suction / compressor powered engine (video)

[Aerolight]

This is just a prelude to the twin cylinder 9x4 bore rectilinear engine; built as a test bed while the strange parts (for a technic model at least, 1x10  (50) and 1x12  (50) system) arrive.

(first video on flicker was an ordeal) 

IMG_2380 by michael waterfield, on Flickr

IMG_0415 by michael waterfield, on Flickr

The engine consists of a 4x4x5 gauge as the longest system pieces I have at the moment are 1x8, this is why there is an outrageously long piece existing the cylinder as it is meant for the cylinder with a stroke of 9. The cylinder consists of two layers of system; one (outer) conventional and the inner layer is built sideways so the bore and valve seat are perfectly smooth (this allows the engine to make 10 revolutions from a single hand spin of the flywheel).

You may have noticed the tether beam no-clipping through the 1x4s, I milled out a half cross on each one so there would be an almost air tight seal that still allows for movement (to a less than 5 thousands of an inch clearance on all sides). While I would (of course) prefer not to modify pieces the gain in functionality is so great it cant be ignored (it also looks a lot cleaner than other solutions), but no other modifications or glue so that's positive.

IMG_0417 by michael waterfield, on Flickr

All the other lego brick built engines (that I've seen) make a chuging sound but it is an allusion; their sound comes from the leaking air from the cylinder and stops when the valve closes. But with the smooths tight walls and the tight fit of the conrod this one makes an authentic chuffing sound; sound is produced by the opening of the valves in an exhaust state - sounds like a real engineered stationary engine of the same size. The engine runs very fast even on the lowest setting on my hoover (although mine is from before the EU rule limiting their power (2.2 kw); known as the dyson accords lel) and produces plenty of torque even with its small displacement, unfortunately I don't have the lego tachometer so I made this basic guvnor which the engine can easily max out (if you want to get a handle on just how fast this is gear up a motor to do the same). The engine is built without relying on any friction connections which allows it to endure far higher pressures than it would otherwise, watching videos of these in action and you can tell their builder is being careful with the amount of suction so as not to rip the piston off the end of the axle/conrod. The engine is surprisingly close to air tight - if you hold the flywheel the hoover hits it cut-off meaning the engine is looseing less air form its gaps than the vacuum is producing, even on its lowest (200watt) setting.

I all-ways said I would use the method from the failed gas engine for something a Littlemore Victorian....

Edited November 28, 2019 by Aerolight
add video

[Aerolight]

Woops appears I uploaded a photo rather than a video (first pic) so here's the video (hopefully)

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/183144762@N07/49136474108/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_2380"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/31337/49136474108_c9c4443e40_k.jpg" width="1920" height="1080" alt="IMG_2380"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

since this version I have tried to add some sort of valve gear but the valve is so tight that all my attempts use more power than the engine produces, so might just omit it from the final version. 

 

guess not sorry for that - guess you have to click the picture and watch via flicker - rip me 3 post by myself I feel bad