James D. Crank's white paper on the Schoell Rankine cycle positive displacement steam engine, as the only viable solution for a vehicle engine (cars and trucks) that is energy efficient, environmentally friendly (when using plant or algae based fuels), and cost effective to manufacturers and therefore consumers.
He has both a summary and the longer white paper version done in January of this year.
Enjoy. GreenMan ---- Summary of advantages:
* Massive torque at startup and variable by operator control or automatic as the load changes. Unequalled by any IC engine of similar displacement.
* Can burn any light liquid bio fuel oils with complete and TOTALLY CLEAN combustion, something no other fuel burning engine can claim. • When using such fuels, the Rankine cycle engine does not require any additional pollution control hardware, burner alterations or additional system modifications.
* Neutral carbon footprint when burning plant and algae bio fuel oils.
* Ability again when designed correctly, to be as compact and light weight as any aluminum IC engine of similar power output.
* Vastly fewer moving parts that operate at a slower speed than the IC engine and are known to be very quiet in operation and long lived.
* Cost effective to manufacture as nothing more complicated than a two speed transmission with a neutral position is needed, except perhaps in a large interstate truck.
* No need for a reverse transmission as shifting the valve timing 180° provides reverse.
* VERY easy, delicate and smooth control by the driver, only the throttle needs manual attention.
* Again, when designed correctly the total net cycle efficiency to the drive shaft is now equal to the modern gasoline vehicle engine and since the loss caused by the now universal automatic transmission is eliminated, the overall net efficiency is superior.
* In town and heavy traffic driving, the burner is off most of the time, only on to maintain pressure and temperature, so this condition provides better fuel economy than any IC engine, which has to idle and run slowly and that is done at much lower efficiency than full or moderately high power when out on the open road.
* By the inherent means of how one regulates steam pressure and temperature, all the present computer controlled vehicle engine and transmission management control functions are eliminated, giving eventual lower maintenance and repair costs and greater reliability to the vehicle owner, as not one computer is needed anywhere in the powerplant system.
* The one step that the Cyclone engine incorporates of using the water working fluid for bearing and piston ring lubrication has removed the cap on efficiency and power density that plagued the old steam engine vehicle powerplant for well over a hundred years. This alone is the one major step that was desperately needed to bring the Rankine cycle out of the 19th Century thinking that prevails and into the 21st Century.
To date, 2010, only the Schoell Rankine cycle engine has demonstrated the long desired high packing density and high net cycle efficiency demanded to power the modern vehicle. No other system developer has come forward to demonstrate any rival system. ----------
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