Steam Engine Using an Empty Beer Can

Here's how to make a steam engine from an empty beer can. There's some you tube clips around on making one from a full can of soda, where the nozzle jets are made using a pin. Maybe an easier way, but to waste a full can of beverage just doesn't seem quite right.

• Empty Beer Can
• Thin plastic tube
• Super glue
• Baking Soda
• Water
• Heat source

Tools:

• Drill

To build up steam the beverage can needs to act as a pressure vessel and so needs to be completely sealed, except where the steam will come out of the jet nozzles. It also needs to rotate on itself.

Bend up the outer tab into a L shape using some pilers and then bend it forward so a piece of string can hang from it over the center of the can. This will allow the can to rotate on itself.

Close the pouring opening by using a knife or other thin object, bending the opening back up so it almost where it was before the beverage can was opened.

Make a couple of holes in the side of the can, about half way up, opposite each other using a small drill. The diameter of the holes should be about the same as the thin plastic tubing to be used as jet nozzles. Enlarge the holes so they are elliptical allowing the nozzle tubes to lie parallel against the cans side.

Seal the top of the opened can using super glue and baking soda to make a small pressure vessel. Add some super glue to the closed opening and then sprinkle on some baking soda - they will combine to make a plastic. Keep adding super glue and baking soda until the top is sealed.

Fit in the thin plastic tubes to the holes drilled in the sides of the can and seal with super glue and baking soda. Try to have the tubes pointing horizontal in the direction you want to rotate the can when the steam exits the nozzles. The tube in the photo could be lying a bit more horizontal to improve rotating the can.

Add a little water into the can though one of the nozzles. Just add maybe a teaspoon or so. On my first attempt too much water was added and the heat source couldn't turn it into steam.

I tried heating the water into steam using a candle but this didn't produce enough heat. I then used a cotton ball soaked in some methylated spirts and placed on the bottom half a beverage can turned up side down. This was able to make enough heat to turn the water into steam and cause the can to rotate on itself.

The can was suspended from a tripod over the methylated sprits flame. After a couple of minutes enough steam had built up to rotate the can. After about 30 seconds of spinning the string was twisted and wanted to unwind, I tried adding a fishing swivel to stop the string twisting but it didn't help.

In another attempt the can was manually held by its string over the flame, allowing the height over the flame to be easily adjusted while the water boiled and turned into steam.