Multifacet parabolic solar concentrator

Step 8 Heat exahgner.

For the heat-exchanger, take a length of 1/2 inch copper pipe (about 8 or 10 feet). Cut it into lengths of 12 inches and use copper "T" junctions. Sweat (solder) them together using high temperature solder and a propane torch. If you've never done it before, read about how to sweat copper. Of utmost importance is to dry fit everything before you sweat your first joint. Also, keep everything very clean. Very Very clean. Use lots of flux. Otherwise, you'll have lots of leaks. Leaks are no fun.

The structure will look much like this. Note that there are gaps between the rows. You can take yet more copper and just solder them in between as shown on the right-most end of this example.

The gap filling ones don't need to be watertight. They're only there so that the light hits them and conducts the heat instead of passing through the gaps.

Comments

[South Texas Connection]

Hello All I'm not sure what is ment by "solder" these joints. If this "boiler" gets to the temp. as implied, I'm not sure this will whole together. Could blow apart. Instead of solder I would suggest using "silfas" ( not sure of spelling). This is what A/C repair men use to connect copper tubing in A/C work. The pipe might burst, but the joint want.. Just a though. As for as an engine goes: use a 5hp. B&S eng. Remove the head- discard. Make another head from a block of alum. Bore a hole paralell with the crankshaft, make a rotary valves & turn it 1 to 1 with crankshaft. You can find rotary valve set up on the net. This enging will have untold HP. according to steam pressure your using.. catch you later: STC