I know the devs have said things about more Industrial Revolution tech being available, but here's the idea ive got;
A saleable framework for all piston based engines, steam powered or otherwise.
How does it work? All piston engines work on the concept of a heat engine in thermodynamics, IE; Hot fuel on one side of a piston interacts with the cold sink on the other side to apply a linear force, which through the connecting rod acts on the crankshaft/flywheel which creates angular force (directly equivalent to the output of windmills).
To be a self sustaining system it would require A: a method to remove exhaust and intake High energy fuel, and B: A steady stream of high energy fuel.
How would this work in game?
Players are able to make the following engine parts with most materials: Piston, Connecting rod, Crankshaft/Power Take-Off Shaft, Flywheel, Head, Cams, Pushrod, Cylinder, and Casing.
There are a wide range of sizes available, Weak materials need to be bigger to gain any actual work, or would have a lower thermal efficiency (though compact internal or external combustion engines would be late game/nonexistent because of the precision machining required) ((Stronger materials make more power due to ability to withstand greater compression))
If an engine exceeds the load ratings of a material high enough/ for long enough, the weakest link in the system fails catastrophically.
Accessory blocks would provide the means to bring Hot fuel and Remove exhaust, IE: A very simple engine would be a piston powered by a boiler fueled by a campfire, gear driven cams(exhaust and intake) with pushrods opening simple valves, Conrod driving a flywheel with 1:1 output, and a clutch and transmission driving a mill or helve hammer.
Big engine= Big Flywheel which requires gearing to acquire usable work.(Torque/Joules math is beyond the scope of this post)
Displacement is simply Bore x Stroke, Output power is calculated at the flywheel, A system/multiple models needs to exist to handle scaling the size of piston, conrod, head/case, and flywheel
Lategame Engines require more Induvial cast/forged parts to make, are smaller and more efficient.
Internal combustion engines (for simplicity's sake) only require a carburetor, which provides a Volume of perfect air-fuel ratio, dependent on size of Carb.(Big engine/more cylinders need more carb) ((Crude Fuel oil, Biodiesel, Wood/Coal gas))
Accessories/Tools included:
Power Hammer: Used dies to forge highly strong parts and tools from a single billet of material, multiblock construction(scales to use huge dies as well) or craft and placed tool
Mill: Removes voxels in a way similar to knapping, Used to make extremely strong parts from single blocks/ ingots of forged or cast material.
Tool Steel: Used to make dies, drillbits, and hand tools.
Oil Processing: immersive engineering in minecraft is a near perfect system, shameless copying.
Gas Lamps: Use all that extra coal gas to light your home!
Feedback and Suggestions Appriciated!