BMW develops steam power
Turbosteamer could be here in ten years
BMW Turbosteamer
BMW's research and engineering boffins reckoned that they've succeeded in harnessing what BMW called "the biggest and as yet untapped source of energy in the car: heat". Combining a drive assist with a 1.8-litre BMW four-cylinder engine on the test rig reduced fuel consumption by up to 15 per cent while generating nearly 14 additional horsepower. At the same time, up to 15 lb-ft more torque was measured. This increased power and efficiency comes free of charge.
And the reason is that the energy is derived exclusively from the waste heat present in the exhaust gases and cooling system and doesn’t cost you a single drop of fuel.
The Turbosteamer – as the project is known – is based on the principle of the steam engine: Fluid is heated to form steam in two circuits and this is used to power the engine. The primary energy supplier is the high-temperature circuit which uses exhaust heat from the internal combustion engine as an energy source via heat exchangers. More than 80 per cent of the heat energy contained in the exhaust gases is recycled using this technology. The steam is then conducted directly into an expansion unit linked to the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine. Most of the remaining residual heat is absorbed by the cooling circuit of the engine, which acts as the second energy supply for the Turbosteamer. This innovative drive assist verifiably increases the efficiency of the combined drive system by up to 15 per cent.
“The Turbosteamer reinforces our confidence that the internal combustion engine is undoubtedly a technology fit for the future,” said Professor Burkhard Göschel, of the BMW board.
The development of this new drive assist has reached the phase involving comprehensive tests on the test rig. The components for this drive system have been designed so that they are capable of being installed in existing model series. Tests have been carried out on a number of sample packages to ensure that a car such as the BMW 3 Series provides adequate space. The engine compartment of a four-cylinder model offers enough space to allow the expansion units to be accommodated.
When?
Ongoing development of the concept is focusing initially on making the components simpler and smaller. The long-term development goal is to have a system capable of volume production within ten years. “This project resolves the apparent contradiction between consumption and emission reductions on the one hand and performance and agility on the other,” said Göschel.
How much heat is left over to warm the occupants of the vehicle in the cold mid-winter, he didn't say.
I wonder though: did they take the weight of all the extra kit into account when they made their performance claims? And If not, it would be interesting to know how much the Turbo Steamer adds in terms of complexity, initial/servicing costs, and weight...
In any case, best of luck to them.
By deleting the typical power sapping stuff you add bhp/torque by doing nothing, cheeky really.
Perhaps it is a little ironic that the principles of steam power led to the development of internal combustion engines. In pursuit of progress, steam is overlooked...
>> Edited by mx-tro on Friday 16th December 12:02
julians said:
It'll need a supply of water to be turned into steam.
So another tank holding a good few gallons of water makes a significant weight increase.
If it's a closed system, the losses will be negligible. So, assuming a (worst case) 5-gallon system, that's 22.7 litres, which is 22.7kg. Add in the ancillary equipment and piping and you're still no more than 50kg. That's worst-case, I would guess more like 30-40kg for a typical unit.
thegamekeeper said:
I bet Gordon Brown is having an orgasm at the prospect of the tax he can now charge on automotive water
I'll bet he bloody isn't, he'll be cacking himself at the thought of the great unwashed having access to a free resource, even he can't tax rain.
>> Edited by apache on Friday 16th December 12:45
julians said:
It'll need a supply of water to be turned into steam.
So another tank holding a good few gallons of water makes a significant weight increase.
In the pursuit of "quality" and saftey, most manufacturers will increase weight with every evoloution of a vehicle anyway
Ideally this will allow smaller capacity engines to be as powerful as the bigger lumps, and (hopefully) the next generation of engines can be physically smaller and lighter.
I look forward to the day when I can buy a ultra low emissions car that will be a joy to drive
apache said:
even he can't tax rain.
The hell he can't! If I understand it correctly, the water board claim ownership of all rain falling on your property, you have to pay them if you collect and use it, you have to pay them to remove it for you (via the drains), you have to pay them to purify it and give it back to you, you have to pay them again to take the sewage away afterwards. How much of this do you suppose is taxed?
GreenV8S said:
even he can't tax rain.
The hell he can't! If I understand it correctly, the water board claim ownership of all rain falling on your property, you have to pay them if you collect and use it, you have to pay them to remove it for you (via the drains), you have to pay them to purify it and give it back to you, you have to pay them again to take the sewage away afterwards. How much of this do you suppose is taxed?
So you're telling me that everyone with a rain but pays tax? As for the sewage, I'm happy to pay for them to take it away and provide me with treated water, I can't collect enough myself
But here lies a problem....Ethylene Glycol (common anti-freeze) lowers the freezing point of water but at the same time raises its boiling point. This is useful for 'normal' cars in preventing freezing in winter, but also preventing boiling in the summer.
But add the fact that the system will be under pressure, increases the boiling point even more!
chim666 said:
I would expect that BMW have thought of this, but it would need some form of anti-freeze for the winter!
But here lies a problem....Ethylene Glycol (common anti-freeze) lowers the freezing point of water but at the same time raises its boiling point. This is useful for 'normal' cars in preventing freezing in winter, but also preventing boiling in the summer.
But add the fact that the system will be under pressure, increases the boiling point even more!
Exhaust gases should be hot enough to overcome the raised boiling point and the pressure should be greater at these temperatures thus assisting in generating more energy.
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