The phrase "steam engine" is often reminiscent of the steam engine of a Stanley Steamer locomotive or car, but these machines have many more uses than just transportation. The steam engine, which was first invented in its most basic form some two millennia ago, has become the main source of power in the last three centuries, with steam turbines currently producing 80% of the world's electrical energy or more. To understand more about the physical forces at work in a steam engine, build your own steam engine with materials you have at home using one of the methods in this article! See Step 1 below to get started.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Making a Steam Engine from a Soda Can (for Kids)
Step 1. Cut the aluminum can about 6.35 cm
Use lead shears or large scissors to make neat horizontal cuts about 1/3 of the can from the bottom.
Step 2. Fold and press the circumference of the piece with pliers
Fold the circumference of the tin that has been cut slightly inward so that the edges are not sharp. Be careful not to hurt yourself while doing this.
Step 3. Push the bottom of the can from the inside to flatten it
Most soda cans have a circular base that curves into the interior of the can. Push out the curvature of the bottom of the can by flattening it with your finger or by using the bottom of a small glass or jar to smooth it out.
Step 4. Make two holes in opposite directions in the can at a distance of 1.3 cm from the top
You can use a hole punch to do this, or you can punch holes with a nail and hammer. You need a hole diameter greater than 3.2 mm.
Step 5. Place the tea light candle in the center of the can
Squeeze the foil and place it under and around the candle to hold the wax in place. Tea light candles have small tin containers, so the wax won't melt and spill over the aluminum can.
Step 6. Roll the center of the copper hose 15, 3-20, 3 cm long in a pencil two to three times to make a coil
The 1/8-inch hose will easily roll around the pencil. You'll need to provide enough coiled hose to slide through the two holes in the top of the can, plus about 5 inches (5.1 cm) of straight hose on each side.
Step 7. Insert both ends of the hose through the holes in the can
Arrange so that the coil is on the candle wick. Make sure that the length of the straight hose that comes out on each side of the can is the same.
Step 8. Bend both ends of the hose out with pliers to make a 90 degree angle
Bend the straight section of the hose so that it goes in opposite directions on each side of the can. Then, bend it again so that they touch the bottom of the can. If so, the spiral part of the hose should be in the middle of the candle and the hoses on both sides of the can facing downwards.
Step 9. Place the can in a basin of water with both ends of the hose submerged in the water
Your "ship" should float comfortably. If the end of the hose doesn't touch the water, add a little weight so that the can is lower under the water, but be careful not to sink it.
Step 10. Fill the hose with water
The easiest way to do this is, you can place one end of the hose in the water and suck the other end so that the water flows through the hose. Another way is to hold down one hose hole with your finger, and insert water from the faucet to the open end.
Step 11. Light the candle
Over time, the water in the hose will heat up and start to boil. When the water becomes steam, the two open ends of the hose become like a “jet engine”, causing the can to swirl around in the basin.
Method 2 of 2: Making a Steam Engine from a Paint Can (for Adults)
Step 1. Make a rectangular hole near the bottom of the gallon paint can
Mark a 1 x 5 cm rectangle horizontally on the side of the can near the bottom.
Please note that for these paint cans (and any cans used), you must ensure that only paint cans have ever held latex paint, and must be thoroughly washed with soap and water before use
Step 2. Cut the aluminum mesh 12 x 24 cm
Bend 6 cm of the net on both sides of the 24 cm section to form a 90. angleo. This will create a 12 x 12 cm square "platform" with 6 cm "legs". Place this net in the paint can, positioning the "legs" facing down, parallel to the edges of the hole you made.
Step 3. Make ventilation holes in the semicircle of the can lid
Later, you will burn the charcoal in this can to power your steam engine. If the charcoal does not have a stable supply of oxygen, it will not burn properly. Make ventilation holes by punching holes around the can lid with semicircular holes.
These ventilation holes should be about 1 cm in diameter
Step 4. Make a coil of copper hose. Take a 0.6 cm diameter soft copper hose 6 meters long and measure 30 cm from the end
From this point, roll the hose into five 12 cm diameter coils. Roll the remaining into 15 8 cm diameter coils. You will have about 20 cm left.
Step 5. Insert both ends of the hose through the ventilation holes in the can cover
Bend the two ends of the hose, so that they are both facing up, and insert each end of the hose into the ventilation hole on the can lid until the end pops out. If the hose is not long enough, you may have to remove one of the coils.
