I ended up going with a design known as a flash boiler since it cannot explode.I'd like to hear more about your steam boiler and your steam engine.
The water is being largely recycled through a condenser (essentially a radiator) and back into the "hotwell" aka a 55 gallon drum. There is loss, but there's also enough to run it all day. I haven't, but it should run longer than I need it to.So would I. Better have a very large water supply.
The engine is from a guy named Mike Brown. It's linked below. It is approximately 3HP (2.7HP technically if 150PSI steam is delivered).
Although his son has taken over the machining since then, and it looks much nicer and more professionally-made.
I'm running 150 PSI, but will try 200 PSI in the coming weeks. I'm evaporating about an ounce per second, IIRC.
I'm running an alternator to charge AGM batteries.
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