THE British Steam Car Challenge team are gearing up for an attempt on the world steam-powered land speed record, following successful tests last week.
The , which is designed to raise awareness of clean-burning fuels, is aiming to reach 270 kilometres per hour with its steam car later this year. In so doing it would break the world record of 204 kilometres per hour set by the American Stanley Steamer in 1906.
The car itself is 8.5 metres long and weighs 3 tonnes. It is powered by demineralised water, which is pumped into a dozen 250-kilowatt boilers – equivalent to about 1200 electric kettles. These provide steam to a 268-kilowatt turbine that drives the rear wheels.
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Following tests at Thorney Island airfield in Hampshire, UK, in which the car reached 130 kilometres per hour, the team is now awaiting final clearance from Edwards Air Force Base in California to use Rogers Dry Lake for the record bid. The advantage of the dry lake is that it is 600 metres lower than Utah’s famous Bonneville Salt Flats, so there is more oxygen available for the boilers, enabling the car to develop much more power.
The team hopes to be on site when the lake dries out in May.
