Re:Boiling point
by Asmodeus on Sunday August 30, 2009 @08:50AM
(#794422)
"But for a few quirks of fate - international depressions and world wars - it would probably be the main power source for getting us around."
No. The containment requirements for steam, plus recycling the water, vastly outweigh the same for the internal combustion engine.
Flight requires internal combustion, because the power-to-weight of steam is just to low, even though, yes, the raw power of steam engines is generally much higher than internal combustion.
No. The containment requirements for steam, plus recycling the water, vastly outweigh the same for the internal combustion engine.
Flight requires internal combustion, because the power-to-weight of steam is just to low, even though, yes, the raw power of steam engines is generally much higher than internal combustion.