User:Fishpaw/ENES-100/Final Page for Steam Engine

Building a Steam Engine
The first three weeks of this project was worked on by
 * Janel Fishpaw
 * Ram Hei
 * Adam Reynold
 * Tyler Hornberger

Research
While in class the group talked about
 * basic components
 * potential designs
 * materials required
 * general how to build a steam engine because no one had any experience building a steam engine

We felt that by limiting the research to the four items it would allow us to stay focused. The group split up to do some research into steam engines on the internet.

We all looking into the basic components required to make a steam engine work. Through this research we decided to focus on building a double action piston.

The group found several diagrams that the design was pulled from.


 * Design 1
 * Design 2
 * Design 3

This piston type is designed for the piston to always have air pressure on it, this is achieved by switching the inlet and exhaust ports on the piston reaches either end of the piston cylinder.

Making a Double Action Piston
Due to the ability of SolidEdge to produce a more accurate model the group decided to use this program. The designing of the piston needed to be as accurate as possible to minimize any of the air pressure that might escape through gaps. We had initially divided up the labor up for designing the parts that we would need to build. The group also talked about using the MakerBot to print the piston.

Our first attempt was to make the entire housing one piece but then we realized that in order to manipulate anything inside the housing would require us to reprint the whole thing. This was not an ideal set up. Then we talked about trying to figure out how to split the housing in a way that would allow the most access to all the pieces required. It was pointed out to us that the two did not have to be attached to each other. This allowed us to focus on just making a piston rod, valve rod and then two housings that were connected by some tubing.

The problem we ran into with solid edge was not being able to get a hole in the rounded side of the rod. This was an issue that we presented to the class and through this presentation we found the right mix of search words in goggle to do this. Through seaching "punch a hole in a cylinder in solid edge" Drilling a hole on cylindrical surface. This allowed us to put a hole at the external end of the piston shaft that could eventually attach the piston to the flywheel.

Week 3 Building
It was decided to make the piston cylinder out of PVC because of its pressure rating and its price. It was decided to use a 20" length of 2" PVC pipe so there would be room for more error than there would on something smaller. Next a 20" piece of 1/2" PVC was cut to make the piston arm and to that was added a 1/2"x 1" bushing, a 1"x 1-1/4" bushing, and a 1-1/4" cap to make the piston head. Now wrap tape around the piston head until it just fits inside the 2" PVC pipe. Next, cut a 1/2" hole in the center of a 2" cap to the piston arm can just fit though it. Put the piston arm though the cap and connect it to the 2" pipe so that the piston head is inside of the Piston cylinder. Now put another 2" cap on the other side. The Piston Cylinder is now ready for the airports and to be connect to the pressure switching cylinder. The next step was to drill 2 1/4" holes on the 2" PVC cylinder 2-1/2" from each end of the cylinder for airports. The ports are positioned 2-1/2" from each side to avoid the piston head from bottoming out. Now that the holes are drilled screw in 2 1/4" male to male couplings into the holes and to them screw on 1" lengths of 1/2" CPVC pipe. Next, connect 2 3/4"x 1/2"x 3/4" CPVC T's to the 1/2" CPVC airports. Then measure to distance between the two T's and and cut a piece of 3/4" CPVC pipe to an longer than that. (So that the 3/4" pipe could fit inside of the T's. Than drill a 1/4" hole in the center of the 3/4" pipe so an air inlet valve could be connected.