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[sunworksco]

I am wanting a horizontal boiler for 2 - Saito 3DTR steam engines to propel a snowmobile similar to what the photos resemble, but modified to look like a Jules Verne SteamPunk vehicle.
Can someone please educate me on the best drivetrain and engines/boiler system?
What gear ratios would I need?
Thank,
Giovanni

Vintage film of snow-mobile in action : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBjlSJf4274

ZIL Screw-Drive : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afJ18eJeNgU&feature=related

[kno3]

That's a really cool machine! Should be loads of fun to make one with two steam engines.
But if you want to use two Saito triples, you'd need a boiler with a really high steam output. It might be worth looking at Yarrow boilers or flash steam boilers for that application.

[sunworksco]

Mike at www.MACCSTEAM.com thought a 4" boiler @ 50psi would deliver 700RPM at the output shaft.
I need to discover the gear ratio formula for the tread screw's RPM for vehicle propulsion speed.
I am assuming that a 4-1 gear ratio would be sufficient.
Giovanni

[kno3]

Well, I have never seen the Maccsteam boilers for real so don't know how they perform. But if the maker says it should be sufficient, then ok. Just make sure he understood the you have 2 engines with 3 cylinders each, and not compounds 
Better yet, calculate the total cylinder volume for both and see if at the desired rpm the steam demand can be matched by the boiler supply.

[sunworksco]

This is Mike's Reply to me :
Each Saito 3DTR engine displaces approximately 0.5 cubic inches. At 50psi you could expect around 500rpm from both engines running from a 3 1/2" boiler or 700rpm from a 4".

Interesting looking vehicle.

Best regards,

Mike

Mike Awww.maccsteam.com