40 years of the Ford Transit...

Interesting, but that's neither a Griffin engine, nor how the Grifin system worked.

cylinders

longer

That is why I specisicaly said a 'railway steam locomotive' and not just a steam locomotive, an expansion engine used in a ship (for example) is not the same beast.

human

Never heard of a 'run-a-way' locomotive, were the regulator was left open and the brakes off (yes it has happened), and then the fire was lit - no driver needed...?

Grifin

So what is it then, care to cite a reference then, it seems very strange that there is no reference what so ever on the web......

Bloody Griffin. My dad spent his life maintaining the things.

: >PS Wikipedia's entry on this is a classic. Howling error in the very : >first line! : : This is unusual in precisely what way? ;)

The error aren't always as obvious. For once I took pity on them and edited it...

Ian

: "Ian Johnston" wrote in : message news:cCUlhtvFIYkV-pn2-ynZSL9tb0kd2@localhost...

: > You do know what the definition of internal combustion is, don't : you?

: Well every engine is a IC unit then by your definition....

What do you think my definition is? Hint: it includes the phrase "working fluid"...

Ian

: It takes place within the engine, the heat source is not external to : the engine and the engine is the whole unit. You seem to thing that : the cylinders alone are the railway engine.

What's that supposed to mean? They certainly are not the whole thermodynamic system.

Ian

:::Jerry:::: ( snipped-for-privacy@privacy.net) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

No, it's more akin to including the fuel tank and fuel lines in the "engine" - because, if you remove them, it won't work.

There's no direct parallel, because a car engine is an internal combustion unit and a steam engine is not.

Andy Dingley ( snipped-for-privacy@codesmiths.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

You have some strange dogs around your way.

I've never seen anybody taking one of these for a walk :-

Retracted. My memory playing tricks on me. I dug out the workshop schedules, and Griffon it is.

: But... But... But... So many questions! It does seem like a damn good idea.

It's not that sophisticated. The theoretical Otto cycle involves isochoric (constant volume) heating and cooling [1]. To do that with a conventional reciprocating engine needs instantaneous combustion, which ain't going to happen. So use a cam instead to hold the piston steady at the top for long enough, and you get something which is a bit closer to the theoretical.

Ian

[1] A diesel cycle is isobaric heating, isochoric cooling and a Joule cycle is isobaric heating and cooling. Just to complete the set, a Carnot cycle is isothermal heating and cooling.

There is - no detail explanation, though.

don't

Stop trolling, the Grimy troll said that any engine that combusted their fuel internally was a IC engine, that would make the railway steam locomotive an IC engine, which it plainly is not.

they were

It will, if the carb float chamber is still fuel, just as a railway steam locomotive can still function (for a time without a tender... :~P

No, it's like I said, think were the crank is, many railway steam locomotives don't even have crank-shafts - they just have crank-pins...

combustion

I know that, but the Grimy trolls definition would make railway steam locomotives IC engines as their duel is 'combusted internally'.

: : "Ian Johnston" wrote in : message news:cCUlhtvFIYkV-pn2-RLgzTQbY6zDD@localhost...

: > What do you think my definition is? Hint: it includes the phrase : > "working fluid"...

: Stop trolling, the Grimy troll said that any engine that combusted : their fuel internally was a IC engine, that would make the railway : steam locomotive an IC engine, which it plainly is not.

So what do you think the definition of "internal" is in this case?

Hint: it includes the phrase "system boundary".

Ian, lecturer in Thermodynamics, inter alia

phrase

combusted

railway

Are you trying to suggest that an IC engine will function if you remove the fuel system, even a hot air engine is more than a piston and cylinder...

Put more simply, is the working fluid in direct contact (uninterrupted by a boundary) with the combustion process? If you believe that the water of the boiler and the flames in the firebox space mingle, without the interruption of tubes and casings, then I have this bridge for sale..

Andy, not a specialist in thermodynamics - though I do teach it at year 1 University level and have taught it at year 2 level..

Can't find one.

As far as I can determine, a 6 stroke is like a 4 stroke, except that the "exhaust" stroke takes longer and has a forced air-blast for better scavenging. It's replaced by 3 strokes: exhaust, induction of outside air by blast, second exhaust.