Hi:

I am wishing to build a solenoid not to exceed three inches in diameter. It will operate on 24Volt DC provided by 2=12 volt automotive batteries. I need to produce 6-8 pounds ot thrust, a distance of 4 inches with a duration of 1 second. Can it be done? If so please help me with this project.

Need to know coil details, wire size, turns. Any and all information which would help me make this unit.

 

This would require a mega-monster solenoid.
Godzilla would wilt at the sight of it.

The worst of the parameters is the 4 inches- solenoids can produce high forces over short travel without too much trouble, but 4 inches is like the Grand Canyon for a solenoid.

Another type of linear actuator perhaps?

 

Thanks for your reply. It has helped me understand what I can and can't do with this idea. My project is basically a solenoid motor, but giant sized to actually operate an old hit & miss engine by replacing the piston with a solenoid actuator inside the cylinder. Any sugestions?
Again thanks
Jim Baity

 

re-inventing the wheel ?? Presuming you could adapt this hardware to actually work, what would be its end use............??

 

Only to produce a hit & miss engine which would rotate the flywheels through an unseen power. Batteries and controls would be mounted in a wooden box on which the engine would be mounted. The total stroke on the crank is 5 inches although I realize that power would not be necessary through out the complete stroke. The flywheels would provide some energy. The 2 flywheels weight about 150 pounds.

Any more thoughts

 

Will a simple lever work? You could use a solenoid that moves less than 4 in but with more draw strength.

 

Excellent thought. I could pull the crank rather than push the crank. If I could get more draw strength than pulling strength then I will go that direction. I cant see where it would affect my flywheels in drawing rather than pushing.

Thanks

 

You really want to do both, push and pull, to get double the engine output power from the same size solenoid. Solenoids can do both push and pull, especially if they have two coils.

I'm not sure the project is viable, if it is like most hit and miss engines they are fairly heavy and might need a horsepower or so just to run? A hp is 750W and the solenoid will likely be activated for 20% of the time? That's 5 hp into the solenoid or 3750W, at about a 20% duty cycle.

Your 24v battery will not like pulses of 3750W (that's 156 amps!) at a 20% duty cycle continuously, and all that is just to make it run, you might need double or triple that to try and use it for anything.

A better option I think would be to remove all the reciprocating parts of the engine and just keep the main flywheel and output shaft, then drive it with a 24v DC motor and a nice efficient belt drive.

 

Thanks for your advice. I may be barking up the wrong tree with my idea. This may not be viable as you have indicated. I will find the power needed to rotate the 150 pound flywheels and then check back with you, if I may. Thanks again

 

Please do, it's an interesting project.

 

Is this project meant to do actual work by a solenoid engine or just to make the engine rotate as a display?

 

Biggest drawback is drag; ? possible to replace babbet bearings with ball bearings ? Apply power for maybe 1/2 in [ or 1/4 sec ] when crank is at right angle to cylinder. Check: http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showthread.php?t=22613