cylender, and had the piston freed in about 15 seconds! The oil was skuzzy, and I could see that it had water in it. I also noted that the valves seemed to be working all the time. Imagine my surprise when I took off the oil sump, and found that each cam lobe actually is a pair! I closed the engine back together, and then stopped by the house where I found the engine. I asked The former owner if he had any info on the engine. He told me that the engine was used as a bilge pump engine, and it had a reversing valve, (to clear the pump). It was removed from the boat, by the man's father, when the boat was scrapped. The former owner then gave me a box that had the reversing valve, and all the related piping! I had had the engine on display for several years. It is now owned by Charlie Stewart,'Mr Briggs', here in NJ. Using the cam design, I converted a REO 45Degree cast iron engine, also to run on steam as well. I still have it.

I’m very interested to learn more about converting an internal combustion engine to steam... I’m building a boiler, actually it’s built and I’m building a concrete building around it. My original plan was to buy a small 1HP steam engine to use with the boiler, after pricing the new steam engines I thought one could do the same job with a converted engine...

My objective is to use the steam engine to turn a small 24V DC permanent magnet motor with a bridge diode to allow it to be used as a generator. You can see this motor and it’s specs at http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower...ivemotors.html The little generator only requires 1260 RPM’s to produce 48.3 VDC with 12.0 Amps. My goal is to build a steam engine to produce this work in order for this generator to recharge my solar battery bank at night. This system of solar in the day and small steam powered generator at night should allow me to go off the electric grid and run a couple small air conditioners along with other household requirements.

I have a friend that owns and operates an equipment rental center who could build the engine given a few tips on “how to” change the valve function... any help would be appreciated.

[Bud Forrer]

Guys
here is a link to a site that has a lot of info on steam on it. A friend of ours a 91 year old gentleman by the name of John Wetz from Waterman Illinois is working on a early 90s Ranger pickup converting the 4 cylinder engine to steam. This is the organization he is a member of. http://www.steamautomobile.com/ He has made a steam powered Bicycle, garden tractor, and numerous other conversions. He usually uses a flash boiler to make the steam. he also is the person who helped us (Dad and me ) figuring out a lot of stuff when we got started in Gas engines in 1976.
Bud Forrer

[Jim McIntyre]

Originally Posted by Changeyourlatitude

The little generator only requires 1260 RPM’s to produce 48.3 VDC with 12.0 Amps. My goal is to build a steam engine to produce this work in order for this generator to recharge my solar battery bank at night. This system of solar in the day and small steam powered generator at night should allow me to go off the electric grid and run a couple small air conditioners....

WHAT? You better have some REALLY SMALL air conditioners if you expect to run them with a 48V, 12A generator.

(People going "off-grid!!" Jeesh, why don't they ever do the math?)

[LewisR]

hi i need a stean engien to turn a 250 kw generator .is there any thing i could use it has to be a wood burning stean engien .can any one help me ? i need one real bad . Lewis Rash

[Eric M.]

In order to drive 250 KW worth of generator, you would need an engine ab out this size http://www.agsem.com/Corliss2-1024.jpg (swiped from agsem.com)

12' diameter flywheel, approximatley 3 1/2 foot bore, 4 foot stroke. Good luck finding an engine that size, and even better luck finding a wood-fired boiler of sufficient size.