Steam-powered car breaks record
Steam-powered car breaks record
After struggling for more than a month with frustrating technical problems, the British Steam Car Challenge broke the land speed record for a steam-powered car Tuesday at Edwards Air Force Base in eastern Kern County.
Driver Charles Burnett III achieved an average speed of 139.8 mph on two runs over a measured mile, the team reported Tuesday. The old record of 127 mph, set by Fred Marriott in a Stanley Steamer, had stood for more than 100 years.
On Tuesday, the 25-foot-long car that some have dubbed "the fastest teakettle in the world" peaked at 151 mph as it generated a tail of fine dust on the dry lake bed at Edwards.
The new international record is subject to official confirmation by the FIA, the sanctioning body, the team said.
"It was absolutely fantastic. I enjoyed every moment of it," Burnett said of the two successful back-to-back runs. "We reached nearly 140 mph on the first run before I applied the parachute. All systems worked perfectly ... The second run went even better and we clocked a speed in excess of 150 mph."
The FIA requires that the return run take place within 60 minutes of the first run. The times of the two runs are then averaged to obtain the official recorded speed.
Weighing three tons, the British Steam Car is fitted with 12 boilers containing nearly two miles of tubing.
Demineralized water is pumped into the boilers at a rapid rate and the steam is superheated to about 750 degrees Fahrenheit which is injected into the turbine at more than twice the speed of sound.
- Posted on August 28, 2009
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That is sweet I think that is super fast .that is really hot water but it isas long as a limo. I would love to drive that car.
that is asome reaching 150 mph with a steam power ar even beter then riding a reguler car if i had one of those i would use it evry were i would whant cuz it would be steam car and i think the new gas is gona b steam so we beter save whater.
This is an amazing accomplishment, but what do we gain from having some people make a car that can run on steam at 150 miles per hour. It could change the car and how it works, but there will most likely not be a steam powered car that many people use. I am amazed that people combined the technology of yesterday and today to create something for tomorrow. Although this device is cool, it does not seem very practical.
That car kind of looks like the bat mobile.That car looks like it go's fast.steam cars are the fastest cars.That car must weigh a lot because it's a steam car.But it would suck if it got in a crash it would be like a can getin smash.
That is awesome because it broke the record and is steamed powered and that is what is cool about it and I wonder if the speed was 450 mpg.
wow thats cool i wish i could have one but i am not 16. i think i would crasjh it because it would be hard for me to control somehow i dont know why but i will crash
This is a awesome ride better than any other car it looks like the batman car it go really fast and i wish i had this sick car
That is a great car. I can not believe it weighs 3 tons and it still can go that fast.I am glad it uses steam and not gas.
Wow! I've heard of a bus that goes like 200. I think. But I'm not fairly sure about that. If that thing flew in the sky, it would probably look like a U.F.O.
(homeroom)
for a long time know won had beat the record. That is a nice car that finally beat it.I think that the steam car should race with other cars.