Boiler Injector

This is my Penberthy Automatic Boiler feedwater injector.  It is based on 1800's technology to use a boiler's own steam pressure to pump new water into the boiler. From what I understand it uses  the boiler's steam to  accelerate liquid water to supersonic speeds to force the water into the same boiler.  This specific one is designed  to pump around 180 gallons/hour of water into boilers which are up to around 185 psi  ( 680 litres, 13 bar).

It does all this WITHOUT any mechanical moving parts.

Over several years I have asked every steam historian and expert I could find in person, phone , and internet if anyone knew of anyone who had ever experimented on using an injector to supply water for a "monotube steam generator" instead of the normal way of using a mechanical pump. 

So far I have found a few that said that it will not work, a few that have said it might work, and nobody who knows of anyone who has tried it.

Years ago, my dad was talking to someone else about me and gave me a compliment. He said "When other people are standing around wondering if something could be done, Doug is already doing it".   

Will it work? I don't know.  Am I going to try it?  Yes I am. 

Simplicator prototype body

So I have been working on making arrangements to get this quad bike to Roknäs.  It has been sitting outside for a "few years" so it will take some attention to get it pretty again.


higher resolution photo

Simplicator first body

This will likely become the body for the Simplicator tech prototype.  It is currently  a Rhoades 4 seat pedal car.  It has been sitting outside for a few years , so it will need some tlc. In other news, my air compresser has stopped running. I am hoping i can get it working again.

photos of warped trunnion plates

more progress

did some more fiddling on the simplicator engine today.  I was able to get the trunnion plates smoother which allowed the motor to run from 125 psi all the  way down to less than 10 psi.  my compressor gauges do not indicate less than 10 psi.    The aluminum trunnion plates  were NOT perfectly flat when i got them. I am guessing it will take another 10 hours of running before they are ground down perfectly.  i have drilled holes for grease zerks for the trunnion plates but i do not plan on applying lubrication until  the plates  are ground smooth.


Have to start thinking about a  making a Steam Generator  (a type of boiler) now.

running on both cylinders

I got the motor running on both cylinders, still have a lot of things to fix but there is progress.  When I started it would run starting at 125 psi ( 8.6 bar) and would stop at about 80 psi ( 5.5 bar) . After some tinkering it would keep running down to 57 psi  (3.9 bar).

I still have to build a mounting frame for it and polish the trunnion plates.  Once I get that done then I can get the reversing valve mounted.


The car I hope to build

Got the Simplicator engine running on one of the cylinders.