Its not exactly high tech and some might say not "alternative energy" but its basic and works. This is in regards to electric generating for a single home for off the grid power with minimal electric usage. I have seen hydrogen engines running (for short periods), hydrogen boosters, experimented with magnets, seen solar panel system at work, wind power generators, water power generators, understand biodiesel making and usage, ect... The above are great but for some reason my mind alway goes to steam power. I think it might be because its simple, no electronics, minimal moving parts for an engine design, and is working and has been for many years. I have done some research and it looks viable for a person to be able to produce enough electricity for this purpose. A steam engine with a boiler fired by alcohol run to a gen head that produced electricity that is stored in a battery bank. I was wondering if anybody else has done any research on this topic, has practical experience with steam engine electric generation, or is interested in the possibilities of it.
You still need an energy source to boil the water to generate the steam. Maybe if you have a ready supply of wood or something to burn, this would be viable. You say "no electronics", but you will need to regulate and filter the voltage, not to mention strictly controlling the frequency. There are ways to do that, and as you say it's nothing new, but it's not trivial, either. I dunno, the simplest off-the-shelf solution is probably to use a car alternator and regulator and make DC. But then you have to screw with batteries. Is that what you had in mind? Unless you want to bother with a condenser and recirc pumps, you'll need a constant supply of water to replace the boiled-off steam. Also, steam boilers have this nasty tendency to want to explode when they're over-pressurized. I'm not saying you can't deal with that, but it's something to keep in mind.
The way to make it feasible is to combine the different ideas available. Use a batch solar water heater and a concentrating tube one to preheat the water as much as possible before it goes to the boiler, that way you only have to raise the temp a little ways to get it to turn to steam. Without a condenser and recirculating system, there is no way for steam to be feasible, you are dumping way too much heat out of the system. Note, that isn't you can't do it, it is, it doesn't make sense to. Also, for the boiler itself, that's where collecting methane comes in. Have enough chickens and pigs and you will have all the power you need as part of a closed system (assuming you grow your own animal feed).
I'm all for solar, but that locks you into batteries, unless you've got some other kind of night-time storage mechanism. And maybe that's ok. It vastly simplifies the system ... no need for fancy frequency governors and all that. Plus you can get a car alternator anywhere. Equipping your house to use DC appliances is a hassle, but it can be done. The old time steam locomotives didn't have them. That's why I said you'd need a constant supply of water. I'm assuming that one of the design goals of this type of system is simplicity, since you're having to maintain it yourself. Sure. Methane is a good choice if, as you say, you've got the animals already.
The solar I was referring to was solar water heating such as; http://www.solarwater-heater.info/ The generating head that he uses isn't really important to what he was asking, but it can be pretty much any voltage ac or dc you want. He already said though, that he wanted this to produce power to store in a battery bank. Unless you live next to a stream you could tap into (or artesian well), you would end up doing more work (or using more power) keeping it supplied with water then you would ever recoup... Beyond that, if you are using a recirc system, you aren't constantly heating water from ground temp. lol, I should point out that although steam interests me, as a general rule, I try to avoid building things that can explode and kill everyone around...
Thank you for your responses. The system would definitely need a condenser and recirculating system along with the flexibility of burning different fuel sources. I never thought of solar preheating the water but it looks like it would reduce the time needed to build up steam pressure. Sorry for the generalization. I mean electronics for running the steam engine and boiler to produce the energy needed to turn a generator head. A lot of the solar panel systems electronics could be adapted along with an efficient generator head depending on engine size. Some links of engines and working power generation systems: home.earthlink.net/~dlaw70/12stmng.htm http://www.otherpower.com/steamengine.shtml http://www.greensteamengine.com/
Just to emphasize, as Tom stated above, steam Engines will explode violently. In many rural communities they hold things like thresher fairs n where folks bring their old steam powered farming equipment and every so often you will still hear about a group of folks who get horribly maimed or killed outright by exploding steam engines. I could see going ahead with it if it were kept below ground or in a building with walls thick enough to contain a potential blast. Another thing you may want to look into are Stirling engines, they generate power simply from a heat differential, sort of like a mechanical version of a peltier plate. Most of what you'll see are 1/4 h.p. models for hobbyists but there are many larger ones in use today, at solar plants and some geothermal sites. I'm actually wanting to build a larger sized one and fuel it with the waste heat from a charcoal kiln, we'll see if I stick around here long enough for that to happen I guess. But it would be a great way to take advantage of the wasted BTU's and recycle some of that waste back to the boiler or just covert directly to electricity.
There are risks with boilers and high pressure but pressure vessels like this have been used without incident for many many years. The first self acting steam engine and boiler was introduced in 1712. The safety aspect of this would involve safety valves, pressure gauges, fusible plugs, stays, and proper maintenance. I was not really talking about cleaning up an antique boiler and putting it to work but getting a new boiler with all the proper safety equipment. Boilers can be safe but not with unsafe people operating them. Sorry if I am being rude but the dismissal of this idea due to rare circumstances is not cool. Sterling engines are amazing in simplicity and function. I have also done research on this and have found a lot of potential for them to be used. The sad thing like you said they are not marketed to the average person in the size needed to operate a powerful enough generator. I would also chose a proven sterling engine over a steam engine but its currently not viable.
You are letting your enthusiasm for steam color what you read... nobody dismissed steam... I said that the dangers (no matter how rare), are not acceptable to me as something I am willing to risk for myself and those around me. If I spent more time looking into it and learning about it, I could change my mind, but until then, with what I know now, that is how I feel about it. As for; It is even less cool to suggest that the dangers from steam are a rare circumstance... The incidents that happen in properly set up and maintained systems are rare, but the accidents that happen to hobbyists and tinkerers while playing with it, are not.
I think the statement "will explode violently" in bold with no reference to the possibility that it could be some what safe with the proper knowledge of what you are doing and not just building a bunker for the possible explosion set me off to write my last post. I agree with you on this and wouldn't advise someone to take a potentially lethal project lightly.
Yea, I wasn't dismissing steam at all, merely cautioning against it. But personally I'd almost feel safer just refurbishing an old steam unit that I would with a new model. Lindsay books reprints allot of stuff on steam engines b.t.w. as well as stirlings, metal casting, making your own machine shop from scrap metals and so forth. 95% of their titles are incredibly well priced and worth a peek.
The most expensive piece of this system is going to be the steam turbine, and it's going to cost more than you can justify spending on this project. Steam piston engines are not built anymore except in novelty sizes. They are expensive to maintain and low in efficiency. No shit! That's why every state regulates boilers and requires permits and annual inspections. You can't just build whatever you want.
