The British Steam Car Challenge

Van Cutter Romney sends us word of a British steam-powered car that will attempt to set a world record speed of 200 mph. The car, constructed on a tubular chassis, holds four boilers that deliver four megawatts of power, producing 300 bhp. The current record of 127.659 mph was established in 1906. More photos and specs at the Steam Car Club of Great Britain's site.

Comments

Damned inefficient

[overshoot]

Four megawatts turning into 300 bhp?

Should be well over 4000 bhp, since one bhp is 746 watts. Looks like an amazing amount of conversion loss there.

Re:Damned inefficient

[xero314]

The IC engine is far more efficient in comparison. If Internal Combustion is so much more efficient why is the vast majority of energy produced on earth is converted to electricity through turbines rather than internal combustion driven generators? Gas turbine engines have been produced with a energy conversion efficiency of 46%, as compared to ICs which have reached 42% (both maximums taken from working models not theoretical). It is also easier to addapt heat recovery systems to turbine engines than it is to internal combustion. Now multi stage steam turbines actually surpass Both the IC and the Gass turbine and are capable of reaching 95% isentropic efficiency. I just think you are missing some factors in your efficiency equation.

Re:Damned inefficient

[DigiShaman]

The IC engine was developed as a replacement for steam powered piston locomotion and paddle wheel boating (think river boats on the Mississippi).

For modern electric plants, steam turbines (running on natural gas or coal) are used and often running with a constant load. This makes for better optimization. In fact, all nuclear power plants use steam turbines. But if you think running a steam turbine in an automobile is far more efficient than an IC, you're mistaken. We don't have heat recovery technolgy that scales down small enough to be as effective as the ones running our power plants.

Re:Steam isn't an energy source

[OverlordQ]

Thank you for personifying the typical Slashdotter by not Reading the Farking Article.

From TFA's Seventh Sentence:

Motive power is from a two-stage steam turbine, fed by a boiler fired on LPG.

Thank you, come again.

Re:Not really a steam car.

[AKAImBatman]

This is not a steam car in the conventional sense, as it does not burn coal.

If you think a car needs to burn coal in order to be a "Steam Car", then you're seriously out of it. Conventional steam cars burn a variety of fuels, including gasoline.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_car

Steam engines are valued for their excellent power to weight ratios, general efficiency, and greater torque capacity. They also have fewer moving parts so maintenece schedules are quite good, as long as you don't leak your working fluid. (i.e. Water) Thankfully it's quite easy to replace lost water, and can be done as part of regular maintenece. (Think: Flushing and replacing water while changing oil.)

Or maybe you're trying to be funny. It's hard to tell. :-/