Steam Turbine Model Made Of Beverage Can

The following video shows a steam driven turbine model. This mini steam turbine is made of a used can of Nestle Bear Brand milk as a boiler, and a used can of Pocari Sweat as a stove. So that those used cans can be used to make educational toy, not just become rubbish.

Nestle Bear Brand milk container is chosen for the kettle. Because milk can is made of steel plate that are stronger and more heat resistant than soda can. Soda cans are generally made of aluminum plate.

Turbine or fan is also made of used aluminum beverage can. In the actual steam turbine engine, the turbine is connected to a generator so that it can generate electricity. On the video it can be seen that the turbine is spinning very fast, when the water in the boiler is boiling. Water is filled into the boiler by a syringe pump. The sound of water can be heard when injected into the boiler.

Various kind of fuels can be used (multifuel), such as: alcohol, used newspaper, used cooking oil, dry leaf, wood, used plastic bags. and others. It can use fuel in the form of gas, liquid or solid. Basically, all flammable materials can be used as fuel for this steam turbine. This is because the combustion system is simple and continuous. As long as fuel and combustion air flow into the stove, and smoke and residual are removed, the combustion process will continue.

In an internal combustion engine such as piston engine, the combustion system is more complicated in the combustion chamber. Combustion is not continuous, the combustion air must be compressed by the piston movement. Combustion requires an igniter system for combustion to occur. The piston engine has two types of cycles: Otto and Diesel.

In the Otto cycle, usually fueled with gasoline, it needs an igniter, which is a spark plug. Air mixed with fuel is compressed by the piston stroke. Then electric spark from a spark plug will ignite the combustion process.

Diesel engine requires injection system to inject diesel fuel into the combustion chamber. The combustion air is compressed to high pressure, so that the temperature rises high enough for diesel fuel to ignite.

The Otto and Diesel cycles work with liquid fuels, and some can work with gas. Both Otto and Diesel cycles cannot use solid fuel.

In the Brayton cycle (gas turbine), air is compressed continuously by a compressor fan. So that the turbine combustion can take place continuously. Usually at the start it needs electric spark from the spark plug to start the combustion. Furthermore, fuel is supplied continuously so that the combustion flame is kept burning, using a flame holder system. Gas turbines are commonly used in aircraft. Gas turbines use gas or liquid fuels. It cannot use solid fuel.

Burning garbage can be an alternative energy source, and prevent garbage from piling up. But burning trash can produce pollution. Especially burning plastic can produce toxic gases. The flue gas of garbage burning needs to be filtered and processed, before being released into the atmosphere.