Spirax Sarco has provided specialist support and equipment to a team of British engineers which has successfully broken two land speed records for a steam powered car.
As well as sponsoring the record attempt, Spirax Sarco offered technical guidance to the project engineers on the specification of the car’s steam system to ensure it could meet its performance objectives.
“Spirax Sarco expertise was crucial in the technical design and testing of the car. Their input ensured that the car had the power and performance capabilities we needed, while the components they provided worked impressively well,” says the team’s Manager, Matt Candy.
During the car’s development, the team consulted Spirax Sarco which discovered that the first boiler design had insufficient output due to a lack of heat transfer area. The design was modified and subsequently achieved the desired output. Spirax Sarco also supplied control valves and positioners for test rigs and to control steam flow in the car.
Murdo MacDonald, Major Projects Manager at Spirax Sarco UK, said the components helped give the car better control and throttling capabilities: “Congratulations must be given to the team for all their hard work, it’s a great achievement for British engineering.
This project has been great in helping to raise the profile of steam amongst the general public.
“Steam technology has developed faster over the last ten years than any other decade, greatly reducing installation, operating and maintenance costs,” he said. “The application of modern controls and other technologies enables steam to meet environmental and energy saving challenges that will cement its position as the leading industrial heating medium for the foreseeable future.”
The British team broke the first record by achieving an average speed of 139.843mph on two runs over a measured mile. The feat, at the Edward”s Air Force Base in California, beat the old record of 127mph, which had stood since 1906. The second record was set for a measured kilometre – achieving an average speed of 148.308mph on two runs.
For further information please contact;
Sharon Graves, Marketing Communications Manager
Spirax Sarco, Charlton House, Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire, GL53 8ER
Tel: 01242 521361; Fax: 01242 573342
Email:: SharonGraves@spiraxsarco.com
Web; www.spiraxsarco.com/uk
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