[Steam-engine] Wachs Engine

[James Mackessy]

Hi Rick;
     Two good books come to mind: "Steam Engine Principles and Practice"
by Terrell Croft, which is part of a series on stationary powerplant
practice,
is probably one of the best, also the older editions of "Audel's Power Plant
Engineers' Guide" by Frank D. Graham has a lot of good information and
explains heat theory in language the ordinary mechanical guy can understand.
You can tell if the edition is right by looking for a chapter titled
"Instant Steam".
If the book has this chapter, it has more info on piston steam power than
the
later editions. The "Instant Steam" chapter describes a flash steam boiler
of
Mr. Graham's own design, and is interesting reading. This book also
describes
the "submerged tube" type boiler mentioned by Francis. You should be able
to find both on:
http://www.bookfinder.com
Prices vary with condition, I paid between $20 and $40 for these books, and
have given several as gifts to friends restoring their stationaries.
     Francis has raised an interesting question regarding the submerged tube
boiler- if it is a regular through tube boiler, the tubes will be flush with
the top,
if you look in there and the tubes start at the bottom of a cone-shaped
piece set
down into the top of the boiler, it could be a submerged tube boiler, where
the
water level is kept above the top tube sheet. Advocates of this innovation
claimed
longer tube life and safer operation under forced firing conditions, but it
was
a lot more complicated to build (expensive) than the more common through
tube type.
Best Regards;
Jim Mackessy