[Gasification] engines (steam)

[GFWHELL at aol.com]

Toby. 
In my steam days: on " locomotives and ships", The  locomotive engineers were 
obsessed with "CUT OFF" on their reciprocating  engines, This is the 
automatic adjustment of the valves controlling the  admission of superheated steam to 
the piston face, as, once the valve closes,  the super heated steam continues 
to expand after the steam has been admitted.  This is all,  taken care of by 
the Stevenson or Welchearts or what have  you, valve operating gear. They could 
"wind this system down toward the neutral  point. (beyond which, is reverse) 
as the engine gained RPM.
 They could run an engine at high speed with only 30% or less  of the piston 
travel being supplied with steam, after which.  the  admitted steam was cut 
off.
At the same time some engines were designed as compound engines, which used  
the exhaust steam to drive a "lower pressure set" of pistons of larger 
diameter,  before the steam was  finally about to condense, 
This is what you had in mind for your Jag engine?, using two driven by the  
exhaust of one?.
At high speed, the engine was now getting steam in advance of  pistons 
reaching the end of  stroke. somewhat like the IC advanced  ignition.
Using a converted I. C. engine, having only one side of the piston  exposed 
to steam  pressure, could cause problems in the crank case due  to condensation 
of water, which  is bound to occur with the  lubricating oil .

 
The ultimately required valve operating system might be difficult  to achieve 
on a converted ICE.
 
The demise of the external combustion engine was mostly due to: high  
maintenance costs, especially the boiler, cheap oil,  and improvements  to the  
diesel engine.
 
Now on: a steam turbine, driven ship. "Steam power"  had got about as  good 
as it gets.The boilers ran at 800 psi or more, delivering superheated steam  to 
"A Series of Compound" turbines. The last of which discharged into a  Vacuum.
The whole steam cycle ran on double distilled water. Not unlike nuke  powered 
ships of today.
The fuel consumed was "STREIGHT OUT OF THE GROUND " liquid coal, so thick  
you could stand a spoon up in it. This raw crude still had sand and contained  
million year old sea shells.  It had to be heated and filtered, before  
spraying it into the boiler, to burn.  "No undocumented refinement costs"  here.
Which brings me to : The amazing: TESLA TURBINE. Why are we not pursuing  the 
development of this "simple to make and assemble" device. Only now, are some  
innovators bringing this to market.
I have access to a plasma cutter which could ,knock out a set of "Disks" in  
TITANIUM if required.to make a low pressure multi stage turbine to operate on  
REFRIGERANT.
 The main shaft: out put, having a couple of WORM AND PIIONON  REDUCTIONS.for 
a generator or an old induction motor for co generation.
The guy who makes those 20 hp steam engines could make a Tesla turbine for  
20% of the cost.
Take a look at the "TESLA DISK TURBINE" book from Lindsey  publications
 
Regards 
 
Geoff