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can a steam whistle work with compressed air

by Mr. Maverick Lubowitz II Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Re: Steam Whistle Question Author: esinclair The answer is yes they will blow on compressed air. The slot of at the base of the whistle is just like the languid of an organ pipe.

Building a simple whistle
Instead of steam I decided to use compressed air which is easier to find at home. But this whistle will work fine also with steam, if you are lucky enough to have a boiler. Just keep in mind that steam has a lower density than air and will produce a higher pitch.

Full Answer

Do steam whistles work on Steam?

But this whistle will work fine also with steam, if you are lucky enough to have a boiler. Just keep in mind that steam has a lower density than air and will produce a higher pitch.

What is the difference between gas whistle and compressed air whistle?

Gas composition – The frequency of a whistle driven by steam is typically higher than that of a whistle driven by compressed air at the same pressure. This frequency difference is caused by the greater speed of sound in steam, which is less dense than air.

Why do lighthouses have steam whistles?

Beginning in 1869, steam whistles began being installed at lighthouse stations as a way of warning mariners in periods of fog, when the lighthouse is not visible. 10" diameter whistles were used as fog signals throughout the United States for many years, until they were later replaced by other compressed air diaphragm or diaphone horns.

Will a steam whistle work with a copper pipe?

But this whistle will work fine also with steam, if you are lucky enough to have a boiler. Just keep in mind that steam has a lower density than air and will produce a higher pitch. A straight 22 mm (outer diameter) copper pipe makes the foot and the resonator divided by a cap playing the role of the languid.

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How much pressure does a steam whistle need?

100 to 300 pounds per square inchIndustrial steam whistles typically were operated in the range of 100 to 300 pounds per square inch gauge pressure (psig) (0.7 - 2.1 megapascals, MPa), although some were constructed for use on pressures as high as 600 psig (4.1 MPa).

How do you make a compressed air whistle?

1:394:36Homemade air / steam whistle. Train whistle - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThis part screws inside of it that's the thread that mates up right there with that thread that flatMoreThis part screws inside of it that's the thread that mates up right there with that thread that flat area right there creates a seal your air of course comes up through the center.

How does a steam whistle work?

In a steam whistle, the stream of gas that drives this vibration is steam rather than air. Water is heated in a boiler until it forms moderately high-pressure steam and then the steam is released through a valve to a large whistle, which sounds loudly.

How do you make a mini steam whistle?

1:165:02MY STIRLING SINGLE #11 - MAKING A SPECIAL STEAM WHISTLEYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAs I'm turning a thin tube you will hear a harmonic resonance from the lathe tool and I found thatMoreAs I'm turning a thin tube you will hear a harmonic resonance from the lathe tool and I found that the lathe tool made a lot less noise if I cut in Reverse like this pulling away from the chuck.

How do you build a steam whistle?

1:345:18Build Steam Whistles - RustyGlovebox - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI started off first with some 2-inch copper tubing soldered on a two-inch cap put it in the lathe.MoreI started off first with some 2-inch copper tubing soldered on a two-inch cap put it in the lathe. And drilled a hole in the center of the cap. There's just hollow tube on the inside.

How do you make PVC whistle?

0:335:37How to make and play Tin Whistle Flute out of PVC Pipe - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWe cut at 45 degrees to create a mouthpiece mainly for playing comfort. A piece of wood double forMoreWe cut at 45 degrees to create a mouthpiece mainly for playing comfort. A piece of wood double for the block. Another piece of pipe for the head. We cut the opening.

What is the loudest steam locomotive in the world?

the 1522Many railfans regard the 1522 as the "The Loudest Steam Locomotive in the World" due to its exceptionally loud exhaust blasts, particularly when working hard.

Why do steam engines have whistles?

A train whistle or air whistle (originally referred to as a steam trumpet) is an audible signaling device on a steam locomotive, used to warn that the train is approaching, and to communicate with rail workers.

Who invented the steam whistle?

