OT...Steam Boilers

Hairy,

woops wrong site.

I'll try to find wright site.

Cheers

The cylindrical part of the boiler, that is!!! Michael

Gday,
The tank part is (approx) 100mm dia copper, 150mm long with 10 x 1/2 copper (approx 10mm dia) fire tubes through it. Its a Horizontal boiler so half of it will be in the fire box + the two ends.

Cheers

Yeah ...but the guts have rotted out of most of them..LOL

All that ink a hol...I thought it was meant to preserve em ? LOL

Yeh Sad
Happens eh, no pride, what's left?
Fusible Plug on the crown?

Hahahahaha.......
LOL

As soon as I hit the submit button I thought I had just set myself up for a bagging.

I actualy expected Handy to come in like a bull at a gate..LOL

Cheers

your not making that horrible moonshine again hey.

Get back to work!!!

And say Gday to the Mrs.......

Cheers

what the harley getting a bit hard to kick over old man. lol

Naaaaaa........... Just thought it might be cheaper to run.
If you like , Ill build you one for the Rattler.....
It would be like an updated motor for you...LOL

Gday Ray,
That is the total heating surface area...including that of the tubes..

No I didnt see the program and dont know what you are talking about with the valves.
The only part that I think could be "hypothetical" would be the type of burner I used?
I need to work out the out put of the boiler

Yorkshire Boiler??
My wife and her brother own a 1926 Yorkshire Steam Wagon.It is a diagonally tubed boiler, fire box in the centre tubes going out to smoke boxes each side and back to super heater and out, from memory 24 tubes each side
I have images of it here on this machine I will try to get them to work.

My good Wife and her brother have 2nd Class Marine Tickets
I have the HT License to steer it but can't operate it
Solenoid valves instead of slide valves, no reversing lever?

Gday Russnic,
The one Im building is only a little model to start. Something to build with my son. Then we might make a bigger one to power our canoe...LOL
A photo of your would be good

Cheers

Hi Hairy
Sorted out a couple of photos I might have to put them on my blog to get it toi work.
The beautiful face is my wife, the guy in the middle is the bro in law, the big old bugger behind the camera is me.

Dunno if its me..but I cant find the photos?

I can't either I will try again

Got it to work this time, have another look on my Blog.
Cheers

Wow....
Would love a toy like that!

Cheers

Gday,
Im not exactly sure.....say 40psi for this exercise.
I need to blow one up to test it!
I was going to pressure test it to about 120 and run it at around 60 psi. Its all prety experimental at this stage.

Cheers.

Yeah...it'll be fine.

Hi No 1
If the water level is kept up copper would not be a problem.
The Fusible Plug is hollow steel plug filled with lead that screws into the the crown at the top of the firebox. Let the water level drop below the crown and the lead melts shooting steam/water? into the fire box, theory extinguish the fire.
In a previous reply on Old Boilers I mentioned Fusible plugs, I did not intend to be offensive but all old "steam" boilers had one! and I guess they still put them in boilers

Fusible plugs are used in alot of industries, including mine (aircon & refrigeration) and i know what they are...they are filled with a soft solder each of which are designed to rupture (let go) at a rated temp (or pressure depending on what the medium is)

its just that i thought copper in an open flame seems to form a lot of oxidising scale and degrades a whole fatser than steel.

I'm not saying it can/couldnt handle the pressures (depends on how high they are of course), its the life expectancy under those conditions...

but then again i might be wrong

Well you are more up with it than me, I am still in Traction Engine Technology when it comes to steam. I would hate to be on the Footplate if a plug blew. I suppose I would be running before then, no water, no injector working, safety valve screaming, I would be heading for the hills not trying to drop the fire out.
The Old guys put Blue Gum bark in the boilers to avoid oxidation, seems to work, helped re tube an engine years ago and the inside of the boiler was coated in a black sticky, almost oily type substance, I was told it was from the bark.

just been looking at web info and as you both are saying they did use copper for boilers....wonder why ??? (other than heat transfer coefficients) maybe i'll find out one day....

I have only seen model type copper boilers know very little about building them, heat transfer could be a reason? easier to work with, ie forming tube plates?.
It has always amazed me that they could bend and rivet the steel plates 100 or so years ago and get them steam tight, helped to retube a 1908 traction engine, stay tubes and all. It was not light plate that was used. I have been told that when the boilers were first fired up a mixture of oatmeal and cow dung was put in the boiler along with the first full of water. I know we had some tubes fizzing a little, when cold, gave the expander a run again put some of the same mix in, and fired up again, stopped the fizzing.
That was a couple a three years ago and I was only the boy on the job so don't quote me.
I was always a Horses and Cattle Man myself, but the things that you do!!.

Gday,
Its been hinted at...LOL

Yeah...I want to build one with my young fella.

Gday Kev,
cc5000 at bigpond.com
Cheers
Hairy

Dont quite get what you mean???

Can you tell me what forum? If I was aware of the formula Ive asked for I wouldnt be asking...would I???

Go to Railpage Australia, www.railpage.com.au find the forum section scroll down to find Australian miniture Railways and look for the topic "Boiler HP'