Drive of the future?

[clayman]

I stumbled accross this tonight, interesting. It doesn't say anything about speeds or engines required.
Check this out! (http://www.pursuitdynamics.com/default.asp) james

[CDMA]

James,

We have done some work with something like this at school. It has some merit but there are still a lot of issues to be worked out. At this point there is no possibility of anything like this in a small vessel. The real issue lies in the amount of steam required. The cubic feet per minute numbers to get any kind of thrust are mind-boggling. At this point the only place that it could have an immediate application is submarines. The best way to get the amount of steam this thing needs is through a nuclear powered boiler. Not exactly you average components. The real advantage that was originally seen for it was as a "caterpillar (sp)" drive for a sub similar to what was shown in " Hunt for Red October". However more conclusive studies show that while it is quieter then a conventional screw engine the noise it does produce is very distinctive and would be very easy to track. It creates a very high pitch whistling and a lot of turbulent noise from the air pockets of the steam actually imploding when mixed with the water.

That being said with some development it has possibilities. The beauty of it lies in the simplicity. Just have a big boiler and vary the amount of steam to vary the speed.

Unfortunately the major advances coming to marine propulsion don’t seem to be in the area of increased efficiency drives but on cleaner, cheaper, and increased power.

Chris

If anyone wants I can explain scientifically why we can't get it to work.

[Tidbart]

It looks tome that there is market for commercial fishing boats. If they drag their nets behind the drive, they can cook the fish as they catch them. Then they can sell ready to eat, right at the dock. What a concept.

B

[pmreed]

Actually Bob, I think it would be better suited to powering Shrimpers. Steamed shrimp is fine, but it's about the last way I want my fish cooked. Maybe lobster boats? Of course they'd have drag them behind them on the way home. :D

Phil

[AVickers]

I'll take sushi. Fresh off of sailboats...

[Gary S.]

Actually the boiler wouldn't be the problem, coal or oil fire's are the highest pressure and volume producers,,, much more so than the nuke's I have worked on,,, the problem would be the water. you would have to have fresh water to heat, I can't believe it would run for very long on raw water without plugging the boiler tubes. Just like a home heating boiler the water has to be treated and clean, no diffrent in a steam power plant the insides of the piping,boiler,turbine, ect.is extremly clean. I could see pulling to the gas dock and getting 200 gallons of diesel and 1000 gallons of water,, that would really cut down on boat soda storage,,,LOL I really can't see how it would work nearly as well as the presently used closed steam systems where a recip steam engine or turbine is used to spin a prop shaft.