BROBECK STEAM BUS ENGINE CUTS EXHAUST EMISSIONS

THE STEAM ENGINE DEVELOPED FOR THE CALIFORNIA STEAM BUS DEMONSTRATION IS DESCRIBED AND COMPARED TO THE DIESEL ENGINE. THE STEAM GENERATOR OCCUPIES THE REAR COMPARTMENT ORIGINALLY HOLDING THE DIESEL ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION AND PRODUCES 2500 LBS. OF STEAM PER HR. AT 850 DEGREES F AND 800 PSIA. A DOUBLE-ACTING COMPOUND EXPANDER FEATURING ONE HIGH- AND TWO LOW-PRESSURE CYLINDERS WITH CRANK THROWS AT 120 DEGREES IS LOCATED WITH THE TRANSMISSION UNDER THE FLOOR OF THE BUS IN FRONT OF THE REAR AXLE. THE MAJOR ENGINE-DRIVEN ACCESSORIES--FEEDWATER PUMP, AIR COMPRESSOR, GENERATOR, CONDENSER FAN DRIVING PUMP, AND EXPANDER LUBRICATING PUMP-- ARE SITUATED AHEAD OF THE EXPANDER. THE DRIVER CONTROLS THE POWERPLANT THROUGH THE FOOT THROTTLE AND FORWARD-NEUTRAL- REVERSE TRANSMISSION LIKE THAT OF THE DIESEL-POWERED BUS. HEATING RATE AND WATER INPUT TO THE STEAM GENERATOR AUTOMATICALLY RESPOND TO STEAM PRESSURE AND THE TEMPERATURE. ROAD PERFORMANCE WAS MEASURED WITH A PAY LOAD SIMULATED BY SANDBAGS AND THE WEIGHT OF OBSERVERS. THE FUEL CONSUMPTION OF THE STEAM ENGINE, MEASURED AT CONSTANT VEHICLE SPEED ON LEVEL ASPHALT PAVEMENT, WAS MORE THAN TWICE THAT OF THE DIESEL. NOISE LEVELS MEASURED IN DRIVEBY, IDLE, AND STANDING START TESTS SHOW THE STEAM BUS TO BE QUIETER THAN THE DIESEL WHEN OBSERVED FROM THE OUTSIDE BUT NOISER WHEN OBSERVED FROM THE INSIDE OF THE BUS. EXHAUST EMISSIONS MEASURED AT RATED HORSEPOWER AND VARIOUS FRACTIONS OF FULL POWER SHOW THAT THE STEAM BUS GREATLY REDUCES THE LEVEL OF EMISSIONS.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/2240909
• Publication Date: 1972-9

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 43-47
• Serial:
  • Automotive Engineering
  • Volume: 80
  • Issue Number: 9
  • Publisher: Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
  • ISSN: 0098-2571

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Buses; Diesel engines; Exhaust gases; Fuel consumption; Noise; Steam engines; Vehicle performance
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Highways; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00223960
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 15 1972 12:00AM