Steam rocket

[7707]

www.force-of-nature.com

[7707]

Competing per SCTA rules require a prompt backup run in the opposite direction of the earlier run.
For this reason, using just a steam rocket to propel the vehicle could be very impractical, if not
impossible . . . unless the race team is (almost literally) made of money.  I can imagine a pre-filled
tank of superheated water being ready to be installed right after the empty tank is removed . . .
but who really has that kind of money and an interest in spending it that way?  I wish it were me.

And then there's the issue of depositing water on the race track.  Doing that intentionally may
be an outright violation of SCTA rules, even if done on private time other than at an organized
larger meet -- such as Speed Week.  I suppose that perhaps a request could conceivably be made
to alter the rule(s) about that, in order to allow for this . . . but even so, there's quite a challenge
regarding how much thermal energy can be stored in the superheated onboard water, and how
much the loaded vehicle weighs, and how streamlined it is, and how quickly the onboard water
loses heat during a run.  All quite challenging stuff.

You might want to reread the SCTA rules about record runs. Back up runs at Bonneville are mainly done the next morning and the vehicle goes to impound after a qualifying pass where you have time to service the vehicle plus if it?s a following morning back up then you are allowed on the salt at 05.30 and then be ready for the back up runs when called.

[tallguy]

Thank you for these messages.  They are encouraging. 

I did a small bit of research regarding titanium as a material for the water tank.  Using titanium
instead of (as an example) type 304 stainless could provide a tank that is about 22 percent as
heavy, having the same interior volume.

I've done some titanium welding, and can imagine that if I were to build such a tank, I'd probably
want it to be welded from the inside as well as the outside.  This would suggest that it be made in
two pieces (of titanium) with flanges and a gasket and a bunch of fasteners.  I'm still doing calculations regarding estimated total weight at launch, including chassis and driver.  Tedious stuff,
but (for me) interesting and kinda fun.  Happy new year to all of us.

[7707]

Get in touch with Graham. He builds all his own equipment.