Snow Engine

JLGundersen

JLGundersen

Intermediate Poster
600 Snow Engine Video

Snow_Rod-2.gif



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxssIc4HUNM



This is an unusual engine: One connecting rod, two pistons, and four combustion chambers. What would you call an engine configuration like this? Maybe a dual-acting tandem?


JL
 
JL, Is that your video, or do you know who's it is?

This, and the steam shovel video is some great work! I like the title screens that are on the ends.
 
Tyvm

Mark,

Yes, they're all my videos. Thank you for the complements. :D

I would also like to thank all who have donated their efforts and equipment to create and maintain this WMSTR Community Forum.

I see this public forum as a perfect place to supplement the information in the website. It will help generate more public interest and curiosity and persuade more guests to visit Rollag, which will ensure the continued success and growth of the show.

I hope my efforts here will compel more people to visit Rollag. That is my goal.

Thank you all very much.

JL
 
I like the *.gif motionpicture, that is very convenient for previewing. Thanks--
 
JLGundersen

JL

Thanks for all your posts here they are super.

You also hit the nail on the head with your last post here.
 
600 Snow Engine Questions

My WMSTR 600 Snow Engine video has been viewed on YouTube over 3,300 times so far, and several people have contacted me asking for more detailed information on the engine.

I need help answering the following questions:

1. What is the bore, stroke, and displacement
2. What is the overall weight
3. What is the fuel consumption
4. What is the torque output and engine speeed
5. What year was it built, where and how long was it in service

I know there is an article in one of the showbooks that answers most of these questions, but I have not been able to find it.

If any of you can answer these questions, or if you have any other interesting factoids on this engine, I would appreciate your reply.
Thanks.

JL
 
There are at least 2 members of this forum who would know this information. If they don't answer in a timely manner, I will look it up for you JL... You might have to shoot me a PM and remind me.
 
Hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong, it has been many years since I was around this engine but here goes.
bore 24"
stroke 48"
overall weight 140 tons
fuel consumption a lot and that is only an estimate
output 600hp @ around 80 rpm
built 1914-15 by the Snow Holly Works Schynectedy NY
can't remember the location but it run into the 70s for sure
the flywheel is 18ft in diameter and weighs 24 ton
maybe some one else can add some more
 
Snow Engine

I was looking through some show books and I found this in the 2000 Book.

Snow_Engine_b.jpg
 
Snow Engine Displacement - Typo?

Thanks for the info, Vern.

I have seen the 36,900 cubic inch displacement listed on the sign above the engine, but I think it's much more than that. Somebody please check my math here, because I'm certainly no mathematician; I come up with 86,815 cubic inches (1,423 Liters).

Here's how I figure:

Bore = 24"
Stroke = 48"
Number of combustion chambers = 4

Now, first I figured the area of the piston. 24" diameter = 12" radius. and the area of a circle is Pi (3.14) times the radius squared:
(3.14) X (12 X 12) or (3.14) X 144 = 452.16 square inches.

The area times the stroke length equals the volume of each combustion chamber:
452.16 x 48 = 21,703.68 cubic inches per combustion chamber.

That times the number of combustion chambers equals the total displacement:
21,703.68 X 4 = 86,814.72 cubic inches of total displacement.

I'm reasonably sure that somewhere along the way, maybe when making the sign for the engine, someone must have misread or mistaken the 8 for a 3.

I've checked my calculation against other engines that I know the bore, stroke and displacement of (a Ford 351 is 4" bore, 3.5" stroke, and 8 cylinders and by this formula figures out to be 351.68 CI), so I think I got my math right.

:confused: Would someone please double check my math on this? :confused:
​

I think someone might have to climb a ladder and change that 3 in 36,900 to an 8. :D

Just an observation.

Thanks again, Vern and Dell.

JL
 
I didn't run your numbers JL, but your equation is correct!

One thing I always wondered about an engine that has power strokes on both sides of a piston... do you take out the area that the piston rod occupies from the displacement?

I know that would not come close to the apparent mistake on the sign here, but I just am curious about that...
 
JL,

Your calculations look correct. That is a lot of cubic inches!

Mark,

I believe you are correct. The volume of the piston rod should be subtracted. The term is 'cubic inches of displacement' and the volume of the rod is not being displaced.

Later,
Jerry Christiansen
 
Jerry Christiansen;3751 said:
Mark,

I believe you are correct. The volume of the piston rod should be subtracted. The term is 'cubic inches of displacement' and the volume of the rod is not being displaced.
Click to expand...

There you go JL... Now you have some more "tweaking" to do! :biglaugh: You need to know the diameter of the piston rods now...
 
Snow Engine

I am not familiar with the snow engine but I have a few questions.

Does the piston travel in the same bore and get ignition from both ends?

If so then do you double the size of volume just because you have ignition on both sides of the piston in the same bore?

Would the size be 43,407 CI?
 
vnanosky;3754 said:
I am not familiar with the snow engine but I have a few questions.

Does the piston travel in the same bore and get ignition from both ends?

If so then do you double the size of volume just because you have ignition on both sides of the piston in the same bore?

Would the size be 43,407 CI?
Click to expand...

You get a power stroke every time the piston changes direction, so IMHO, the displacement should reflect that. What I was referring to above, is that the piston rod actually takes up some of those cubic inches of displacement in 3 of the 4 cylinders (or one of the two...) however you look at it!:confused::bonk:

Hey Vern... What do the cylinders on the 353 displace?
 
Vern,

You are correct, the piston fires on both sides. Both sides of each piston have intake and exhaust valves and spark plugs. Because of that, its two cylinders can produce the same number of powere strokes each revolution as a four cylinder engine like the ones in our cars.

We would multiply by four instead of two because the engine has four combustion chambers.

Mark,

The piston rod volume needs to be subtracted from all four combustion chambers, a rod sticks out of the end to a support at the end of the engine.

Later,
Jerry Christiansen
 
Jerry Christiansen;3756 said:
Mark,

The piston rod volume needs to be subtracted from all four combustion chambers, a rod sticks out of the end to a support at the end of the engine.

Later,
Jerry Christiansen
Click to expand...

Thats right Jerry!

There you go JL... You have your homework assignment!
 
M Kerkvliet;3757 said:
Thats right Jerry!

There you go JL... You have your homework assignment!
Click to expand...

Homework? What have I gotten myself into, here? :(

I just have one little problem...a 220 mile problem. If anyone can get me the precise diameter of the Snow's piston rod, I would be glad to calculate the exact displacement of the engine.
Otherwise, here's a table that gives us an idea of how the piston rod diameter affects the overall displacement of the engine:

SnowCID.jpg



Thanks for the interesting discussion, everyone.

JL
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