eagle1109
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Do you want a burner-fired steam engine with a direct or belt-driven generator, or a direct-solar-concentrator / hot-working-fluid powered one ??
Yes a small project for diploma graduation.Proof of concept, or more than a few Watts ??
ReallyA few moments on Amazon found many options...
Yes, I don't think we have "locate a local steam enthusiast" in Saudi ArabiaBut, given the eye-watering cost of the better miniature steam engines, unless you can locate a local steam enthusiast
Yes I found some of these engine on aliexpress but they need burn effect to work, I need to find something which receives steam pressure and convert that to rotating speed.you may do better looking at the small Stirling hot-air engines. Some are even intended as 'demonstrations' of your project, will spin a tiny generator, light some LEDs.
Oh really! that's cool, so I guess I can disassemble the part which could contain the water, and connect that to a hose to receive the steam pressure. Would that work?The end-fired variety, where the hot bulb is readily accessible at one side, would allow switching modes between convenient fuel-burner and bulky solar concentrator.
Thank you so much for the provided ideas, you are really helping me a lot of thinking about the project hardware. So you mean I can predict the actual project environment of the sun by the "incandescent spot-lamp"? Could that really provide some heat with the lenses?IMHO, to demonstrate latter, you may need to fore-go reliance on clement weather, use an inexpensive Fresnel lens plus an incandescent spot-lamp...
Yes, well actually the basic structure for the project; would be just solar cells, rechargeable batteries and a voltage regulator. But this project would look really simple and not entertaining in diploma final project demonstrations. So I want something more complicated and has more hardware and maybe also to simulate the operation in power plants which work completely or partially on the solar energy.Another option would be a solar powered sterling engine if you decide to go that route. I think you can find them on eBay.
You could consider air motors, perhaps one with stainless hard parts and high temp tolerant seals (how hot is the steam, or working fluid?). Put it inside a pressure pot and you could get decent fluid recovery.
A demo solar project has greater impact if it makes something move. Say, a motor spinning a propeller.
The motor needs to be extremely efficient if you intend it to run from a small photovoltaic panel.
Or a lit bulb which heats air which spins a pinwheel overhead.
Miniature steam engines are available for over $50. I don't think they run on electricity. Their paint and polish look so professional that it would become the centerpiece, capturing admiration away from your project. Same with a Stirling engine.
Some years ago I had considered building a small system that used freon instead of water. My inspiration was from transferring liquid freon from one tank to another. Connect a full tank to a empty tank and the pressure quickly equalizes and no liquid is transferred. Now set the empty tank in a tub of ice water and the freon starts to migrate over to the empty tank. The flow of gas from one tank to another would drive the motor. All the same basic principles just less heat needed to boil the fluid. But and idea is as far as I went with it.
A simple steam engine is Hero's aeolipile. Just maybe it develops enough speed and torque, so that you could attach the shaft of a small cassette motor, turning it into an electric generator.
Or it might be easier to have a stationary tank of water, generating steam which drives a turbine (or farm type windmill).
Notice the windmill is attached to a small motor, generating electricity through wires.
Hi,
Here is a toy manufacturer.
They build small steam engines. Working models.
https://www.wilesco.de/en
Klaus
It seems fitting to make two projects, one for each application of solar energy: electric and heating. Both are important.
To make a model, I picture a foot square board, and 100 or 200 small mirrors reflecting light up to a central tower. The mirrors might be made from small squares of aluminum foil, or shiny sheet metal. Each must be positioned individually, a tedious job.
The tower can have a photovoltaic panel at top, or a metal tank carrying water.
The panel might charge a capacitor for a few minutes, which powers a bulb for a few seconds whenever you shield the project from light.
The water can turn to steam and drive an engine, or circulate to a heat exchanger. Etc.
Tilt the board so that light focuses onto the tower. That is easy to adapt to any direction, rather than moving a hundred little mirrors. If you want to mimic a tracking system for each mirror, it will be more realistic but also a great deal of work.
Is it unlimited pressure with the freon? Unlike the steam pressure. What's the difference? How "discharged into the atmosphere so there is no back pressure" where it's in a closed loop, so there's no way for steam to run away? Sorry maybe not a professional question but I don't have a scientific background about this.Yes, that's the general idea. The main drawback is that it's a closed loop system. Water steam can just be discharged into the atmosphere so there is no back pressure. You wouldn't want to do that with freon. So your power is limited by how fast you can condense the gas.
OK, so you mean they aren't so efficient. But they are used in big solar power plants. So, how would I measure the effectiveness of this process?From what I understand it's not that solar trackers aren't needed. It's more a matter of cost and maintenance
Could you point me to links about this topic? thanks,I see that there are "fluid powered solar trackers". This might be a way to kill two birds with one stone. Although it's not steam powered it does demonstrate how heating a fluid can produce useful work. Just a thought.
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