ADRIAN STEPHENSADRIAN STEPHENS Formerly managing engineer of the Plymouth Works. Inventor of the steam whistle in the year 1835. Died December 25, 1876, aged 82."

How do you make a whistle?

0:001:50Make a wood whistle in five minutes - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThere you go is the super simple whistle you can make in under five minutes I'm just marking theMoreThere you go is the super simple whistle you can make in under five minutes I'm just marking the center of this dowel by eye it doesn't really have to be exact.

How do you make a train whistle?

0:066:05Make a wooden train whistle | 2012 New Years noisemaker - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWith an awl. The trick here is to make these holes as deep as I can using my drill press I'll finishMoreWith an awl. The trick here is to make these holes as deep as I can using my drill press I'll finish them up with my hand drill. And trying to keep it as square as possible.

How do you make a metal pipe whistle?

Using a small ball-peen hammer, carefully depress a triangular section of the metal pipe just below the sharpened lip. The lip and the depressed area will separate the airflow when you blow into the end of the tube, which is what creates the whistling sound.

How do you make an emergency whistle?

1:172:31How to make a Survival Whistle from a Metal Can - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAfter removing the nail one side of the lid will have a sharp jagged edge where you made the holeMoreAfter removing the nail one side of the lid will have a sharp jagged edge where you made the hole carefully bend these down if you can. Now probably open the end to about a thirty degree angle.

How do you make homemade air duster?

0:141:24How To Make Refillable Air Duster - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAm using very strong epoxy glue that can hold high pressure when the can is full of air now placeMoreAm using very strong epoxy glue that can hold high pressure when the can is full of air now place the tire valve put some extra glue to get super strong and leave to dry for about two.

How do you make a homemade train whistle?

0:492:14DIY PVC Pipe Train Whistle – How to make - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipCut a piece just shorter than the small section of the pipe. Then using a file flatten one side ofMoreCut a piece just shorter than the small section of the pipe. Then using a file flatten one side of the wood removing about 1/8 of the diameter. Next the down needs to be hammered into the PVC.

How do you make condensed air?

0:373:38How to Make a Compressed Air Can - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipNow we can screw in and then add some glue to our valve. Once we have that glued in place let's justMoreNow we can screw in and then add some glue to our valve. Once we have that glued in place let's just add some epoxy to it. So it doesn't want to move in it stays in there really nice and tight.

How much air does a whistle use?

The whistle described here has a minimum working pressure around 0.5 bar and overblows at about 6.5 bars. It uses about 2 l/s of air at 6 bars and produces a sound level of 116 dBA at a distance of 1 m.

How much does a compressed air whistle weigh?

It's made with brass: casted, machined and than polished. It's about 20 cm high and weight about 2.7 kg: a really nice piece. It can disassembled in four parts as shown in the pictures below.

What is a chime whistle?

A chime whistle is a whistle composed by two or more resonators playing a chord. The simplest chord is composed by two notes with a 3/2 frequency ratio and this was the choice for my whistle. Two simple whistles as described above were constructed, one with a resonator length D of 210 mm and the other one with a resonator of only 140 mm (3/2 ratio, frequency around 600 Hz). The same pipe diameter was used to keep things simple. Their feet were connected together with a T-junction and fed through a control valve built from hardware store parts. The figure below shows how the whistle looks like.

How does a whistle work?

In order to make the whistle work, a minimum pressure is required. Below this pressure the air will go through the windway without producing any sound (except the noise of the flowing air). Above this threshold, increasing the pressure will increase the sound level and will also slightly increase the pitch. But there is a maximum pressure that, when exceeded, will make the fundamental frequency disappear and the pitch jump to a much higher frequency. The whistle is said to be over-blown.

How to make a windway?

To create the windway, a 22 mm junction is fitted around the main pipe. These junctions have an inner diameter of 22 mm and fit perfectly on the pipe but usually have a small punch in the middle that needs to be filed off. Position the junction aligned to the languid : it should cover the rest of the rectangular hole cut in the main pipe. Solder it in this position but be careful and use as little solder as possible since there is a risk of clogging the windway.

