General Discussions

**Brian07002** · 09:32 PM

I was brainstorming about steam power...

Question: Why hasn't steam power been used for things like auto mobiles? I believe the original culprit to the steam power idea was the weight (if not for weight being the issue back in the early late 19th century / early 20th centuries) I think there would be (no doubt in my mind) steam powered vehicles in this century...

Isn't there a lighter / stronger material to use other than steel for the tank in the auto mobile?

Here's my point: I was researching the idea last night and found that even planes were steam powered at some point in history (forgot the date)...None the less, planes were steam powered, and given that information, a plane weighs more than an auto mobile so I feel there's got to be a way to create steam powered transportation by now. Even if there's no flying cars, or even electric powered cars...Can't we do something like steam powered transportation? I think that would be awesome.

By the way, I still have an old steam engine that my dad purchased long ago , (I believe it was at a flea market) I want to invent something, but I am having issues trying to find out where to start since there's so many people trying to invent something. Every time I think of some idea, I do research on it and it seems as though someone else has already patented that idea...

What are your suggestions? I am all ears, I'm listening to all points of view on this subject.

-Brian

**chrishirst** · 01-23-2010, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Question: Why hasn't steam power been used for things like auto mobiles?

What about the De Dion-Bouton? or these Steam Cars

**Brian07002** · 01-23-2010, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrishirst

What about the De Dion-Bouton? or these Steam Cars

I just can't believe we haven't used steam power (as opposed to electric power) for auto mobiles as steam would be cheaper to operate as it uses water instead of fossil based fuels. I wish one day I could utilize this steam power for a car, boat, or something else that makes transportation different.

**chrishirst** · 01-24-2010, 08:09 AM

AND what would you propose to use to BOIL the water to create steam under sufficient pressure? (and possibly superheat the steam)

Just in case you hadn't noticed

Steam cars, Locomotives, Traction Engines and Power Station turbines need an energy source of some kind (usually a FIRE) to heat the water to create the steam pressure in the first place.

**Knight13** · 01-24-2010, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian07002

I just can't believe we haven't used steam power (as opposed to electric power) for auto mobiles as steam would be cheaper to operate as it uses water instead of fossil based fuels. I wish one day I could utilize this steam power for a car, boat, or something else that makes transportation different.

If it is about gas and money then people should get mopeds, the average car gets i believe 25 to 35 miles per gallon of gas, mopeds can get around 75 to 85 miles to the gallon and some mopeds can get around 100 miles to the gallon.

With steam and water i doubt those will ever be made to the point where they are actually good, so right now gas is still king and i doubt we will ever see anything good other than gas powered cars in our lifetime.

**andrei155** · 01-24-2010, 12:02 PM

Listen, by using steam you're not really avoiding fossil fuels. You still need to somehow create the steam. You'll need heat. Usually, you'll just end up burning fossil fuels to create this heat. Why not skip a step and just use the fossil fuels to create the energy. That's what we have now, and it's far more efficient.

Other energy sources are very impractical. Nuclear fission requires the use of very radioactive isotopes of Uranium. Nuclear Fusion is not yet fully developed, and would require a temperature of 1000 degrees Celsius, and the plasma state of a Hydrogen atom. Solar and Wind power are just inefficient when it comes to powering a car.

**Gennie32** · 08:47 AM

yes, as we are utilizing the power from wind now, hope we soon start using the steam also. Also i strongly feel that no one source of energy shold be used at once, there should be atleast 2 or 3 sources of energy utilized at once

**chrishirst** · 01-25-2010, 08:47 AM

We have been using steam power in one form or another for over one hundred years now.

**Giselle** · 01-25-2010, 01:02 PM

Steam Power is good and has it's place along with solar and wind power, our thoughts have been into hydrogen. My husband built a hydrogen booster for the truck and it works, brought the gas mileage up 110%.

**dWhite** · 01-25-2010, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrishirst

We have been using steam power in one form or another for over one hundred years now.

And recently began researching further into hydrogen and H2O based power system (the splitting of atoms, not steam based type systems).

**Brian07002** · 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dWhite

And recently began researching further into hydrogen and H2O based power system (the splitting of atoms, not steam based type systems).

dWhite, That sounds really interesting (using hydrogen and Water) splitting atoms...Sounds more 21st century although the technology has been with us forever...Go figure.

Maybe we just aren't ready for that technology yet? It will take lot's of testing and re-testing, as I wouldn't want a car powered by H2O and find out that when something goes wrong, I will have to pay an arm and a leg just to get it looked at, never-mind having to replace the actual part(s)

**Athlon** · 02-04-2010, 09:49 PM

I want to see details of the steam powered plane you mentioned. I am assuming that Brunel did not build it cos with the weight of the fuel and the weight of the water coupled with Brunels love of big metal plates it wouldnt have got half way down the runway let alone airborn.

**andrei155** · 02-04-2010, 10:34 PM

Is there any way to create a chain reaction with the splitting of intramolecular bonds as with nuclear fission? I think that's the only way it can be used to create a sufficient amount of energy. Our body stores energy in the form of ATP, and when needed phosphorylates it to ADP. I guess our bodies are already one step ahead of us

.

**edgray** · 02-05-2010, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian07002

Even if there's no flying cars, or even electric powered cars...Can't we do something like steam powered transportation? I think that would be awesome.

Brian, I personally think hydrogen is the way forward. I want one of these:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6333729.stm

or maybe one of these:

I think steam is just a little too unwieldy for modern transportation...

**Giselle** · 02-05-2010, 02:47 PM

Beautiful photographs Ed, there's only one problem, where do you carry the groceries and dog? The basket is just big enough to carry my purse....hehehehe!

**andrei155** · 02-05-2010, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giselle

Beautiful photographs Ed, there's only one problem, where do you carry the groceries and dog? The basket is just big enough to carry my purse....hehehehe!

get a smaller purse, less groceries, and a smaller dog

.

**Giselle** · 02-06-2010, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrei155

get a smaller purse, less groceries, and a smaller dog

.

I suppose I could get a backpack Andrei, stuff the dog, wallet, lipstick, and brush in there, the basket is awfully small, so multiple trips to the grocery store?

**andrei155** · 02-06-2010, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giselle

I suppose I could get a backpack Andrei, stuff the dog, wallet, lipstick, and brush in there, the basket is awfully small, so multiple trips to the grocery store?

I suppose you can add an equally small grocery basket to the back of the bike.