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More than ever before, automakers have been putting some serious creative thought into improving the efficiency of automobiles. Some are improving the combustion reaction with ideas like hydrogen injection, and others are attempting to recapture energy that is otherwise wasted, such as the idea of regenerative braking. BMW is working on a variation of the latter, but rather than trying to utilize “waste” momentum, they are aiming to put a conventional gasoline engine’s excess heat to good use. And they’re using some good-old-fashioned technology to accomplish it: steam power.
BMW’s design uses hot liquid from the coolant system as well as heat from the engine exhaust to heat a closed reservoir of water up to 550 degrees Celsius, evaporating the water into steam. The resulting pressure is then converted into mechanical energy in an expander, and transferred by pulleys to the engine’s crankshaft. The company says more than 80 percent of a car’s waste heat energy can be recycled using this technology. BMW calls this gas/steam hybrid a Turbosteamer.
According to tests performed on a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine, the prototype steam assist system provides an extra 14 horsepower and 15 foot-pounds of torque, resulting in an overall 15% improvement in efficiency. The components for this prototype drive system have been designed to fit in any existing and future models of BMWs, however the company doesn’t expect to have a production-ready design for about ten years. In the meantime, they’re working towards reducing the size and weight of the rig, which currently weighs in at about 220 pounds.
No word yet on whether the Turbosteamer removes tough stains from carpets.
Further reading:
Autoblog article
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I wish Auto Makers would co-operate and pick an alternative and work together and go for it.
However, seeing my Condominium Board Members in action makes me think if their inability to be on the same page is a pipe dream, it is like a trip to Mars for the Auto Makers.
I have often thought that there must be a way to use all that heat, but I haven’t the engineering skill. I’m glad to hear that someone is looking into it.
There must be better ways of capturing thermal energy – something less mechanically intesive. What about heating a pressure vessel like an accumulator that’s already part of the propulsion system. The fewer the components, the better.
I thought the Germans were supposed to be good engineers. What happened? Just because BMW is a private company, do they think they have the right to do any “Golburg” project they want?
Yup. Madd Engineering.
I am now convinced that the auto industry has to be involved in some kind of conspiracy. There is no other explanation for why 80 year-old technology has not been updated. A very, very slow introduction of fuel efficient vehicles will take place over the course of the next few decades. Let me emphasize slow. Marginally better fuel economy will be the major selling point of each newer vehicle that comes out. Profit is always the bottom line.
Monopolies and oligopolies such as those currently held by the automakers are forms of totalitarian communistic economics (existing within capitalism) that cause capitalism to fail in many arenas. Governmental mandates and regulation can assist, but the government does not represent the people. It suffers the weakness of Democracy (inefficiency), and still does not uphold its ideals.
What the hell am I talking about?
I don’t know. I’m just sick of shit not getting done.
…
Some FYI. If anyone ever tells you that a superior “technology” (I don’t consider this true technology) is not feasable or practical because of cost, know that they’re full of shit. Any auto-maker has the resources to mass-produce said impractical components that would make their vehicles more efficient. They can even use components that would have multiple applications (I’m being intentionally vauge). This would lower cost for such components, especially if standardized. I wonder if industrial engineers learned any of this in school.
So once more, this is a political battle that has manifested into battles of flesh and blood. We do go to war over the price of oil, do we not? Ideologies? Mostly oil? Yes, we do.
Forget the Arabs. We don’t need them. We just need to shake down our wealthy bastards and get our shit done.
Not a bad idea really, but more changes in culture would have to ensue.
The same method that power plants use to capture the waste heat from gas turbines and produce steam =)
The average car engine is very oversized for the application that it is used for… cruising at speed takes little horsepower, with the engine operating at near closed throttle… the boost provided would still help reduce fuel consumption from a stopped acceleration, assuming that the heat produced by an idling engine and stored heat from before would produce enough usable steam. A good fit for this technology would be a properly sized engine for the vehicle, and not the oversized engines that Americans so love. Large trucks would benefit the most from this arrangement, due to their higher constant engine loads, and the little difference the extra weight will add.
JAY HIND
Why couldn’t the existing “hybrid” model employ an excess heat powered steam turbine to charge the battery? That seems more direct than trying to engineer a brand spanking new way to utilize the steam power.
Ten years seems too long
well what are you waiting for? go get shit done then. PS: i dont know what the hell you’re talking about either. :)