The way of the future once the post apocalypse collapse has happened? For more inspiration: Note...these contraptions may not pass muster with EPA pollution control regulation or road worthiness registration in accordance with local public road use legislation...but then again...in a post apocalyptic collapse...who will Give a f*ck about that anyway???
Steam peaked in the late 40s only because other means of propulsion we're easier to maintain and safer! Given modern technology, metulargy and manufacturing, steam could easily prove to be the next big thing in motive power! I always enjoy learning how folks are continuing to push the boundaries of what's possable, and with steam power, we have only really scratched the surface! If there was a push and enough insentive, we could see a resurgence of steam as a very modern, safe, and reliable motive power system! Jay Leno is famous for saying that engineers are the future, and that if we allow and encourage them, they will lead us down roads we thought were impossible!
Main hurtle in the US is building your own boiler. Not something you want to try to figure out, build and perfect after the power goes out.
Years ago, I ran across a website about an Indian company that manufactured steam engines, mostly for use in India. These steam engines burned waste materials, dung, wood, coal, etc., and could pump water, grind grain, and produce electricity. I pretty sure that they are forbidden in the USA due to EPA regulations concerning air quality and climate change. Shipping cost would be a bitch and it might take years to get here.
From my research, there are many folks out there that can make really good boilers that will last. Picking the materials and coatings is the key, along with some one who is a Boiler welder! Beyond that, the sky is the limit! Figuring out which type of engine and transmission/ power train is all in what your going to use it for, after that, it's all golden! The safety concerns are far easier to deal with today, hell, with computer tech, the system could be fully automatic with plenty of fail-safes and warnings of trouble before it becomes a bomb! Steam has proved it's self super powerful for the energy density's it can produce, so finding the proper fuel source(s) would be the key!
still remember hearing one of the last BIG steam locomotives on a fair well tour passing near my home... WHOA! you could both hear and feel it and it was over at least 5 miles away maybe 10! what a sound! those old songs about trains made way more sense after I heard that thing!!! think the crew on such was probably deaf... but see on youtube n such people doing what your talkin about...
can't find it now but I saw an article a few years ago where a giant winter storm made diesel locomotives unable to operate, they brought out an old steam loco to clear the tracks, think it was in Europe
Would you not need to ensure you can get inside your boiler to descale it every so often? Just curious... It would be cool to have something to tinker with but I would want to ensure the boiler was quality made as don't want a steam bath.
Depends on the "Fuel" your running, the more coking, the more often it needs a good cleaning! Diesels like #5 don't coke near as much as coal or other heavy fuels, and wood if it's set up properly dosnt coke much at all! You can also use high pressure steam if you have a duel boiler system, simply shut down one side and blow the cold side out, then switch boilers and repeat as needed! Most systems don't run multiple boilers, so your chimney brushing out your tubes, which most are set up to allow pretty easily! Then there's cleaning out the smoke box and flame grate, but those are far easier to access, so, it's just a part of operations with these systems!
You gotta love how that guy in the 12 V Generator video thinks, re-using and re-purposing some of the metal parts that he removed from the old gas cylinder, and even the idea of using the old gas cylinder as a pressure vessel.
The Indian company that makes the steam engines is called Tinytech. They make steam engines from 3 hp to 20 hp, and also make boilers. They price the engines in US $ and can apparently ship to the USA. Check them out.
hmmm... thanks for the link Wildbilly... https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/steam-engines-for-your-own-power-3797839588.html engines there... boilers?
