Bob Bourque - New Steam Engine

Chapter	Title
1	Background
2	Motivations For This Engine
3	Requirements and Constraints
4	Progress
5	Prototype Development
6	Description of the Bourque Cycle
7	Features of the Cycle
8	The Complexity Issue
9	Fuel Requirements
10	First Example Engine in a Vehicle
11	Description of the Expander
12	Expander Hot Cylinder Lubrication
13	Expander Piston Structural Analysis
14	Two More Engine and Vehicle Examples
15	Other Engine Components
16	Materials
17	Safety
18	Water Freezing
19	Control System
20	Starting Time
21	Summary
	Acknowledgments
	Some Unit Conversions
	Notes and References

A Compact Pollution-Free
External Combustion Engine
with High Part-Load Efficiency

20. Starting Time

Starting time is an important factor in the engine design. For example, a lower exhaust gas temperature would increase efficiency. But it would also increase Steam Generator mass. This would increase startup time because most of the energy in starting goes into heating the metal, not the steam.

The starting sequence begins with low-temperature combustion gas flowing through the Superheater and Boiler. The Reheats are bypassed with the closure plates shown in Figure 18. The Expander and Feedpump begin turning but steam flow bypasses the Expander until vapor starts forming.

The design is adjusted to give calculated startup times of about 30 seconds for private vehicles. Longer times are acceptable for commercial vehicles. These times are for normal low-power operation, such as backing out of a driveway. Full-power capability takes 2-3 minutes, similar to warming up a conventional engine.

The Bourque Steam Engine

A Compact Pollution-Free External Combustion Engine with High Part-Load Efficiency

A Compact Pollution-Free
External Combustion Engine
with High Part-Load Efficiency