Step 6. Put the rolls and charcoal in the can
Place the roll on the netting mat. Fill the space around and inside the circumference of the roll with charcoal briquettes. Close the can tightly.
Step 7. Drill a hose hole in the smaller paint can
In the center of the lid of the quarter-gallon can, drill a hole 1 cm in diameter. On the sides of the can, drill two more 1 cm diameter holes – one near the bottom and one at the top near the lid.
Step 8. Insert the cork plastic hose into the side of the small can
Use the end of the copper hose to make a hole in the middle of the two corks. Insert a 25cm long, hard plastic hose into one of the corks and 10cm into the other so that it fits snugly and extends slightly from the other end of the cork. Insert the cork with the longer hose into the bottom hole of the small can, and the cork with the shorter hose into the top hole. Tighten the hoses on both corks using hose clamps.
Step 9. Connect the large tinned copper hose to the small tinned plastic hose
Place the small can on top of the large can with the cork hose in the opposite direction of the vent on half of the large can lid. Use aluminum tape to connect the bottom end of the plastic hose to the copper hose that extends from the vent of the large tin. Then, secure the cork plastic hose at the top of the small can to the copper hose that extends from the large can in the same way.
Step 10. Insert the copper pipe into a junction box
Use a hammer and screwdriver to punch holes in the center of the metal electrical junction box. Take the power cord clamp that is in the junction box. Insert 15 cm of copper pipe 1.3 cm in diameter through the cable clamp that was taken, tighten the cable clamp that was taken to the copper pipe outside the junction box so that the pipe is stuck a few centimeters above the junction box. Hit the cavity at the end of the pipe facing down with a hammer to narrow the hole. Insert the end of the pipe with the narrow cavity through the lid of the small can.
Step 11. Insert the barbecue skewer into the wooden dowel rod
Take a standard barbecue skewer and insert it into a hollow wooden dowel rod 1.5 cm long and 0.95 cm in diameter. Place the dowel rod and barbecue skewer into the copper tubing in the junction box so that the barbecue skewer is facing up.
Barbecue sticks and dowel rods will become “pistons” when the engine is running. To make the piston movement easy to see, you may need to stick a paper “flag” on a barbecue skewer
Step 12. Prepare the machine for operation
First remove the piston junction box from the top of the small can and fill the small can with water, allowing it to flow towards the copper coils until the water fills 2/3 of the small can. Check all connectors for leaks and make sure all connections are tight. Secure the lids of the two cans with a hammer. Return the junction box to the point on the small tin bag.
Step 13. Run the engine
Crumple up old newspaper rolls and place them in the aluminum mesh-covered space at the bottom of the machine. When the charcoal burns, let the briquettes burn for about 20-30 minutes. As long as the water in the roll is heated, the steam will escape into the top can. When this steam reaches sufficient pressure, it will push the dowel and barbecue skewer up. After the pressure is released, the piston will return to the bottom due to gravity. Reduce the length of the barbecue skewer as much as necessary to reduce the weight of the piston – the lighter it is, the more often the piston “goes up”. Try reducing the length of the barbecue skewer to the point where the piston "moves" at a steady pace.
You can speed up the burning process by using a hairdryer that you point through the vent
Step 14. Be careful
It goes without saying that a self-made steam engine requires careful handling and operation. Never run a steam engine indoors. Do not place it near combustible materials such as dry leaves or dangling leaves. Operate only on hard, non-combustible surfaces such as concrete. If you work with children, make sure an adult is watching them at all times. Do not allow children or adolescents to approach the engine while the charcoal is burning. If you're not sure how hot the engine is, just assume it's too hot to touch.
Also, make sure that steam can escape through the top “boiler”. If the piston is stuck for some reason, pressure can build up in the small can. At worst, the steam engine could explode and could become very dangerous.
Tips
Place the soda can steam engine in a plastic vessel, with both hoses facing back and into the water to make a steam-powered toy. You can make a simple boat shape out of a plastic soda bottle or laundry soap bottle for an “eco-friendly” project
Warning
- You must maintain the machine when not in use, do not point the tip of the hose at anyone as hot steam or water can cause a burning sensation.
- Do not plug the copper hose in any way other than submerging the ends in water. Although rare, excessive pressure can cause the hose to burst and cause injury.
- Be sure to use tongs, pliers, or oven mitts to hold the machine while it is operating.
- Don't try to build a more complicated steam engine with a boiler unless you understand how it works. A boiler explosion, no matter how small, can cause injury.
