Car driven by steam

Read more: http://www.newscientist.com/ Could steam power enter the race for fossil fuel alternatives? Swiss engineering may hold the answer.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• steam
• engine
• alternative
• fuel
• steamcar
• thermomobile
• biofuel
• newscientist
• newscientistvideo
• new
• scientist

[mynonsense]

sound slike a bunch of hot air

[dreanwetter]

back to the industrial rev.

[er10b]

I'd give it a go any day but mine would be wood fired.

[porpoisefathom]

there are better ways to set up a self-contained steam system...natural gas- methane,

propane, wood pellet(this is extremely viable)...these are solutions. in fact steam at the present time- is the ONLY viable alternative to fossil fuels...

[marcusfavonius]

It's interesting... but frankly, his setup would have looked antiquated compared to the high end steam cars of the 10's and 20's. The Doble is a perfect example of this kind of engineering done right. Entirely closed loop system with condenser, so no obnoxious clouds of steam billowing out the back of the vehicle. And the kerosene combustion boiler only turned on when temperatures dropped too low, rather than burning constantly in what's basically a big water heater much like old steam trains.

[Wodenhelm]

All these mini-compact, short-distance cars, simply will not work. The US is huge, we have large distances to drive, and things to haul. Revive the old-style steam cars, but refined with modern engineering, and THAT will work.

[felderup]

@mynonsense it does... but, more hot water dribbling... problem is, it is a viable technology, but they're demonstrating technology that's several decades older than current steam car tech, heck, that's not even 20th century steam tech.

[doggiejigs]

@KrazeeCain That stanley I saw driven around town in video was said to use 40 gals of water and got about 7 mpg on the fuel. It ran on about 500 PSI, looked pretty cool. Another vid showed the engine, think it said it had 13 or 17 moving parts.

Leno mentioned a model T he has, no oil filter/pump, no water pump and very simple, bulletproof he said, Love it- simple is best!

[doggiejigs]

@KrazeeCain Batteries cant power big rigs and trucks, at best it will power passenger cars, but the cost and weight of batteries and issues with them has always been THE problem and all batteries have limited life and then have to be dealt with and they are expensive to replace. I was looking at the stanley cars, & jay Leno's- pretty cool, would be nice for around town short trips, but today ppl want to just turn the key and GO, & just put gas in and be done with it.

[KrazeeCain]

@doggiejigs I totally agree, I think there's room in the future for gas, diesel, steam and electric cars to co-exist. In fact, I just laugh whenever I hear someone saying that EV's are gonna replace all gas cars. As long as you have to charge their batteries, electric cars will not replace EVERYTHING, but they might replace most. Electric cars are the cleanest solution, but they're just not ideal for everyone.

[doggiejigs]

@KrazeeCain Cool. I don't know, I still think a small turbo-charged diesel engine which can run on just about any oil as long as it's CLEAN, even waste cooking oils, is a good one too. Either way you STILL have to burn something to create the heat energy. Electric is not pollution free either, the smog goes out the powerplant's stack instead of the tailpipe. I do like steam engines tho :)

[KrazeeCain]

Just want to reiterate, this idea is completely retarded, and gives steam a bad name. One that it doesn't deserve.