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Steam & Excursion > “Compounding “ CommentsDate: 01/09/22 10:12 “Compounding “ Comments Author: wcamp1472 A reader recently sent me a PM inquiring about articulated compounds.
I thought others might wonder in a similar fashion. So, I've posted my ideas below...... "That's a wonderful question, with a multifaceted answer. The lesson is that you get nothing for free, there are always costs to trying to use steam pressure twice... Let's start at the beginning. 'Compounding' with reciprocating engines, simply means that the steam used in the larger, low pressure pistons comes from the steam released from the first use in the high pressure cylinders. Any PRESSURE that is in the supply pipe to the Low Pressure pistons, comes from crowded ( used) steam being compressed against the L.P. pistons. Thus, steam pressure 'builds up' , down stream from the HP exhaust ( equally), and acts AGAINST the High Pressure pistons ---- in order to drive the LP engine. The boiler may supply steam at ( hypothetical example) 200 psi to the H.P. pistons, but the lower pressure in the receiver pipe to the L.P. pistons also acts AGAINST the pistons in the H.P. cylinders, as well as powering the LP pistons. ( Archemedes' principle that pressure acts equally, in all directions...). If the receiver pressure ( 'used' steam) is 100 psi, the H.P. pistons, are moved by the differential pressures acting on the piston' s 2 faces.... so that means that the effective, useful application for the new people are rrrpressure on the H.P. pistons is only 100 psi delivered to the rear engine... that "differential pressure" is what drives the rear axles.* The expanded steam from the HP pistons, is pressurized in the receiver pipe by the steam pumped out of the H.P. pistons. So, the Low Pressure pistons are now supplied with steam pumped, forward, from the HP pistons....at a delivery pressure in the receiver pipe of, typically, 100 psi. The L.P pistons exhaust their steam directly up the stack, at a 'back pressure' of 10 to 25 psi. That ordinary back pressure subtracts power from the 100 psi in the receiver pipe and acting on the front pistons. So, 'compounding ' in actuality, has the HP pistons also shoving against the L.P pistons, while trying to pull a train. Next.... At starting in 'compound', the LP pistons receive no pressure ---- they're waiting for the steam pressure in the receiver pipe to build-up, before they get any pressure to work with. So, if starting in compound, the rear engine does all the 'work'. if starting in compound, a typical 2-6-6-2 effectively starts as an 0-0-6-0. There is no steam supplied to the LP pistons until several hundred feet of distance moved in order to build up sufficient pressure in the receiver pipe to the front 'engine'. Thus, from the earliest days of compounding, the 1880s, designers have used 'pressure-limiting' valves to admit live steam from the boiler to supply the receiver pipe feeding the LP pistons. The pressure-limiting valves allow lower, limited pressure steam to run the LP pistons. The greater diameter of the LP pistons means that, if at full BP, the LP cylinders and wheels would spin wildly, out of control, on compound articulateds. So, the 'starting' valves used on the articulated compounds, re-direct the live steam in two different paths. One 're-direction' allows the steam exhausted from the HP pistons to be fed directly to the base of the smokestack. At the exhsust standpipe in the smoke box, where the steam exhausted from the LP pistons flows up the stack, the exhausted steam from the HP pistons is fed to a circular ring at the top of the standpipe. Thus, there are two, concentric, streams of exhaust steam up the stack. The diverted "live-steam" path admits boiler pressure into the steam ( receiver) pipe supplying steam to the larger diameter LP pistons; but, the pressure in that delivery pipe is limited ---- in order to prevent the front engine from wildly spinning.. Using steam expansively was first improved by British inventor Parsons, who invented the steam turbine ---- about 1880. Parsons used a shaft, with several stacked discs equipped with stubby turbine blades. and between each disc were fixed blades redirecting the steam flow to the next stage of expansion. Each stage of expansion disc was increased in diameter, to keep the leverage, & rotative force applied to the shaft approximately the same as the previous stage using the higher pressure. Each successive stage uses larger diameter discs & works with lower pressure and, by definition, lower temperature steam Thus, the turbine discs get larger further down the shaft.....which is 'compounded' use of the steam. In the 1930s, the Germans perfected the use of fuel oil burned directly, and flames acting on the compound-arranged turbine blades--- the invention of today's jet engine'! In todays world, jet engines now power 'propellers' at the input of the engines. Actually, the earlier variants using propellers, were called "turbo-props".... variable pitch propellers driven by the jet engine's central shaft. Later, turbo-props were replaced by multiple, variable-pitch fan blades. Now called TurboFan engines. Now, when I stare, transfixed, at the con-trails forming in the sky, I admire Parsons for his imagination and work that went into his understanding about how all heat engines actually work. He had wondered exactly the SAME questions that you have been pondering ... Congratulations ". Thank you, Wes Camp (* When starting in 'simple', the HP cylinders get the benefit of direct pressure from the boiler... [ less any back pressure from the exhaust ring]. So that when starting in 'simple', not only do the front pistons get direct pressure, but the rear pistons get the benefit of nearly full-boiler pressure, per square inch. ... as opposed to 'compounding' with the pressure building in the receiver pipe ---- that receiver pressure acts against the HP pistons, as they stuff the "once-used steam" into the LP pistons..) Compound operation delivers the sum of acting piston pressures & reduced HP piston thrusts to the rear driving axles. Another factor in calculating "Sarting Tractive Effort", for articulated compounds...). Edited 13 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/22 03:24 by wcamp1472. Date: 01/10/22 06:07 Re: “Compounding “ Comments Author: PlyWoody You saw the rear drivers spinning. It is not a slippery engine. They learned from their mistake of using cut-off as that deprived the front cylinder of enoght steam pressure to make the lead driver give some pull. Lesson learned, no cut-off, and the front engine help pull so the rear driver don't spin. All working fine and just needs to get out and run onto the TT and do its thing.
