Steam power for autos/trucks?

Question

With fuel costs rising, I wonder if a closed steam engine system would be economical for long distance trucks or Motor homes? Heating water could be fueled by cheaper sources than gasoline.

Answer 1

Woo-hoo! Nuclear Electric Power! It's not just for submarines anymore! LOL

Nope. We can't shrink those systems down far enough to work on automotive scales.

Answer 2

Yah, what the others said, and besides there is a time lag between when you turn the ignition key and when steam happens.  Used to take 1/2 hour to get a Stanley Steamer going, as I recollect.

Answer 3

Steam powered engines are a thing of the past. They are bulky and very dangerous.

Answer 4

Well you've gotta burn SOMETHING.  What'll it be?  Coal?

As for long distance trucks, it's sort of already been done - remember steam locomotives?

Answer 5

You are right to be concerned about rising fuel costs.  The cheap sources of fossil fuels are running out and extractors are having to turn to much more difficult sources with higher extraction and transmission costs.  And this is now a one way process which is escalating because of growing demand from developing countries.

We also need to be concerned about the pollution and climate change caused by burning all this fossil fuel.

The real answer is to reduce dependence on road transport and other fuel uses.

Our lifestyles have been built around cheap fuel and need to be redesigned for the future.  We need to develop local economies so that most goods do not need to be transported by long distance trucks.  We need to develop pastimes that do not use fuel, like motor homes do.  We need to ensure our homes are close to our work and our shops and are energy efficient.  And we need to walk and pedal more and use public transport for longer journeys.

The good news is that these changes are fun and lead to healthier, happier lives.  And the sooner you start the easier it will be to cope with the energy crisis which is developing.

Best wishes

Answer 6

Steam power is terribly inefficient and, ironically, very eco-unfriendly. To generate steam you need high temperatures that realistically can only be generated from either combustion (might as well just use gasoline), or from the burning of wood or coal. You'd be creating just as much (if not more) carbon dioxide than a normal car. And that doesn't even factor in the relative danger of operating a steam-powered vehicle.

Answer 7

What cheaper sources do you have in mind?  Steam power is not without its problems, not the least of which is the need for periodic (usually annual) inspection of the boiler.  This is a very costly and time consuming exercise.  There is a reason that steam powered vehicles have been replaced by internal combustion powered ones.

Answer 8

No. We need to harness solar energy efficiently. That's it. The technology must seek a solution for this. Solar energy I say!

Answer 9

Thats taking about a 200 year step backwards in technology...the buying public won't go for it.

Answer 10

Been tried before and can be dangerous especially if you do not keep enough water in the boiler.  Also, the cars would be a lot larger to be able to generate the amount of power needed to get to where you are going.  Finally, there is that heat up time to generate enough steam to get going to begin with.  Nice idea but has been tried before and lost to the modern combustion engine in the early 1900's.

I would rather see higher efficiency in our current cars with solar power panels built in with electric motors to help cut down on the gas needed.

Answer 11

Not very efficient.!!!