Re: steam turbine
Posted by:
tom ward (IP Logged)
Date: October 20, 2002 10:17AM
<HTML>There is much more to a steam engine than the cylinder and crankshaft. What most folks call an engine is actually just an expander; i.e. a piston, rotary, or turbine. An entire engine in my thinking includes the steam generator, the expander, a condensor or very large water tank, and a feed pump. If someone doesn't include a description of where the water comes from, a pump, how it is heated, and where the exhaust steam goes be very skeptical and definitely don't hand over any money.
As for the Tornado Turbine it appears to be an adaptaion of a wind energy concept I read about years ago. It would require a very large condensor in order to make it work.
Turbines can be very efficient when run at high speeds which means the weight of the 20:1 reduction gearing must be added to the weight of an entire system. The pros and cons of each expander type need to be matched to its intended use. For automotive use a rotary type appears to be the best if someone is clever enough to solve the sealing problem.</HTML>