Hi, I need some help with a project I am working on. I am building a six cylinder radial steam engine, work on the engine is quite far along, but nowhere near finished. I have finished the crankcase, pistons, connecting rods, all machined from solid, and cleaned up the cylinders from seamless stainless tube. I am trying to copy an Idea I saw on You Tube for a steam engine made by Dan Gelbart, this is the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccjTMQwKWNs
it has mechanically opened valves but uses an electromagnet to keep the inlet valve open for a variable length time to be able to control the speed an power of the engine, if you watch the video he gives a very good explanation of how it is done.
I have designed a similar system with valves built into the piston crown, operated by the connecting rod. The inlet valve will open mechanically at TDC but I want to keep it open using an electromagnet, I have designed it all but I know very little about electronics so could use some advice as to how to go about it.
I have purchased six12 volt dc 5 wattt magnets and a 600 pulse per rev optical shaft encoder and have been told I can use MOSFET to switch the magnets on and off. What I really need is to learn how to get the information from the shaft encoder to operate the magnets and how to vary the time they are energised possibly using a potentiometer.
I plan to test the engine on compressed air and if it is a success then to build a steam generator and condenser.
All advice gratefully accepted, I will say again I have a good mechanical understanding but electronics is a new field to me.
Thanks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccjTMQwKWNs
it has mechanically opened valves but uses an electromagnet to keep the inlet valve open for a variable length time to be able to control the speed an power of the engine, if you watch the video he gives a very good explanation of how it is done.
I have designed a similar system with valves built into the piston crown, operated by the connecting rod. The inlet valve will open mechanically at TDC but I want to keep it open using an electromagnet, I have designed it all but I know very little about electronics so could use some advice as to how to go about it.
I have purchased six12 volt dc 5 wattt magnets and a 600 pulse per rev optical shaft encoder and have been told I can use MOSFET to switch the magnets on and off. What I really need is to learn how to get the information from the shaft encoder to operate the magnets and how to vary the time they are energised possibly using a potentiometer.
I plan to test the engine on compressed air and if it is a success then to build a steam generator and condenser.
All advice gratefully accepted, I will say again I have a good mechanical understanding but electronics is a new field to me.
Thanks