2 Cycle Gas to Steam Conversion Kit

by Daves Homestead

9.7K106

Intro: 2 Cycle Gas to Steam Conversion Kit

My name is David Nash.

My business plan is to provide an kit that allows the simple conversion of gasoline powered 2 cycle engines into steam powered engines.

There is a lot of interest in this project and numerous designs to do the conversions, however, it can be hard for the average consumer to find the parts locally, as well as to measure and create the push rods to allow the device to operate.

My goal is to not only build a turn key kit, that allows the user to simply screw the product into the spark plug port on a stripped two cycle engine, but to create accessories that allow the purchaser to convert the engine output into usable energy such as electrical or motive power.

In a disaster situation or a rural or depressed area where gasoline is not readily available, this product can provide life sustaining power just by burning scrap wood.

The majority of the funds would be to source the parts needed, as well as to create push rods for specific engine models, the rest would be to prototype and design a pull starter to safely start the engine, as well as to design mounting adapters and brackets for attaching generators.

I would market this though my website www.tngun.com, as well as through my youtube channel www.youtube.com/tngun, and the various forums and groups I am affiliated with.

6 Comments

rjnerd 11 years ago

Finally a steam conversion that can develop actual power. (tho unless you are willing to run 500 psi, you won't get anywhere near orignial output).

One thing that you didn't address, lubrication. Since you aren't running fuel mix thru the crankcase, you should be able to add some sort of lubricant. For the cylinder, I think you need to add a displacement lubricator to the kit. They are simple and cheap (no moving parts), but admittedly won't help if you are running off air. (but I don't expect use of air except in testing/demo). See http://the-nerds.org/Steam-101.html for a description.

Oh yea, no reason you couldn't use this to convert 4 stroke engines. Ones with centrally located spark plugs are easiest. Disable the existing valvetrain, (pull rockers, or pushrods, or cam, etc) and drill exhaust ports in the cylinder wall at BDC.

Daves Homestead 11 years ago

In the actual video of this project (not the contest entry) I address that - I used a inline oiler - it leaked some, and I admit I have to do some tweaking to get it right, but I get your point.

I have seen a video online where a man did just what you are suggesting on 4 stroke engine - he made a steam powered lawnmower.

My main concern is the design of a simple, inexpensive, yet safe boiler.

On my actual website http://www.tngun.com I ended up converting a pressure cooker into a simple boiler - but for safety sake I did not attempt to use superheated steam.

Thanks for the comment and the link, I will check the-nurds out.

rjnerd 11 years ago

In terms of a safe boiler, I would go with a flash boiler - the less liquid the better with unskilled operators. Since it must have a feed pump, you don't have the issue of someone not keeping track of water level, and running their boiler dry.

A flash boiler also means no seams, no boiler stays, etc. The only real issue is under low load/low water flow, the steam temp can get silly. This is really noticeable with solid fuel, where you can't turn the fire down at will.

The other advantage of a tube flash boiler is lots of surface area, to give you a lot of steam volume. There is even a design that brazes in BB's between the tubes (takes vacuum brazing to implement) to further increase the surface - they managed to get 5hp out of a boiler that was literally the size of a 2lb coffee can (as that is what they made the outer shell from).

Simple pot boilers like your pressure cooker have a couple of problems, especially for amateur construction. Start with very low heating area, then there are strength issues with the otherwise unsupported flat top and bottom.

Take a look at a traditional boiler (say from a locomotive) the fire tubes have two functions - one is to increase the surface area in contact with flame, but the second is to tie the end plates together. (and where they have the big flat plates around the firebox, they connect them with a grid of bolts).

One possibility, is the "Newton Coil" style of boiler. This is built from a single large diameter coiled tube, (coil axis vertical) with a tube connecting the top of the coil to the bottom. It acts like a pot boiler, with a water level, and steam above. Sure, water is added at the bottom, and steam taken off the top, but you have a sight glass, showing a water level. You feed water intermittently, not continuously like a flash boiler. (and like a pot boiler, it takes time to heat up, not the steam in seconds of a flash boiler).

mr sethm 10 years ago

could u please share the link of the 5hp flash boiler that u mention above

pfred2 11 years ago

"he made a steam powered lawnmower. "

ha ha ha ha I've been wondering lately why I keep coming to this site but reading that line has made it worthwhile! Do you have a link to this video? I've got to see it now!

Is this it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qGI6Ogiasg

He won't have to worry if it cuts the grass or not, when he rolls that fire over it that should do the trick! bwahahaha