How many bytes are in a chime whistle?

Listen to this chime whistle: chimewhistle.wav (1,981,348 bytes).

Can you use compressed air instead of steam?

Instead of steam I decided to use compressed air which is easier to find at home. But this whistle will work fine also with steam, if you are lucky enough to have a boiler. Just keep in mind that steam has a lower density than air and will produce a higher pitch.

How to get a whistle running at original pitch?

Rent a big compressor and temporarily rig up whatever else you need to get the whistle running at as close to original specs (including pitch) as possible.

What is compressed gas on a trumpet?

Compressed gas is applied to an annulus around that seat ring. The pressure integrated over the annulus' area deforms the diaphragm and lifts it off the seat ring.

How does a trumpet work?

All rely on a combined diaphragm/valve that is stretched tight over a seat ring at the small end of a trumpet. Compressed gas is applied to an annulus around that seat ring. The pressure integrated over the annulus' area deforms the diaphragm and lifts it off the seat ring. The gas then flows into the trumpet for a brief period, the pressure within the annulus and within the central circle both decline to a value that cannot hold the diaphragm/valve open, the diaphragm reseats itself, and pressure builds in the annulus until it is once more sufficient to open the gap between the diaphragm and seat, in a cyclical fashion, until the inlet pressure is shut off by other means. The dynamics (and part sizes) appear to be tuned to a particular frequency, as is the horn. It basically works like a relaxation oscillator. It requires a relatively high pressure to open the diaphragm/valve, but consumes relatively little gas. A modest air compressor, a reservoir, and a relatively large operating valve complete the ensemble.

Is Whistle a flue pipe?

The "whistle" in this case is definitely of the stopped flue pipe variety, and employs neither reed, nor diaphragm, nor slotted cylinder à la Hope-Jones diaphone.

Do locomotive horns run on air?

Following up on VE1BLL's post I found an interesting ( albeit a bit long ) comparison of different locomotive horns, their costs ,and sound levels. These horns are designed to run on air and may not be what the OP is looking for. None the less I thought I would throw it up here.

Can a leaf blower make up steam?

No idea, but most movies I've show pretty prodigious flows of steam through those whistles. A leaf blower might make up some of that with the velocity it generates.

When were steam whistles first used?

Large diameter steam whistles were used on light houses, likely beginning in the 1850s.

What is an array of steam whistles arranged to play music called?

An array of steam whistles arranged to play music is referred to as a calliope .

What is a whistle with mouths cut in the side?

Organ whistle – a whistle with mouths cut in the side, usually a long whistle in relation to diameter, hence the name. These whistle were very common on steamships, especially those manufactured in the UK. Gong – two whistles facing in opposite directions on a common axis. These were popular as factory whistles.

How does the length of a whistle affect the frequency?

Whistle length – The natural resonant frequency decreases as the length of the whistle is increased. Doubling the effective length of a whistle reduces the frequency by one half, assuming that the whistle cross-sectional area is uniform. A whistle is a quarter-wave generator, which means that a sound wave generated by a whistle is about four times the whistle length. If the speed of sound in the steam supplied to a whistle were 15936 inches per second, a pipe with a 15-inch effective length blowing its natural frequency would sound near middle C: 15936/ (4 x 15) = 266 Hz. When a whistle is sounding its natural frequency, the effective length referred to here is somewhat longer than the physical length above the mouth if the whistle is of uniform cross-sectional area. That is, the vibrating length of the whistle includes some portion of the mouth. This effect (the “end correction”) is caused by the vibrating steam inside the whistle engaging vibration of some steam outside the enclosed pipe, where there is a transition from plane waves to spherical waves. Formulas are available to estimate the effective length of a whistle, but an accurate formula to predict sounding frequency would have to incorporate whistle length, scale, gas flow rate, mouth height, and mouth wall area (see below).

