Green Twin Oscillator Cast/Build

The Shop > Metal Stuff

<< < (4/13) > >>

MetalCaster:
I used the largest size, which is 1 gal/hr, but don't be fooled, with 15 or 20 psi for atomization, and 5psi on the fuel tank, you can move 4 gal/hr or more.

I will post my sketches on the siphon-nozzle burner, use at your own risk.
I assume no responsibility for anyone's use or misuse of this information.

MetalCaster:
And one more page for the siphon burner, and some photos of the setup.

Sorry for the general messyness of my shop/driveway/equipment, etc, you will never see RobWilson-like quality in my equipment or setups, but hopefully I can make up for that in what I make (attempt to make).

The burner below is my first attempt with a welding tip nozzle, made in a single afternoon.

For me, it makes little sense to build a lot of quality into a piece of equipment that is experimental in nature, and has a high chance of not working.
Hopefully I can slow down and put a little more quality into the equipment once I get the basics figured out.

MetalCaster:
This is the Delavan siphon-nozzle burner used with a pressurized fuel tank (5 psi using an aquarium pump for safety and to prevent overpressure on the fuel tank, it does not take much pressure on the fuel tank at all, but too much will result in disaster).

It starts on propane outside the furnace, and then you can change it to diesel in a few seconds.

I simplified the tubulator (spin vane) upon a recommendation from someone on another forum, and used a simple sheet metal unit.

The first photos are starting the burner on propane out of the furnace (a test in the shop; don't try this in your shop for carbon monoxide and other hazardous reasons).

Note: The Delavan nozzle has an o-ring inside of it, and this item is cooled by the fuel flowing through the nozzle, as well as by the combustion air flow, but you should turn off the burner and pull it away from the furnace immediately after you turn it off to avoid overheating and ruining the o-ring.

MetalCaster:
And the Delavan burner up to speed.

Video here:

(How about that beer gut, and I don't even drink beer; can't due to celiacs).
In the video, the burner has been started with propane only, no combustion air, then a little bit of diesel is turned on, then a little bit of compressed atomization air, then immediately turn off the propane and leave it off, then turn on more compressed air, then more diesel. and finally full compressed air.

You will have to play aournd with this sequence and perhaps get the furnace hot on just diesel and some compressed air before you turn on your combustion air blower (I use a pour-man's blower, which is the output of my shop vac).

Under no circumstances should you ever use the propane other than for a minute or so during the initial start.
I am guessing you could make this a propane-only burner, but I have not looked at that yet, and don't like the vapor-pressure cold propane tank problems that generally are caused by high propane flow.

The 5psi pressure on the fuel tank makes the burner output constant regardless of fuel tank position, elevation, or fuel level changes in the tank.
So the burner is operated at a slight (5psi) fuel pressure, not really a siphon pressure.
The burner works fine as a siphon unit only with the exception of irregular output as the fuel level drops in the tank.

MetalCaster:
I had seen others melt cast iron online, and they make it look so simple.
The first time I tested my new siphon burner with my furnace, I was sure it would work well.

After 3 hours of red hot but very solid cast iron (not the slightest hint of liquid iron) wasting 4 gallons of diesel fuel, and endless fiddling about with adjustments, I was cursing the casting gods and Rob Wilson (not necessarily in that order) for getting me into such a mess. (Sorry Rob, I take it all back now that things are working).
My wife politely excused herself to go run some much needed "errands", code name "he is pissed, I better slip out for a bit".

In one final act of desperation, I turned on 100% oil, compressed air, combustion air, and sealed the burner tube to the furnace entry hole.
I fully expected the burner to extinguish itself with so much input, but low and behold, the cast iron began to melt very quickly.
The neighbors wondered what all the shouting was all about, but the first cast iron melt is a big deal (Routine for some perhaps, but a very big deal for me anyway).
I had the high-five myself since the wife was away shopping. (Edit, my wife reminded me that she was actually there, so I guess my memory is not so good).

So I poured the flywheel using Petrobond for the mould.
Little did I know that Petrobond does not really like cast iron temperatures, and so some of the mould failed, but the pour was successful enough to verify that I could melt and pour iron.

I used big honking weights on top the flask to keep the mould from rupturing.
I need to add a band around the top of my furnace to keep the refractory from cracking, that furnace was made from a cut-up 55 gallon drum what was welded back together Frankenstein-style, with more than a few gaffs and pitfalls in the construction prcess. It does work though; maybe the next furnace will be pretty.

In the last photo with the furnace lid open, the burner is running flat out, and without a hint of smoke, so the combustion is very complete.

Navigation

 Message Index

Go to full version