When we hear the word "progress", we immediately imagine advanced technologies and production development.
We chuckle condescendingly at the past, in which people poked like blind kittens, trying to achieve at least some success in their development.
But when we take a closer look at this past and begin to compare with the present day, then of all the achievements, under the word "progress" only the smartphone and all of its numerous modifications fall under the word "progress".
Today we will consider this issue in the light of the automotive industry.
Over 120 years ago, an internal combustion engine was invented, the modifications of which we see today.
Of course, everyone has heard of the steam engine. But they explained to us at school that it had a very low efficiency and was very polluted. Who would think of using this antediluvian unit.
Yes, the early models of steam cars were very inconvenient to operate, as they required a constant injection of water, which was only enough for 30 miles, as well as the long time it took to ignite the boiler.
But over time, enthusiastic inventors brought steam cars to perfection for those times.
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The Doble brothers, in America, as a result of a series of inventions, created a car with a steam engine, some copies of which are still in operation. Moreover, even under the modern, very strict environmental laws of California, they do not fall under the ban due to their very low harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
The very precise tolerances applied in the manufacture of the engine eliminate the use of oil seals, oil seals and seals, which makes this engine practically forever.
First of all, the brothers replaced the steam boiler with a one-tube steam generator consisting of a seamless steel tube. Its length was 173 meters and it was twisted into a tight spiral with a diameter of 55 cm and a height of 33 cm. The steam engine was integral with the rear axle, there was not even a propeller shaft. At a speed of 144 km / h, the engine spun slowly at 1350 rpm.
The gearbox and clutch were absent as unnecessary, since in a steam engine all the torque power is always available.
Since the brothers used a steam condensation system, with the reuse of chilled water, one water filling began to suffice for 2,400 kilometers.
By using a coil instead of a conventional boiler, it was no longer necessary to heat the entire volume of water. It was enough to heat the portion of water that was needed for two engine strokes. This reduced the engine start time to 40 seconds after turning the ignition key.
The danger of the boiler explosion disappeared, since such a small volume of liquid could not lead to serious consequences.
One of the great advantages of a steam engine over an internal combustion engine is its noiselessness.
Add to this the lower weight of the engine compared to the internal combustion engine. The number of moving parts in the Doble engine was 25, which significantly extended the life of these motors.
In early 1924, the Doble brothers tested a Model E in New York. At first, it was in the middle of winter, the car was left for 90 minutes in the cold. Then they turned on the ignition. Working pressure was reached in 23 seconds. The car took off with four passengers on board and accelerated to 64 km / h in 12.5 seconds.
1925 Doble Model E-20 (the last digits do not indicate the modification, but the serial number of the car in the series).
After finalizing the car, during factory tests, the car accelerated to 160 km / h. And the acceleration to 120 km / h took only 10 seconds, and the engine power was such that when the throttle was suddenly opened, the car, with a roadster body, lifted the front wheels, like modern dragsters.
1925 Doble E Sedan, This model traveled 1,500 miles (2,400 km) without refueling and reached a top speed of 144 km / h.
The car had only four control levers: ignition key, throttle grip, reverse and brake.
1922 Doble Model D. Drawings from the corporate catalog.
So we found out that, in terms of steam engines, progress has gone wrong.
Quiet, with low emissions, the steam engine looks much more attractive than an internal combustion engine.
Doble Model E-15.
When using water heating with hydrogen or electric heaters powered by a generator, the emission of harmful substances is generally zero.
Doble Model E-15.
Here are today's reviews of the car: Californian James D. Crank has loved Doble's cars since he first saw them in 1947. Then he was 12 years old. He now knows more about these machines and their design than anyone else. His own Model E, a chaise with a fixed soft top, has covered 600,000 km. Crank thinks this car is very easy to drive. Commercial jet fuel provides a “soft” flame in the firebox. The car quickly and flawlessly obeys the steering wheel, its cornering behavior cannot be compared with any car of that era. The Crank car quickly accelerates to a comfortable cruising speed of 130 km / h, all extraneous noise is the wind, tires and from time to time the burner turns on. Sometimes Crank glances at the instruments - steam pressure and temperature, water level, engine lubrication,- but in fact, he knows his car so well that he hardly needs it. Silence, low engine speed, no vibrations - all together create an atmosphere of serenity. “These machines kind of talk to you, they have their own rhythm,” he says. "You can drive such a car blindfolded."
The steam engine does not depend on the height of its application, in contrast to the internal combustion engine, which made it possible at one time to create aircraft with steam engines. One inventor worked on a steam-powered helicopter.
The 1906 speed record - 205.44 km / h belongs to the steam car. In those years, cars with gasoline engines could not drive so fast. In 1985, a steam car was driven at a speed of 234.33 km / h, and in 2009, a group of British engineers designed a steam turbine car with a capacity of 360 hp, which developed a speed of 241.7 km / h.
Finally, do not forget that nuclear submarines also have these "outdated" steam engines.