How to tell if a whistle is resonant?

A whistle has a characteristic natural resonant frequency that can be detected by gently blowing human breath across the whistle rim, much as one might blow over the mouth of a bottle. The active sounding frequency (when the whistle is blown on steam) may differ from the natural frequency as discussed below. These comments apply to whistles with a mouth area at least equal to the cross-sectional area of the whistle.

Why is the frequency of a whistle higher than that of a whistle driven by compressed air?

This frequency difference is caused by the greater speed of sound in steam, which is less dense than air. The magnitude of the frequency difference can vary because the speed of sound is influenced by air temperature and by steam quality. Also, the more squat the whistle, the more sensitive it is to the difference in gas flow rate between steam and air that occurs at a fixed blowing pressure. Data from 14 whistles (34 resonant chambers) sounded under a variety of field conditions showed a wide range of frequency differences between steam and air (5 - 43 percent higher frequency on steam). Very elongate whistles, which are fairly resistant to gas flow differences, sounded a frequency 18 - 22 percent higher on steam (about three semitones).

What are the parts of a whistle?

The whistle consists of the following main parts, as seen on the drawing: the whistle bell (1) , the steam orifice or aperture (2) , and the valve (9). When the lever (10) is pulled (usually via a pull cord ), the valve opens and lets the steam escape through the orifice. The steam will alternately compress and rarefy in the bell, creating the sound.

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1.Videos of Can A Steam Whistle Work With Compressed Air

Url:/videos/search?q=can+a+steam+whistle+work+with+compressed+air&qpvt=can+a+steam+whistle+work+with+compressed+air&FORM=VDRE

12 hours ago  · After repairs and adjustments, several models and styles of steam and trolley whistles are tested using an air compressor and a test platform. Repeated testi...

2.Steam Whistle Testing Using Compressor - YouTube

Url:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSrXf5Qmtlo

21 hours ago In the late era of steam locomotives, and early diesel locomotives, there were some attempts to use steam whistles on compressed air, but the horn seemed to be easer to install. This to the demise of the steam whistle manufactures.

3.Penberthy Steam Whistle On Compressed Air - YouTube

Url:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CN2AH1mGYc

30 hours ago  · Testing out my old Penberthy 3`` steam whistle on a large diesel compressor. It still made it work pretty hard.

4.A steam whistle - giangrandi

Url:https://www.giangrandi.org/mechanics/steamwhistle/steamwhistle.shtml

19 hours ago Made an air compressor powered steam whistle. Built by stitching together a whistle and an air coupling found online. 14. 11. 11 Comments. sorted by. Best. Add a Comment. the_blocker1418 • …

5.Operating a Steamship Whistle on Air - Engineers with …

Url:https://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=390570

24 hours ago  · In the late era of steam locomotives, and early diesel locomotives, there were some attempts to use steam whistles on compressed air, but the horn seemed to be easer to install. This to the demise of the steam whistle manufactures.

6.Steam whistle adjustments? | Smokstak® Antique Engine …

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25 hours ago Air and Steam Whistles. Kahlenberg Air and Steam Whistles are distinctive, powerful signals backed by decades of successful performance in marine and industrial applications throughout the world. These whistles are used indoors in factories, for factory warning or directly on machinery, and outdoors in various omni-directional warning ...

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19 hours ago  · Re: steam whistles Hey Bob: It is possible that you may not have the CFM to run them. I have two and one is 3/4" feed pipe and the other is 1" The bell are 2" and 3" single chime respectively. The larger one has problems when I run on compressed air just because of the sheer volume needed to run it. Both sound wayyyy better when I run on steam.

8.Steam whistle - Wikipedia

Url:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_whistle

12 hours ago  · A large whistle can blow on compressed air. But it has to have the volume to do it/ I have a 6" 3 chime steam whistle for a doorbell and it will drain a 60 and a 80 gallon tank n a blink of an eye. Smaller whistles will blow on compressed nicely. But the sound is not as nice as steam.

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