Thank you for your reply Sam. Steam is such a useful source of energy for a myriad of processes including agricultural ones. Your use of it for killing weeds has reminded me that it can be used for sterilising soils and killing microbes harmful to commercial vegetable production as well as heating glasshouses. Relying on chemicals is another unsustainable practice. So although your boiler has potential for locos it also has all the advantages that stationary engines and boilers have for other uses. I trust that this is not lost in your thinking?

I also been thinking about trying to grow bamboo. As a fuel allow it to grow for qbout two years. The split and cut in about 12' long strips, plant about 3-4'from another plant. To allow plenty of sun. Hopefully it would ve 2-4" in diameter, and trim it off, so hopefully it will continue to grow. After tve strips dry, use pine resin to glue the strips together. Stack about 12" thick . Then use a press nade from 4"x4"x12' and clamps. Place in a plastic bag and leave in direct sun for a couple days, possibly pass over a fire to heat to about 250°f. Allow to cool then cut into 3"-4" cubes 4"x12" place in a barrel and heat and distill off the useful product, using the remaining coals to fire a boiler , possibly place in a press and compress into nuggets, possibly add waste oil to the coals, just enough for them to absorb, this should burn exceptionally hot. The fast growing bamboo, is a fairly dense and hard wood it just had a hole in it !😆 Splitting it and gluing it into solid chunks similar to bamboo flooring is made, glue under pressure should help with density,

greetings sir i remeber when i shared with y friend the idea of "Locomobiles" steam engines with truck wheels. They would have a differential steering instead of direct wheel arrangement, with the connections ade using a Flywheel with 2 pistons. Of which would fix the issue with slipping or anything alike. Plus it shares the power to both wheels instead of a single one.

Speaking of fire safety around dry crops, fireless steam locomotives are still being used today in certain places around the world. I was surprised to find out Germany still uses them for some industrial shunting. There's even a Baldwin 2-8-0 in Cuba that has been converted to fireless.

How about heating wood in an oxigen-less environment to extract the gasses in the wood which can be used in existing ic engines? They do this a lot in eastern europe!

just wondering, wouldn't it be more efficient to power a generator from the steam power and not the wheels directly? Using electrig Motors for the Wheelbase and a Steam powered Generator would allow Machine to run at highest steam efficiency at every time? However, love this Project, keep up your work!

Exited

Why not make a steam powerplant? Enjoy all the fun modern features with electric power form a efficient generation system

Make wood alcohol/ methanol, and crude oils from wood / bio mass, pyrolysis using concentrated sun light, use tge oils and alcohol to burn in a boiler, a tractor burning the oils and or methanol, with a battery and/or a solar panel, to keep a blower going to get the fire started. Basically a propane forge to get the steam going, with only the actual steam going the closest the fire to super heat tge steam. A fairly small boiler. Should be capable of making 500 ftlbs TQ, and 50 plus hp, build a engine with 3 bores, 6 pistons double acting, with a 12-18"stroke, with a 6"-8" bore, two cranks connected by spur gears, to a central output shaft, id like to use this in a street driven truck, with the option to use propane, and make it a hybrid, include s 30 kw electric motor, with a 15 kwh battery, to get it down the road in low or no pressure occasions, it should get a minimum of 20-30 miles range at 50 mph. Use 4 small diameter flywheels, and a single large flywheel, in the 14"-16" range, 4-6" thick, made from a iron rings connected to a 1.500" steel hub, and 1.500" steel spokes, and use a radiator or pair of them, with a steam to water intercooler, to pre heat the stored water, condescending the steam. So it can be re injected, using a radiator to cool the stored water if neeed, the steam going from the pistons to a Tesla turbine to a radiator to a steam to water intercooler, then it dhoulc be in the 100-180°F range capable if being re- injected. The water storage , using a piston pump to inject water into the boiler tubes, with the cool steam connecting in a 12" x 18" tank capable of 1000psi, then about 12x 1/4" i.d. tubes with a 3/4" o.d. to withstand the heat, ir possibly stainless steel, 9/16"-5/8"o.d. being they will be heated to 1000°f with steam passing through to a 12"x 18" manifold including relief valves, a small 1/2" and a larger 1.5" with a pressure about 50 psi higher, at 350-400 psi, the small valve at 300-350 psi, running the engine at 150-180psi minimum, to 200-280 psi normal , with 6" pistons, roughly equal to a 12 cylinder 2stroke engine, it should make decent power, use oil passing through the rods, under pressure, curcimulating between the rings and back down the rod, using gapless rings, with a oring to seal thd piston further, ubeing PTFE or nylone, to creayan additional seal from water from the oil, with 4 iron rings either using dual rings per groove, or rings that overlap, like a shiplap board, with oiling holes between the rings. About a .030" outlet 120° apart, with a return passage aboyt .060" 120° apart also, using approximately 1/8" passages in thd 1"-1.25 rod, thag uses a 4piece graphite seal, with orings and possibly mollibnium wire rings to further seal the rods from upwards of 250-300 psi , possibly using a hardened stainless tube over the rod, using iron rings, also getting a oil supply, with a return, with the oil hoing to the boiler, to allow it to be stored, aswell as heated to between 220°-230°F, to drive off any water, then pass through a small cooler tgen to the bearings and rings valves,. Use modified ball valves to control thf action of the engine, use graphite and or mollibnium as a self lunricating seal. Possibly use a 1.75" bar of stainless as a valve, controlling the steam, with two valves , per piston acting side, a large valve, to allow a 3/4"minimum passages to the piston from boiler, with 2" exhaust, possibly use 4"x 8" plate steel as a slide valve, using graphite seals, for the exhaust, Tge exhaust feeding a turnine spinning a generator, with possibly a 100:1 reduction, brung a tesla turbine can easily exceed 100k rpm, this would allow a 1k ti possibly 1200 rpm output, use a 3" output to a condenser, dropped to 220°f then yo a water to steam condenser, to drop further to 200° or less, the water storage tank using a normal car radiator to keep the water under 220°f tge pressure being 5- 10 psi, allowing 220° water to be liquid. With 20 gallons of water, the enginelproducing serious TQ, possibly use with a diesel transmission 5-6 speed manual, using a overdrive gear from the crank to output shaft, that will connect to the transmission, veing a 3:1 od ratio. The output shoujd equal a diesel engine speed and TQ, with a peak crank speed if 1000-1200, maybe 1500, thr transmission input Shaft would be 4500 rpm possibly. With the governor, set the throttle, and keep throwing gears at it, with the throttle connectef to a main steam valve, with the governor capable if closing it, it should output about 400-500 tq to the transmission. And possibly 100 hp+/- , with two cylinders "firing" at once every 120° with 6"-8" bore, a this equal to a singje 12"-16" piston every 120° or 60° being double acting? The valving will be complicated. Especially if the exhaust from one is feeding another, but im thinking not, use tge exhaust on the turbine only, to generate power, 2kwh should be easy , sorry to ramble, but a steam vehicle capable of 0-60 in 5-6 seconds or faster being hybrid E-Drive, with a couple ,20-30 kw motors! And 20kw+ battery, both should do 60 in 4 seconds, depending on the weight, making most parts from aluminum, with iron sleeves to resist wear, and hojd heat, so wrapping the boiler, and engine with insulation to hold in all the heat possible. Even yse ceramic insulation, to keep the engine heat in, with rockwool insulation. With the steam pressure reliefs aimed up, example in a pipe behind the cab, possibly a pair if 5" stacks up near the top of the cab, used as tgf output ofvtfe boilers , also the steam over pressure relief , allowing the steam to safely exit upwards, 300-500°f+ steamat 200 psi + is exceptionally dangerous, also use a pressure feedback system, tfe higher the pressure, the less fuel us burned , further reducing pressure, sorry to ramble, but i love alternative power and transportation !!✌️

