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A UK team's car is about to set new record of fastest ever steam-powered land vehicle |
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New Technology
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Written by Team Josh
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Saturday, 05 July 2008 |
It is “Inspiration'. It is a steam powered land vehicle and it runs much faster than your bike.
A UK team hopes that its 7.6-metre-long car ‘Inspiration’ will emerge as the fastest ever steam-powered land vehicle by beating the 205.5 kmph record, which was set in 1906 by the Stanley Rocket Racer at Daytona Beach, USA.
They will try to create the new record on the Bonneville Salt Flats in USA, in August.
But before that they need to finish the testing of the vehicle. To date, only control, air and water systems of the car have been thoroughly tested. Once the team is sure about the car’s proper functioning, Inspiration should travel 10 km during its record attempt, including acceleration and braking.
The car will be driven for just two minutes, with its engine reaching a top speed of up to 274 kmph.
The car’s engine burns liquid petroleum gas to heat 40 liters of distilled water in 12 suitcase-sized boilers, creating superheated steam at 400 degrees Celsius.
The steam drives a two-stage turbine that spins at 13,000 revolutions per minute to power its wheels.
Inspiration was made using an unusual collection of bespoke and off-the-shelf components, from kettle elements to power station steam valves.
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