Well, frankly the Museum of Science trip was something of a flop. Veni, Vidi, wait vidi? We asked at least two museum employees where we could find the exhibit we were supposed to find and the answer we got in response both times was” I am not sure that exhibit still exists.” So we didn’t really see much of anything to do with energy conservation. There was one very small floor exhibit on the first floor in the mall like area, but it didn’t have a whole lot to say that we didn’t already know. Well, at least we got to see the dinosaur.

 

So let’s see, alternative topic then I suppose.

Let us talk about Steam.

Steam Power In the Past

Steam power has interested me for a long time, I am not sure why exactly. I think it started with my introduction to Heron of Alexandria who with his steam bowl invention almost invented the steam engine about two thousand years early. This would have meant an early, very early, industrial revolution. The possibility is astounding but, as stated in this clip from a wonderful documentary I highly recommend, Heron did not make the connections he needed even though he had the knowledge  to do so, perhaps because he just didn’t think of it or that slave labor made this a less profitable option.

Heron’s Steam engine  looks like this.

Wonderful isn’t it?   The fire heats the steam and the force of the steam causes the ball to rotate extremely quickly. I wonder if an industrial revolution had come early if  the environmental crisis we are in now, caused by the industrial revolution we did have, would be worse or , by this point better. After all even though the steam itself doesn’t cause pollution the coal to heat it does. Yes, wood can be used as fuel as well but then we may have faced extreme, (more so than it already is) deforestation.

The steam engine seems to have been forgotten until the 18th century when a few different models were invented some rather inefficient. Eventually they were improved and became the main source of power generation until steam was largely replaced by the internal combustion engine.  Gas may be bad for the environment but coal fired steam engines were notoriously worse. Though some trains are now using light oil and steam instead of diesel.  http://www.technologystudent.com/culture1/swiss1.htm

Do we use steam today? Yes we do,  but usually with cleaner more efficient heat sources such as, nuclear, geothermal and solar. Geothermal is perhaps my most favorite of the three.

Steam engines in the future

Steam power may have a greater place in the future.  BMW is experimenting with using  steam power to improve fuel efficiency in their automobiles. This “Turbosteamer” “uses wasted heat energy from an engine’s wasted exhaust gases to contribute power to the automobile.” The pressurized steam is brought to a steam engine built into the vehicle. There is also another smaller steam engine inside which produces extra energy. The overall increase in MPG’s was about 15%.

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=434462

This sort of technology, using the heat from an engine to warm steam and run another engine, is being utilized outside of the automobile industry as well and be marketed as a “green engine”. This website presents a small version of what is, or will be inside the”Turbosteamer”  BMWs.

Green Steam Energy

You can watch the engine works here.

It still requires the heat that is generated by a vehicle being run on fossil fuel to work though, or at least is in these instances, but could be and would be a good supplement, to engines running off non fossil fuels as well.