Rocket Man
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2011
- Messages
- 240
- Reaction score
- 121
I heat my work shop with a wood stove in winter. I set my sterling fan on the wood stove to run and circulate the heat all day with no attention at all but a faster more powerful fan will work better.
My idea is to build a water tank that sets right on top of the wood stove then build a 1 cylinder fan on top of the water tank. Give the fan blade a spin it will run like a sterling Fan engine. The fan needs to run a water pump, .125" diameter piston .250" stroke will probably be enough to pump water into the boiler tank. Might need to gear drive or belt drive the pump to a 90% slower speed than the fan, 1 drop of water for about every 10 engine strokes. I want the fan to run all day so it does not need to be turned off to add more water. All the fan needs is a small tank that holds about 1/2 cup water to pump into the boiler tank for about 1 hour.
I already did tests, 1.5" diameter piston 1.5" stroke will turn a 24" fan blade 1000 rpms on 100 psi it produces so much power it is dangerous. 5 to 10 psi runs much better.
1" piston with 1.5" stroke is good it turns the same 24" blade slower, a smaller blade might be better.
I need a way to regulate how much water is pumped into the boiler and a governor to regulate stream pressure so the fan runs a continuous speed all day.
I don't want to be continually screwing with the fan every 5 minutes it needs to run with no attention for at least 1 hour each time, all day long for 8 hours.
I know a larger more powerful 4" bore beta sterling fan is the answer but I think a steam power fan will be more FUN to have.
My idea is to build a water tank that sets right on top of the wood stove then build a 1 cylinder fan on top of the water tank. Give the fan blade a spin it will run like a sterling Fan engine. The fan needs to run a water pump, .125" diameter piston .250" stroke will probably be enough to pump water into the boiler tank. Might need to gear drive or belt drive the pump to a 90% slower speed than the fan, 1 drop of water for about every 10 engine strokes. I want the fan to run all day so it does not need to be turned off to add more water. All the fan needs is a small tank that holds about 1/2 cup water to pump into the boiler tank for about 1 hour.
I already did tests, 1.5" diameter piston 1.5" stroke will turn a 24" fan blade 1000 rpms on 100 psi it produces so much power it is dangerous. 5 to 10 psi runs much better.
1" piston with 1.5" stroke is good it turns the same 24" blade slower, a smaller blade might be better.
I need a way to regulate how much water is pumped into the boiler and a governor to regulate stream pressure so the fan runs a continuous speed all day.
I don't want to be continually screwing with the fan every 5 minutes it needs to run with no attention for at least 1 hour each time, all day long for 8 hours.
I know a larger more powerful 4" bore beta sterling fan is the answer but I think a steam power fan will be more FUN to have.