High service temp reinforcement resin

[sigurd]

Hello

I am trying to find a suitable resin for making steam cylinders from carbon tow.

I wish to design for a boiler pressure of 70 bar, saturated steam at this pressure is 285C but it can be superheated, so I guess at least 400C service temperature minimum is required.

If I cannot find such a matrix resin, I will start looking for a suitable insulation material for the inside of the cylinder. Maybe a ceramic material could serve as mold, liner and insulation in one?
Then I could use a high temp epoxy, such as this one (http://www.cotronics.com/vo/cotr/pdf/4460.pdf), rated up to 315C.

I have seen carbon/metal prepregs (http://www.fibernide.com/carbon.html) with service temps to 700C, but it required vacuuming at 1300C which I am not sure how to do.

ps. The title should read "high temp matrix" or something.
pps. 500 strokes per minute (equivalent 250 rpm) should be enough.

[apex1]

Hello

I am trying to find a suitable resin for making steam cylinders from carbon tow.

I wish to design for a boiler pressure of 70 bar, saturated steam at this pressure is 285C but it can be superheated, so I guess at least 400C service temperature minimum is required.
That, in my humble opinion, is the sheer frenzy in a floating device.
If I cannot find such a matrix resin, I will start looking for a suitable insulation material for the inside of the cylinder. Maybe a ceramic material could serve as mold, liner and insulation in one?
Bear in mind that a ceramic liner built to the preciseness needed is not available in a price range you would be willing to pay.
.

sorry Sigurd,
as much as I like steam engines in general, as much as I appreciate any new approach in this field, and as much as I am willing to get you supported on your way to find clever solutions, here I like to leave the ring.
The engine you are going to install is a clever little invention, but has its main advantage in the low pressure operation. And I am going to build and install such a system myself.
The boiler, you try to engineer and build, is by far out of range of what makes sense, in both fittings, lightweight boat and lightweight engine.
So, do´nt take it as a personal affront, but I refuse to go that way, no matter if it is possible, affordable or even ingenious.

Regards
Richard

[sigurd]

Maybe you are right. I wish to find out. I want to try some oscillating propulsion. That is why the speed is so low. I think it could be built light, but I am not sure.
I don't need ceramic inner liner. If I can find a cheap metal cylinder liner, I can mold ceramic around it. Then I can wind carbon/epoxy around that. But I want to see if I can find a different matrix for the carbon. Then I could perhaps use carbon for the piston and rod also.

[apex1]

Understand.........

[mydauphin]

Fancy stuff. Is weight most important thing? I have seem some amazing things done with Aluminum.

[apex1]

Alum. is a extreme heat conductor, he needs the opposite, regardless of weight.

[mydauphin]

Stainless tanks spheres one within other in a vacumn. Sounds like something Nasa would have built like LOX tanks.

[sigurd]

no, not a tank,,, a cylinder, containing a piston.

[mydauphin]

Sorry, trying to understand. You want a piston with rod, crankshaft to convert steam to mechanical motion?

[apex1]

Sorry, trying to understand. You want a piston with rod, crankshaft to convert steam to mechanical motion?

Look here:

http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/propulsion/boiler-design-green-steam-engine-26363.html

I am building one of them too, but three cyl. and low pressure.
Regards
Richard

[sigurd]

cool. take lotsa pics, please?

The one that struck me as the least likely, is the three cyl. Because the two cyl. looks like it uses a single valve, the four cyl. would then use two valves, but the three cyl. would have to use three!

I could end up with two bar and three horses, still be ok. Looking into higher power possibilities for now though.

[apex1]

Naturally Sigurd, but it might take a while ´cos I do´nt need the engine before end of the year. It is part of a solar powered off grid generator installation.
And I do´nt assemble / machine it myself, I get it done at one of the yards.
The Valves are simply two or three way valves I assume.
The only reason to go for the three cyl. is, that she is self starting in any piston position. The two cyl. is´nt.
Two bar sounds reasonable and easy to achieve. (I go for less than 1 but will enlarge cyl. displacement for increased power)

Regards
Richard