Date: 01/10/22 07:38 Re: “Compounding “ Comments Author: wcamp1472 What you say makes sense, I hadn't expected that effect.
The LP pistons need effective steam pressure to contribute beneficial traction. I wonder if staying in 'simple' until higher speeds are reached would work better? Its also the result of NO substantial trailing weight behind the tender.. ( see also 4014 experience). The engines are designed, from experience & the drawing board, to perform at the maximum capacity, pulling the designed train-weight.... like 50 or more loaded coal cars. They' re not built built to be entertaining, "circus performers"... Pulling a few coaches takes different, less 'efficient', operating conditions.....like longer cutoffs, much lighter throttle, etc... Hooking-up implies full-thrittle openings...as in fighting a heavy train Don't try 'hooking-up', unless you've got a good heavy train...and ability to have an open throttle .... or, you could drop the boiler pressure...to low enough to keep good "Main Resevoir" air pressure... W. Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/22 07:48 by wcamp1472. Date: 01/10/22 09:27 Re: “Compounding “ Comments Author: holiwood Thanks for the great explanation, a few more questions
So, in compound operation the High Pressure cylinders do work to turn rear drivers and provide push to the stream going to the Low Pressure cyliders, is that righjt? Does the pressure in the pipe between HP and LP cylinders go up and down a lot? Does the push provided by the HP cylinders raise the pressure in the pipe to the LP cylinders much? Date: 01/10/22 09:41 Re: “Compounding “ Comments Author: wcamp1472 Q #1. = YES
Q#2. = If starting in 'compound', you get a bump in pressure, in compound operation, pulling a load, pressure remains steady, at whatever the design ratio of the volumes between two sets of cylinders. Q#3. It depends,.. Explanation: I call the pipe supplying steam to the LP cylinders: the receiver... The pressure in receiver pipe can come from one of two sources: live steam from the boiler, at a limited upper pressure, or 'used' steam pumped from the HP cylinders into the receiver pipe. The engineer has an air-pressure operated mechanism that directs the steam paths according to the position of the 'starting' control valve selected by the engineer If in compound operation, the steam pressure in the receiver pipe fluctuates up untill the impulses and the expanding ( exhausted) HP steam fills the receiver. once filled,it then "evens-out". The volume in the receiver is large enough that the individual impulses from the steam sent from the HP cylinders is too small to affect the total expanded steam that has filled the receiver volume. If you had a gauge on the receiver, AND a heavy train, you would see a steady pressure, 'averaged-out' to approximate the pressure exhausted by the HP cylinders... Again, a massive train-weight affects the performance. You're operating an engine designed for steam production commensurate for a heavy, steady demand. Trying to design such a Loco to be efficient at pulling around 'a caboose', is quite a challenge when you're powering 12 drivers and full boiler pressure. Remember that the pressure in the receiver is determined by both the exhausted steam volume of the HP cylinders, and the track speed. If you had a gauge on the receiver, it would show, if under loaded operation, a steady pressure to the LP cylinders of a pressure range between 85 psi and 135psi, approximately....assuming a boiler pressure of 200 psi.. "Your mileage may vary". As, we've noted, the operators are discovering the realities of operating 1309. 1309 is the teacher, the rest of us are her students --- she tells us when we're doing it right, and if we're doing it wrong! Who knows for sure, what the compounding pressures will be with only the light excursions in 1309's future. One excursion operator in the Dakotas, operates their compound articulateds in compound service exclusively. W. Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/22 15:34 by wcamp1472. Date: 01/11/22 10:13 Re: “Compounding “ Comments Author: Earlk The logging malleys the Black Hill Central run don't have all the extra simpling features. The Simpling Valve is simply a valve which routes steam at boiler pressure to the low pressure cylinders with no regulation. It seems the piping is rather small in diameter so it doesn't have much volume, so that if the front engine slips, it quickly runs out of steam feeding the cylinders, or the pressure drops to the point where traction is recovered.
There is a serious hill on the BHC which puts the malleys on their knees, and I have heard/seen video where the engine bogs down, then the exhaust gets louder and sharper briefly when the engineer opens the simpling valve, then shuts it off once a bit of speed is restored. It happens a couple of times in the runby. I imagine one has to open and close the valve to keep from slipping the front engine. I think Mary McP posted the video a couple of months back. Maybe she can repost it for us. I did a search, here is the video..... trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,5294160,5294160#msg-5294160 Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/22 10:21 by Earlk. |