Can a diesel engine be retrofitted to work as steam engine?

Question

I am not sure if a diesel engine can stand high pressure and high temperature steam. Any ideas on how to do it??

Answer 1

well, I'm sure a diesel engine could take the pressure and temp, whats the steam going to be, 210-350 F? Diesels have fuel burning inside them. however, a diesel is a 4 Stroke, while steam engines are 2 or even 1 stroke (steam is used in the crank case to push the cylinder back up) the valve system would have to be changed, not only that, but the intake valve would have to be modified. internal combustion engines have to keep pressure in while under the compression stroke. that means that the engine would not be able to hold the steam out when it wants to bring the piston back up, that is assuming that you modify the cam shaft to the new fuel. you would have to have a separate boiler to make the steam. it may be easier to modify a two stroke engine to this. you would have to seal off the intake and exhaust ports, then bore out the spark plug fitting, and then use a valve system to regulate the steam going into the head of the engine. bear in mind, that the rings in an engine are good, but not that good, you would have to find a way to keep the oil dry, under those conditions, the oil and water would mix. creating a  gray mixture that is bad for everything. the water would not settle until the engine was stopped. you may find it easier to simply start from scratch, or look for a steam engine somewhere. you may even have better luck going for something like an air tool. in that case however, temperature would be a problem, air motors get colder with use, not hotter.

Answer 2

No. Diesel is internal combustion, steam is external. Where would you burn the fuel and boil the water? And the valves would be working all wrong.

It would be able to stand the heat and pressure, that is for sure; but there would be so many things to change that one could just as well melt the diesel engine to cast a steam engine out of the metal, rather than trying to convert it.

Answer 3

Well, it has cylinders and a crankshaft, and it they could certainly withstand the temperature, so yeah, it could be done in principle.  You would have to add a boiler, and come up with a completely different input/ output manifold and valving system. In fact, the only parts you would be using from the diesel would be the cylinders, block and crankshaft.   It would probably be easier to start from scratch, and the end product would be more efficient, as has been pointed out.  But, if you do it, we'd all like to hear about it.

Answer 4

a real steam engine has 2 power strokes per cycle, an IC engine has 1 power stroke per 2 cycles, so you lose 3/4 of the power there.

But perhaps....