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mjn

My submission to the Open Source Hardware Summit to take place on Sept. 15, 2011 in New York City has been accepted. While it won't be a long presentation (ten minutes), it is an opportunity to make our work known to east cost hardware hackers. The proposal reviewers seemed quite interested in the project:

   "The idea of an open source steam engine seems a bit inefficient at the surface but the logic behind it is actually quite intriguing especially when thought about it the solar heating context. I think this talk would a good shift in examples often cited in open source projects from the virtual to the real world. I would like to see more of the actual build process and the openness of the fabrication process rather than emphasis on the openness of the idea. Also the project has numerous CAD / specification type input while showing know how through videos / illustrations etc of the actual process would go a long way. Also the talk could touch up the idea of the Open Source ecology to make the steam engine part of it more relevant."

   "Open Source Ecology's steam engine project would be an incredible addition to the Open Hardware Summit. Among many reasons, the project is very unique in the particular kind of 'hardware' it focuses on: a mechanical steam engine. Most submissions will probably focus on electronics, so the presenter's focus on mechanics will undoubtedly stand out. If that weren't enough, the mission of this project is of tremendous value to humanity. There are many important lessons that can be learned from the approach taken by the presenter and his colleagues at Open Source Ecology. The technology to end global hunger and poverty has existed for centuries, but this knowledge has not been effectively transferred to the developing world. Open Source Ecology has really nailed 'appropriate technology'(E.F. Schumacher, et. al) and have seamlessly connected it to the open hardware movement. The Open Steam Engine appears to be a great representation of OSE's work, and I highly recommend this presentation be included in the Open Hardware Summit."

Hopefully my presentation will be received in the same sense of enthusiasm. My main message to this audience is that OSE has put a lot of effort into the development of a steam engine and though the current design has problems, we are continuing to work towards the creation of the worlds first open source steam engine.

- Mark

spike

i think the idea of a steam engine is brilliant.

ive looked into building one before and found out my dad built one when he was doing his apprentaship. He had a book on working out the timing for it all, volume one of 3 all of which were the size of a bible, to be open source i dont think an old design steam engine is the right way to go. i saw an eppisode of scrp heap challenge that aired here maybe 2 year ago, they built their own steam engines and one used solenoid control and the like, to me thats the best way possible

bradbury

I think the concept of an open source steam engine is fantastic, it's one of the things that led me to find the community here (via the sunfire.org related work). I'm particularly interested in the application of a solar steam engine and a solar stirling engine. Is there a way to connect the work between solar collectors and the steam engine/stirling engine work?

I've been playing with the idea of trying to crowdfund a prototype solar steam/solar stirling engine and think it could find broad public support especially if targeted for application in arid and developing regions. (this may already be happening but I thought I'd put it out there.

mjn

@spike - Yes, I've been exploring the idea of solenoid or stepper motor controlled steam engines. These mechanisms do seem to have a lot of potential. See https://sites.google.com/site/phase3project/projects/air-engine/rotating-valve fpr example.

@bradbury - There was a connection up to about a month ago. OSE was working with the SolarFire project, which has developed a parabolic solar concentrator. However, the developer has decided that he needs to make money off of it and so now is not OS. With respect to Sterling Engines, my understanding is that they tend to have a low power output. Yes, they can be made to work in situations where there is a high thermal gradient, but practically, a steam engine is more useful. They challenge to us (OSE) is how to design one that can be built and maintained without highly developed machinist skills. These are still open issues in my mind. I continue to explore them.

- Mark

spike

cool yeah i saw that schematic on the WIKI but assumed it was a mechanical link.

stirling engines are slow with little horsepower or torque however are very usefull and often incredibly simple, not somthing really required here but its an option to open into later

bradbury

@mjn - the stirling engine is lower output than a steam engine for a given size but it has the advantage of not using water which I think would be especially important in arid regions. There's a californian company http://www.stirlingenergy.com which has focused primarily on solar stirling engines with some success it looks like. I'm not a tech fundamentalist and am very keen on steam, but it seems worth exploring the possibilities.

Is there an actual project running to prototype solar collector steam engine? it seems that currently the technology on the wiki has been pretty compartmentalized (I think due to the modularization aim) with steam engines and solar collectors on different tracks.

Also, as a side note, any work/conversation on solar desalination?

spike

solar desal would be something really important, not too hard to do.

i think using a steam and a stirling engine in series would be a good use of the energy

bradbury

@spike I have no idea how to do solar desal but if it was possible it could be very important. Looks like the Aussies have already taken a crack at it :) http://media.uow.edu.au/news/2005/1104c/index.html

Another thing I found that is very interesting is this Arduino based heliostat controllers http://www.cerebralmeltdown.com/heliostatprojects/Arduino Sun Tracker Program/index.html 

spike

that seems like a hard way of doing it. Id prefer doing some much more simple, say a acrylic box with an auto water feed.

There is mathmatics and science involved, working out be best angle for the sheets, maybe even a solar tracker to do it but its fairly innefficient to convert sunlight to electricity and then use it for reverse osmosis

mjn

OSE had teamed up with another project called SolarFire to produce a parabolic solar concentrator. SolarFire had the advantage of being a proven design and deployed to two sites already - in the Middle East and in India. The project is led by Eerik Wissenz. Things were going well, but there was a falling out between Eerik and Marcin. Eerik decided that he needed to make money off of SolarFire and shifted the technology to being proprietary, thus making it ineligible for inclusion in OSE. Thinking has shifted back towards trough-based collectors, but overall work on the solar concentrator has stalled.

Regarding Sterling Engines, I came across a rather nice description in an old steam book, and posted it to http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Sterling_Engine/Ericsson_Engine.  OSE has need of a high performance engine (high torque, good horsepower), which is why the steam engine is being pursued over the Sterling Engine. Still a Sterling does have it's advantages and might be used effectively in some applications. I like the idea of using waste heat from a wood stove being used in conjunctions with cold outside temperatures to generate 12v power for lighting using a Sterling Engine. It might be possible to reach a 300 degree thermal difference - maybe even more.

The Australians have longer pursued the use of solar energy, being blessed with it in large, reliable concentrations across much of their country. A very efficient solar power station was developed at White Cliffs, NSW in the 1980's. It was decommissioned later when the town of White Cliffs was joined to the national power grid. See http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Steam_Engine_Design/White_Cliffs

- Mark

mjn

For those who recall that I was invited to present the OSE Steam Engine project at the Open Hardware Summit yeld yesterday in New York City, I have posted a blog about it to https://sites.google.com/site/phase3project/blog/2011/2011-09-15-open-hardware-summit.  You can also see the slides at http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Steam_Engine_Status/Open_Hardware_Summit_2011.  It was fun and there was a lot of interest in OSE there. Lots of questions. I event met a few FeF alumni there.

- Mark

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