One other agricultural use for a modern steam boiler/engine would as a stationary plant driving shearing machines or turning a rotary milking shed and powering its milking machines.

A natural gas boiler using methane from cows would be an achievement in sustainability

Very interesting indeed! It’ll be quite the sight to see when modern steam hits the road. Maybe something worth considering is a Sentinel-esque lorry? Also, another question about your boiler (I find it really fascinating!): how do you keep the water level regulated? A few knowledgeable people I’ve talked to say that water tube boilers are hard to regulate with the normal two-person crew at the best of times. I could see the engine having a live feed that’s semi-supplemented by injectors, but I’d love to hear what your solution is!

Hello, I am really interested in what you are doing and being a mech eng by profession, have a number of observations that you might like to comment on. By the way I design, forge, machine, fit and weld and have done since I served my apprenticeship with Westland Helicopters back in the 1970s. I think I understand that you are fabricating everything because it makes it possible to build as a one off and appreciate your skill and determination in doing so. However, whilst the design work that you do showcases your abilities as an engineer, it is a time consuming process that you may have to rethink for a production solution and I wondered what your thoughts might be in this regard. By far the most efficient process for manufacture of metal products is casting and wonder how this might fit into your vision.

It is my understanding that vegetable oils break down into acids when heated and this can affect the metal. Some vegetable oils will thicken enough to reduce or prevent flow. I think this is an oxidation effect. Mineral oils have been improved to reduce this happening to them. However, castor oil was used in the rotary engines on the sopwith camel and others. Total loss system and once through only. Canola has been used in compound oils where the oil or the surface it is lubricating are in contact with water Think I would be careful with small diameter pipes and high temperatures and places where it might lie for long periods. I'll try it on my chain saw.

Do you know where I can find information on water pick up gear fitted to Garratts?

I have heard the canola oil (rapeseed oil actually but I think there the same thing) makes a great additive to general lube on steam engines but I don't think you could use it for steam oil (I whould guess long term the organics whould gum up any cylinder)

Sam, which arrangements have you in place for boiler water treatment? Its essential to combat the effects of corrosion , scale and carry-over thus avoiding a negative effect on the performance and longevity of your excellent steam loco/vehicle concept.

Where did you get the rouler from?

So when this whole project be completed, will it be used for revenue freight or just passenger excursions?

Is it possible to make a vertical fire tube boiler that could be fitted into a traditional steam lorry

Hi Sam would it be worth giving the pump bores a hone with a cylinder ball hone.

What will be the wheel arrangement of your locomotive?

Why don't you score an old stationary engine of the type used to drive a lay shaft and belt and pulley driven workshop? Would give you a very useful demo load for the boiler. Should work well around 150 PSI.

Funny you should mention canola oil/rapeseed oil because that actually was a very common additive for axle bering during the steam era. However i don’t believe it made a good steam cylinder oil, the temperature may have been to much for it to retail its lubricant qualities

You are just reinventing the wheel, starting with fuel. Wood grows slowly, grass grows faster but is less dense, so pellets. Steam is not efficient, internal combustion is more effective in quick start and shutdown, diesel cycle better, lighter, wood/ biogas/ liquid fuel. Two cycle diesel style engine, any combustible solid or liquid fuel gasification. Been done. Pneumatic tires bad idea, solid rubber, longer lasting less failure. Been done. Carrying all that fuel and water and the start up time and losses and shut down losses, only feasible in continuous use like generators, long distance transportation. Castor oil is super sticky aka Castrol oil company. Reading old books would help you stop repeating the past. The internet is only so useful as what was uploaded. Go to a real library.