Does anybody know what the operating pressure range is for the atomizer line for burning #2 (and/or any other fuel weight)?

Thanks,
Ray

That would depend on the locomotive. Every steamer would fire somewhat differently even those in the same class. Also not every steamer had a pressure gauge associated with the atomizer and would be fired by sound and experience.

Robert@trainorders.com

I am now firing waste crankcase oil in a home built burner on 50 PSI air from cold start (shared with the blower). 35 - 40 PSI steam more than adequate when hot. Using warmed #5 fuel oil out on the narrow gauge, we could light up with as little as 15 - 20 PSI steam.

Again, as Bob says, many variations. I don't have pressure gauges on the manifold either, but I know when the valves are wide open and what the air or boiler presure going in is.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

Ray;

Have a look at

http://jason.dgrc.crc.ca/johnstewart/shay/fire-1.jpg

for a picture of the blower/atomizer gauges on "our" shay. 10-20psi is the range that we use; I seem to remember "our" pacific using closer to 35psi.

The picture in the link above is a large picture, so be warned...

As others have said, most locomotives don't have guages; everything is done by sound. I put "our" in quotes, as the locomotives are owned by the Canadian Science and Technology Museum; we just get to run the shay during selective days in the summer.

John Stewart.

> Does anybody know what the operating
> pressure range is for the atomizer line for
> burning #2 (and/or any other fuel weight)?



john.stewart@crc.ca

Thanks for the info. It will be a big help in getting the correct gauges.

Ray,

We have six oil-burners running, and they all vary a little bit.

When firing-up, you want enough atomizer to lift all the oil from the burner, so it does not drip and fill the oil pan and drip onto the ground. If the flame starts to "drum", or pulsate rapidly, or begin to blow out, or make the fire look hollow and greenish (gassing) then there is too much atomizer. Most of our engines have had atomizer gauges added for quick reference between on the road pressures and spotting down of drifting. For firing up they run between 5-20 lbs.

A lot of the difference in the pressure comes from the distance between the burner and the flash wall, the way air is admitted at the burner and above the fire at the door, the amount of blower used (if any- blower can suck more air into a small fire that can be fully heated by the flame, so the efficiency of the gasses in the firebox and tubes is reduced; we try to use as little or no blower if possible).

Again, on the road, atomizer varies. One engine we have required adjustments up to about 60 psi when working hard. Another will steam at just about any oil setting except spot on 20 psi. What you want is a roar, without fire-pulses (drumming as opposed to the pulses from the exhaust) that might send the fire past the firebox door into the cab slightly. I am told that in the old days with hot Bunker C oil, that when the locomotive worked hard the atomizer could actually be shut off. We have experimented with little good result. It is always better to have the atomizer break up the oil stream as much as possible.

Try to experiment. When on the road, put in the normal amount of fire. Then add some oil to darken the stack. If increasing the atomizer reduces the smoke color, then an increase is warranted. If the engine steams well without having to force the fire by additional atomizer, then so much the better. Good steamers take different techniques than ones which are right on the fringe.

Best of luck in your firing.

Jack

steamrr@mashell.com