Hybrid Jungle

While many people will think of steam engines as a technology from the past, automakers are looking at incorporating steam power technology in their next generation of hybrid vehicles. Honda recently touted their heat harnessing hybrid technology, which can recapture energy by exploiting wasted energy from the exhaust. This innovative approach uses heat from the catalytic converter to boil water into steam which then then turns an electric generator that charges the battery packs. Finally, a condenser cools the steam back into water. This technology was used in a Honda Steam prototype and captured three times as much energy when compared to regenerative braking in a conventional hybrid car. However this is only a 4% improvement in overall vehicle efficiency and Honda claims it is not enough to warrant commercialization at this time, though with the rising fuel costs this may change.

Other car manufacturers are exploring ways to use steam to improve the overall vehicle efficiency. BMW is exploring using a steam based unit called the Turbosteamer that produces additional power rather than electricity. The steam would produce about 14 hp and 15 ft-lb. torque. In initial tests this technology reduced fuel consumption by about 15%. Unlike conventional hybrid vehicles, these gains actually increase efficiency at freeway speeds. This could be very interesting incorporating this technology into a conventional hybrid as you would have the best of both worlds, at low speeds the electric motor can help with fuel efficiency, and at the top end the steam takes over.

Hybrid vehicle technology continues to evolve with new and exciting advancements on the horizon. I think we have only seen the tip of the iceberg and the best is truly yet to come.

Source: environmentalresearchweb.org

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