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Modern Steam Engines

American Steam Automobile Speed Record Attempt

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Windy29/04/2011 19:32:54
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910 forum posts
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Looking at the Steam Automobile Club of America site I came across http://cyclonepower.com/.
 
One of the engine types is going to be used to power a streamlined car in an attempt to break the speed record for steam cars.
 
The streamliner is nearly finished.
 
Does anyone have any other information about this power unit?
 
Windy

Edited By Windy on 29/04/2011 19:36:00

Edited By Windy on 29/04/2011 19:38:27

John Olsen30/04/2011 01:18:13
1294 forum posts
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1 articles
I don't know anything about that engine....but in this household we obey the laws of thermodynamics.
 
regards
John
Ian S C30/04/2011 13:03:22
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From what I see, not very practical, with out any great study of it the cam drive alone is a very high friction device, and to get the steam its going to need a considerable flame. the polution side of it they say that lower temperature reduces contaminants, I believe its the very opposite, high temperature burns the contaminants off, the problem with an IC engine is that the fuel does not completely combust, where as a hot air / stirling engine burns its fuel externally at its natural temperature, with mose fuels all thats left is hydrogen and oxygen(water). John I don't believe in fairies either. Ian S C
jomac30/04/2011 13:22:49
113 forum posts

Hi I seem to recollect that the team that is running the steam car is Donald Campbell's grand son and other family members,

John H

Windy30/04/2011 13:40:38
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910 forum posts
197 photos
Hi John H,
This record attempt is American and you can see the details on http://landspeedrecord.intuitwebsites.com/

Edited By Windy on 30/04/2011 13:43:59

V8Eng30/04/2011 20:53:15
1826 forum posts
1 photos
 
I think a British car has held this record since 2009, managed to find the website address from that time.
 
http://www.steamcar.co.uk/
 
Sorry that is not a hyperlink, I cannot seem to make those work at the moment.
 


Edited By V8Eng on 30/04/2011 20:57:30

John Olsen01/05/2011 01:27:44
1294 forum posts
108 photos
1 articles
Yes, the British effort spent milllions of pounds, used eight boilers and a turnbine, and managed to push the record up by maybe 10% or so. I think they would have done better to build a replica of the Stanley from way back, with improvements to the chasis and plant as permitted by modern materials, plus improved streamlining. I would just about bet that by doing that they could have raised the record far more than 10 percent.
 
Pollution is a tricky thing, if you combust at good high temperatures and allow it to complete fully you fully burn the hydrocarbons, so only get water and CO2, except that means that the temperatures are high enough to form oxides of nitrogen, which causes the photochemical smog that visitors to LA will remember. If you keep the temperatures lower you eliminate the NO2, at the expense of allowing more unburnt hydrocarbons. It is of course easier to keep control of the combustion if it is taking place continuously and in a not too confined space, as you can eliminate quenching. So steam or hot air engines have that advantage. Unfortunately they both need heat exchangers, which is an enormous disadvantage for a portable plant.
 
regards
John

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