Author Topic: New Member MSU  (Read 1467 times)

Offline Cp489

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New Member MSU
« on: January 31, 2020, 06:08:53 PM »
Hello everybody,

My name is Chris Pilmaier. I am currently an undergraduate mechanical engineering student at Mississippi State University. I am currently in a one-on-one class with an instructor. We are studying the historical development of the steam engine. The goal of this class is to recreate a simplified version of Watt's steam engine. Due to simplicity, ours will run off compressed air. The purpose of this project is to be used as an educational demonstration for mechanical engineering students entering the program and as lessons in thermodynamics and mechanisms courses.

I am here so that I can gather information and suggestions of the design. Also to learn more about steam engines themselves. My father told me about this website and comes here often for his leisure time.

The attached photo is a very rough draft of the design currently. I am modeling this using Solidworks software. I cannot take credit for this specific model as this is a video on youtube of a really similar design, only better.

The Youtube Link is as follows: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jVOTBZWkY4" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jVOTBZWkY4</a>

Thank you for your time reading this and I look forward to learn something.

Online Jo

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Re: New Member MSU
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2020, 06:21:05 PM »
 :hi: Chris,

With sun and planet gearing and bevel driven governor that is not the simplest model beam engine to start with  ::)

What are you planning to make it out of? I assume the University has a machine shop.

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline Cp489

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Re: New Member MSU
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2020, 06:33:58 PM »
Jo,

I am located on a satellite campus away from the main campus. There is, however, a machine shop on the satellite campus. It belongs to a community college. The shop instructor has said that they may be able to machine some of our parts.

I plan to make the majority of the moving parts from steel and aluminum. I will be 3D printing part prototypes here within a few weeks to run a position analysis before paying for labor to machine any parts. The budget  for the class is relied on alumni donation, so it is relatively small.

Online Kim

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Re: New Member MSU
« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2020, 07:10:05 PM »
Hi Chris,
Welcome to the forum!
I'm sure you'll find lots of good information here.  Be sure you'll be able to share your work with all of us so we can learn too :)
Looking forward to seeing how it all goes.
Kim

Offline Don1966

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Re: New Member MSU
« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2020, 11:51:31 PM »
Welcome to the forum Chris!


Don  :hi:

Offline Hugh Currin

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Re: New Member MSU
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2020, 11:57:45 PM »
Chris:

As Jo says, the gears will be difficult to make (at least they would be for me). However, I think you can design for stock gears and just buy them. That's what I'd suggest.

The orbital system doubles the speed of the flywheel. Is this to get the same flywheel affect from a smaller flywheel or is there another reason? Very simple and elegant 2:1 gearbox.

Good luck with the build, keep us updated. And welcome to MEM.

Thanks.
Hugh

Offline crueby

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Re: New Member MSU
« Reply #6 on: February 01, 2020, 12:48:43 AM »
Biggest reason for the gears was to get around another makers patent on the crank mechanism. Once the patent expired, they stopped using that geared setup.

Offline scc

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Re: New Member MSU
« Reply #7 on: February 01, 2020, 01:48:34 PM »
Welcome along Chris     :cheers:

Offline Chipswitheverything

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Re: New Member MSU
« Reply #8 on: February 01, 2020, 03:48:32 PM »
Welcome Chris.   I'm rusty on this without doing some looking up, but is this a Watt engine that relies on transferring the steam to a separate condenser, as opposed to the very inefficient earlier Newcomen way of condensing in the cylinder itself at each stroke?  Just thinking that if it works on that atmospheric principle rather than steam under pressure, as per a typical slide valve engine, will it be possible to use compressed air to demonstrate the schematic model?  Dave

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: New Member MSU
« Reply #9 on: February 01, 2020, 06:29:09 PM »
Hi and welcome Chris. Looking forward to seeing updates as your design is finalized.

Bill

Offline Cp489

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Re: New Member MSU
« Reply #10 on: February 01, 2020, 11:42:21 PM »
Hugh,

There's no particular reason I'm doing the gear crank option as it won't be used. I may switch the design to a simple crank-rocker mechanism because it is more simple than the gear system. I will look into some gear sizes for the crankshaft and see if I can pull the CAD models into my assembly if the price is reasonable. Thanks for your suggestions,

Dave,

I am modeling Watts Engine. Not Newcomen's. It will be using compressed air and not all the parts will be used, as the double acting system will exhaust to the atmosphere, as opposed to steam being pulled into the condenser with vacuum pressure. The condenser and air pump will me modeled but will only be sitting there for discussion purposes.

I hope this makes sense. I too am researching this and learning about these engines as I go further in this course.


Thanks you for your response Dave.


Offline Hugh Currin

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Re: New Member MSU
« Reply #11 on: February 02, 2020, 02:46:46 PM »
Chris:

I researched a little online and it does seem the orbital system was to get around a patent on the rod and crank mechanism. So either would be correct. Sounds like the gears of the time weren't well developed and noisy. However, the orbital system would be nice for a demonstration machine.

Look forward to seeing the development of your engine. Thanks.

Hugh,

There's no particular reason I'm doing the gear crank option as it won't be used. I may switch the design to a simple crank-rocker mechanism because it is more simple than the gear system. I will look into some gear sizes for the crankshaft and see if I can pull the CAD models into my assembly if the price is reasonable. Thanks for your suggestions,

Dave,

I am modeling Watts Engine. Not Newcomen's. It will be using compressed air and not all the parts will be used, as the double acting system will exhaust to the atmosphere, as opposed to steam being pulled into the condenser with vacuum pressure. The condenser and air pump will me modeled but will only be sitting there for discussion purposes.

I hope this makes sense. I too am researching this and learning about these engines as I go further in this course.


Thanks you for your response Dave.
Hugh

Offline Hugh Currin

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Re: New Member MSU
« Reply #12 on: February 02, 2020, 02:51:51 PM »
Yes. I looked a little online and found that was the main, if not only, reason. Sounded like gears of the time were crude and noisy. I suppose a speed increase would be better done with a two gear train rather than a planetary system. Still an ingenious mechanism.

Thanks for putting me on the right track.

Biggest reason for the gears was to get around another makers patent on the crank mechanism. Once the patent expired, they stopped using that geared setup.
Hugh

 

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