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Old 05-18-2009, 10:29 AM   #47 (permalink)
johnrobinson457
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: madison wi
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gas turbines and steam engines

Howdy,
I've been a member of the Steam Automobile Club of America for over 25 years now, and there are very few steam engine vehicles that are new on the roads, for a reason, they are theoretically efficient, but theory and practicality are two different animals. I work at the University of Wisconsin Mechanical Engineering Dept, as a Mechanician for the Heat and Power Laboratory for Senior Undergraduates, and we run both a steam turbine and a gas turbine for teaching. Steam turbines use steam, huge amounts of steam at high pressures, 180 PSI+ steam pressures. Small gas turbines use fuel. Huge amounts of fuel, they turn fuel into noise, and at very high RPM, 80K or more. Both steam and gas turbines just are not practical for moving 500-1000 lbs of vehicle and rider with any efficiency. might as well just drive a Hummer.
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