The resurgence of steam

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The resurgence of steam

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vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Sat Dec 28, 13 12:08 pm Post subject: The resurgence of steam

as a viable heat engine. This is quite an interesting recent development over the past few years. It's essentially an external heat engine based on well know principles of the Rankin cycle (steam engine) but modernised to be small, powerful, and self contained.

Heat source ranges from traditional heat sources (petrol, oil, diesel, propane) but also waste heat, bio fuels, and almost any other heat source.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGRxqHiYCaQ#t=11

https://www.cyclonepower.com/

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Sat Dec 28, 13 12:49 pm Post subject:
Interesting. It is said that the infernal combustion engine dominates only because back in the early days the vehicle manufacturers who chose it won the marketing war, not because it is actually any better. Of course, now, after a hundred years or so of research and development, the infernal engine is substantially better... doesn't mean that external combustion cannot catch up.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45505
Location: yes

Posted: Sat Dec 28, 13 2:28 pm Post subject:
umm tidy

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15598

Posted: Sat Dec 28, 13 4:12 pm Post subject:
I think the steam engines of the time were only suitable for lorries and other larger vehicles Hairyloon, as they were rather heavy and bulky. My father was always very proud of the fact that his driving licence enabled him to drive a steam lorry. More recent ones don't of course.

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Sat Dec 28, 13 4:27 pm Post subject:

Mistress Rose wrote:

I think the steam engines of the time were only suitable for lorries and other larger vehicles.

Yes. I believe the principal battle was between Mr Edwin Foden, maker of steam lorries, and his son Edwin Richard Foden (ERF), who thought the future lay in diesel.

john of wessex

Joined: 18 Jun 2007
Posts: 2130

Posted: Sat Dec 28, 13 5:27 pm Post subject:

hairyloon, you do come up with some great observations.

Well, having worked on marine steam installations, 3200psi will have me out of the door smartish.

There is an interesting analysis of the relative merits of steam & diesel locomotives and the problem that steam has is that as there is no transmittion , in effect its the same as a fixed geared bike, so any particular locomotive is only at its best with a particular load/speed combination

john of wessex

Joined: 18 Jun 2007
Posts: 2130

Posted: Sat Dec 28, 13 5:59 pm Post subject:
Hummm............ Superheated steam and no cylinder lubrication, I think not Of course if you did have lubrication then you would carbonise the oil anyway at those sort of temperatures Also the radial configuration gives massive heat loss issues

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Sat Dec 28, 13 7:17 pm Post subject:

Very interesting. I have always thought we might end up riding to work on horses or steam driven transport. I see a problem immediately with this design though,

COOLING PROCESS
5. Steam escapes the cylinders through exhaust ports and (a) enters the patent-pending condensing unit where it turns back into water, and (b) collects in a sealed pan at the bottom of the condenser. Note, this is a closed-loop system – the water does not need to be replaced or topped-off.

If you are losing water as steam, how can it be said that water does not need to be replaced? It cannot be a closed loop system if steam is released?

john of wessex

Joined: 18 Jun 2007
Posts: 2130

Posted: Sat Dec 28, 13 8:02 pm Post subject:
Closed feed system Pretty standard in marine & stationary installations

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Sat Dec 28, 13 8:39 pm Post subject:

john of wessex wrote:

Closed feed system

Pretty standard in marine & stationary installations

Steam has been around for a long time. It's not a new technology but one that is still evolving one and this makes it interesting especially given its wide range of applications.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Sat Dec 28, 13 8:41 pm Post subject:

Lloyd wrote:

I think your quote answers your question "Steam escapes the cylinders through exhaust ports and (a) enters the patent-pending condensing unit".

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