Section 5 - Steam Automobile Engine Research since the 1930s

There have been many attempts to revive the piston steam engine, particularly for automobile use since the nineteen thirties and these efforts reached a peak of activity in the 1970s. General Motors built several prototype vehicles and the state of California sponsored three manufacturers to build trial steam powered city buses in the period 1970-1973. Most research and development work was carried on in the USA, but the Ricardo Company (UK) worked together with Scientific Energy Corporation to produce several research engines which tackled many specific technological problems and Saab-Scania (Sweden) built single and multi-cylinder prototypes in 1976.

Major companies and institutions were not the only source of experimental steam engines. Individual experimenters such as Carter (USA) and Pritchard (Australia) made significant contributions too. Carter was particularly successful in solving lubrication problems and built several units which matched internal combustion engines for operating speeds. Pritchard, with the aid of Australian government funding, constructed trucks and cars fitted with modern versions of engines of the 1920s and subjected these to many tests which showed great promise. Other problems which had often defeated previous steam-engine projects or severely limited operation were tackled. Solutions were found for the problem that a steam engine may freeze up in winter and for the difficulty of separating water from lubricating oil amongst many others.

The work conducted during the 1970s, although it made many advances, failed to make the necessary breakthrough. Emissions were indeed much lower from the steam-powered automobiles than from contemporary gasoline or diesel powered vehicles but enthusiasm for the idea petered out by about 1980. This was for two reasons, firstly it proved impossible to match the fuel consumption of internal combustion engines which was two to three times better and secondly the steam engine, after all the development work, was still significantly bigger and heavier than its rival.

A decade later and with automobile emissions legislation becoming even tougher, the IAV institute in Berlin began work on an automobile steam engine specifically intended to meet emissions targets due to come in progressively after the year 2000. Using the latest available ceramics materials and new burner technologies IAV built several working engines and proved that they could meet the future emissions legislation without exhaust gas after-treatment.

The IAV work was published in 2001 and confronts the traditional arguments that steam piston-engines are not practical power plants for today’s small to medium prime movers. Engines based on IAV’s ideas, however, are heavily dependent on state-of-the art materials which have not yet been developed for mass production or proven in long-term service. The automobile industry is notoriously conservative and generally accepts change only in small increments. Much public relations work needs to be done before any steam engine is to be considered seriously as a prime mover for road vehicles. An engine which utilizes advanced materials of which the industry has limited experience faces a double credibility problem.

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