I think I bought a steam generator?

Sailah

So as a preface, I have an auction problem. I've tried 12 step programs but they just can't cure me I'm addicted

I was lured by the sweet sweet siren song of a "steam generator" at a local auction but the photos weren't very good so I just sort of winged it. It wasn't throw away money but I'm not losing sleep over it either.

We used to have portable steam generators that we could take on the road and have the catch basin etc but are missing the prime mover. Which is why I bought this contraption.

I'm posting the pics in case anyone has an idea about how it works. The are various solenoids, gauges, motor, tank and lots of fittings but I can't wrap my head around how this works. @gordo video on his beautiful Hoffman had me thinking (along with the big "vacuum pump motor" sticker...) that somehow this was running a vacuum?

Anyone want to take a shot at this, I'm willing to try anything. Especially since my boss walked by it and said "What the $%& is that thing?" so I'm motivated to make it work...

Thanks!!

JUGHNE

Perhaps medical sterilizer....surgery instruments etc????

The term "Autoclave" sounds like a good term to explain to the boss.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Is there some sort of Heat Exchanger inside?

Leon82

Can it just be a vacuum pump

Sailah

JUGHNE said:

Perhaps medical sterilizer....surgery instruments etc????

The term "Autoclave" sounds like a good term to explain to the boss.

Yeah, we make OEM parts for sterilizer companies don't think that will work on him...

EBEBRATT-Ed said:

Is there some sort of Heat Exchanger inside?

I'm going to find out tomorrow. There is a hook up for those compression fittings so maybe?

Leon82 said:

Can it just be a vacuum pump

I don't think it's even a vacuum pump can't see the pump head clearly. I think it's just a liquid pump.

I think the best plan is to rip it apart and start fresh. I wonder what the best heat source would be assuming I need to run this off 120v 15a outlet? Would love to use a camp stove but I'm sure a venue like a trade show would frown on that.

Plus the pump is 2hp 3 phase and I can't run that easily without a VFD outside the plant.

Like I said, it's a problem I have haha. I should post up some of the other treasures I've dragged home. How about a 100 Ton hydraulic press...

JUGHNE

Isn't there some nameplate or tag on the box part of it?

Leon82

I have a steam generator for my shower and there is no motor on it.
the motor has a sticker that says vacuum pump. Maybe its part of a contraption

ChrisJ

Leon82 said:

I have a steam generator for my shower and there is no motor on it.

the motor has a sticker that says vacuum pump. Maybe its part of a contraption

Sounds like you like your showers as hot as my wife does.

Paul48

The 100 ton press comes in handy when making coal into diamonds

adambnyc

The waterproof hard wired whip hanging off the thing makes the think that it was mounted outside. Certainly some kinda pump for something. I'd like to say old school pool pump but I'm sure that's not right. That's the pump that goes to the thingamajig next to the whatchamacallit which plugs into the doohickey.

Pumpguy

Can you tell us what the black tag on the motor says? This is the tag just below the motor's nameplate.

This could be a liquid ring vacuum pump, although I haven't seen one that looks exactly like this one.

Sailah

Pumpguy said:

Can you tell us what the black tag on the motor says? This is the tag just below the motor's nameplate.

This could be a liquid ring vacuum pump, although I haven't seen one that looks exactly like this one.

The pump tag says:

MTH Pumps
T41L AB

http://www.mthpumps.com/english/t41.html

Thanks!

Yourself

To me, it looks like a seal circulation pump unit. It would supply a much larger pump's seal with lubrication and cooling. All it would really do is pump what is in the tank in a circle to support the larger pump. If the larger pump's process is hot then it would have a heat exchanger to cool the liquid (normally oil). This most likely explains the thermocouple and the two compression fitting on the tank.

To have it functional you'd have to make a loop from the pump discharge to the reservoir inlet. Add a flow adjustment while having to adjust the pressure controller (labeled TCV-1) to create the specific GPM and PSI. Each large pump and seal would have a specific flow rate and pressure. Then you'd hook up water to the fitting I marked to a water supply to cool the liquid in the reservoir.

I spent 5 years as an operator at an oil refinery and most large pumps have these types of units. My guess was this fed the seals on the "Vacuum Pump" or possibly cooled the bearings on the "Vacuum Pump Motor"

Mike

Koan

A regenerative turbine pump is used for low flow high pressure applications.

Looks to be a way to build lots of pressure (velocity)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=oWHY5bxQGu4

maybe this is a lethal squirt gun?

Paul48

Mount a siren and some flashing lights on it to impress the boss.

Sailah

Yourself said:

To me, it looks like a seal circulation pump unit. It would supply a much larger pump's seal with lubrication and cooling. All it would really do is pump what is in the tank in a circle to support the larger pump. If the larger pump's process is hot then it would have a heat exchanger to cool the liquid (normally oil). This most likely explains the thermocouple and the two compression fitting on the tank.

To have it functional you'd have to make a loop from the pump discharge to the reservoir inlet. Add a flow adjustment while having to adjust the pressure controller (labeled TCV-1) to create the specific GPM and PSI. Each large pump and seal would have a specific flow rate and pressure. Then you'd hook up water to the fitting I marked to a water supply to cool the liquid in the reservoir.

I spent 5 years as an operator at an oil refinery and most large pumps have these types of units. My guess was this fed the seals on the "Vacuum Pump" or possibly cooled the bearings on the "Vacuum Pump Motor"

Mike

Interesting Mike thanks. So what you're telling me is I bought a lot of nice brass pipe fittings lol?

Yourself

Sorry to shoot down your steam generator dreams. Don't forget you also got that nice 3 phase pump..... Fountain in the front yard anyone??? lol

ChrisJ

Could always part it out on Ebay.
That pump has to be worth something.

Canucker

Yourself said:

Sorry to shoot down your steam generator dreams. Don't forget you also got that nice 3 phase pump..... Fountain in the front yard anyone??? lol

It'd be a heck of a fountain. Haha