Author Topic: Brian does Ridders flame eater  (Read 17888 times)

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #120 on: March 05, 2018, 11:20:49 PM »
I'm not sure if the WD40 provided a better piston seal or if it was purely a matter of better lubrication.

Offline Ian S C

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #121 on: March 06, 2018, 11:31:27 AM »
Brian, I find that my Stirling Engines work ok with W-40, it's when you come back a few weeks/months later, and the motor is all gummed up that the trouble starts, I'v got that sorted now, I ungum the motor with brake cleaner aerosol.
Ian S C

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #122 on: March 08, 2018, 09:58:28 PM »
I had to go out for an hour this morning.--Wouldn't you know it, when I got back, there was a note on my door from FedEx, saying that no-one was home to receive the shipment, but they would try again tomorrow!!! I'm thinking that is my stick of machinable graphite.

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #123 on: March 09, 2018, 12:15:04 AM »
Drats Brian. There is always tomorrow though and at least you know it still runs even before the graphite piston and valve. I suspect things will only get better.

Bill

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #124 on: March 09, 2018, 07:06:51 PM »
My machineable graphite came in this morning, so I immediately took it into the machine-shop and made a piston and a valve. It is incredibly filthy stuff, as the picture testifies, but machines very easy. Everything I had read about machineable graphite recommends using carbide tooling to cut it, and maybe for a great deal of machining this may be so. For the little bit of machining I had to do, HSS tooling worked fine.


Offline NickG

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Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #125 on: March 09, 2018, 07:18:42 PM »
Will be interesting to see result. It’s easy to get a good fit isn’t it. Will the spigot on the piston take the constant pounding? Should be ok as the object it’s hitting is much lighter?


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Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #126 on: March 09, 2018, 08:08:24 PM »
Things are reassembled with the machineable graphite valve and piston. I hate to say it, but the engine is no different now than it was with the cast iron valve and piston. It spins very freely, it acts as if it wants to run, but it is very difficult to find that "sweet spot" where it will pick up and keep on running by itself. I know that if you do find that "sweet spot" the engine will set there and tick over beautifully for about 20 minutes until the cylinder heats up to a point where there isn't enough temperature differential to keep it running. I may dick around a bit with different fuels, but unless changing to a hotter fuel does something remarkable, I'm done with this engine.

Offline NickG

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #127 on: March 10, 2018, 09:17:18 AM »
Interesting Brian, so it’s the design that is it’s limitation it seems. It’s novel though, and I think if you can get this to run, you should be able to get most things to run. Of course on I.c engines there are a lot more parts (valves, gears etc) and systems (ignition, fuel) to integrate so they are more difficult. But from a fit and finish point of view. Anyway, good result.


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Offline Ian S C

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #128 on: March 10, 2018, 01:25:54 PM »
Brian, It's a good idea to set up a vacuum cleaner next to the work in the lathe, and have it running as you turn the piston.
Ian S C

Offline Doc

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #129 on: March 10, 2018, 02:38:57 PM »
I agree use a vacuum and even that will not catch it all. Plus I saved sme of the stuff the vacuum collected works great for a dry lube matter fact that is what I used to get my Jan R. engine to run I have bronze valve and piston in it. Anyway these engines are a little on the hard side to get to run.

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #130 on: March 11, 2018, 03:09:57 PM »
I've been thinking--which is probably a dangerous thing. I made my cylinder from 316 stainless to prevent any rust buildup inside the cylinder. (alcohol releases water when it burns). These flame licker engines depend on the heat differential between the flame they suck in and the cooler temperature of the cylinder to cool off the flame and create a vacuum. Someone pointed out that the thermal conductivity of stainless is only about 1/3 of the thermal conductivity of cast iron. I wonder if the poor performance of this engine could be caused by the cylinder material?--And yet Jan Ridders specifies stainless for the cylinder.

Offline Doc

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #131 on: March 11, 2018, 03:17:20 PM »
I tend to agree with you it can be dangerous! Haha but seriously I think you are correct it will I made mine from cast iron but it still has performance issues.

Offline PJPickard

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #132 on: March 11, 2018, 09:07:18 PM »
Brain,

I have been following your build and as it happens today I completed Senft's Poppin engine. The only change I made from the plans was to use a graphite piston. He specified, and I made a cast iron cylinder. There was a bit of fussing getting the valve set up, the only real issue was getting everything tight enough so it didn't come loose when it turned over.

I lit the flame and turned it over a few times and it burst right into life. It seems like it would go forever but my tank is small, it did run steady for 20 mins. I wish I made the burner at an angle so I could get the flame closer to the hole in the cyl head, when its right at the hole it really takes off. I might modify it.

I think I would try a cast iron cylinder, ss is terrible at heat dissipation.

I'll try and post a video of mine later.

Don't give up on it! I'm sure you can get it going better!

Paul

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #133 on: March 11, 2018, 10:12:33 PM »
PJPickard--You may indeed have the correct solution.  In fact, today I've been modelling--

Offline PJPickard

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