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Steam Powered Jet Engine

Replace burning fuel with expanding steam
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(+2, -4)
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This is basically a normal turbojet engine, but where you would have the combustion tubes / chambers, there would be a nozzle spraying high pressure steam. A boiler in the middle of the plane provides this steam to individual engines.

A steam rocket might be simpler. Instead of mixing the steam with air using turbines, just have a big nozzle out the back.

Useful for any writers of steam-punk fiction.

discontinuuity, Dec 09 2005

Jet-Powered Oil Lamp Jet-Powered_20Oil_20Lamp
Similar idea [discontinuuity, Dec 09 2005]

Steam Powered Jet Engine http://www.history....hero/section50.html
Similar idea. [angel, Dec 09 2005]


       I dunno, you'll need a lot of water, and since water is heavy, flight could be a bit of a problem.
MikeOxbig, Dec 09 2005

       Somehow I could picture this on the Wild Wild West.
RayfordSteele, Dec 09 2005

       You could use a fuel burning turbine to heat the water.
Antegrity, Dec 09 2005

       And how about stewardesses with big shovels, pushing the coal through path towards the boiler. 1st class passengers are seated away from coal storage and boiler.
spekkie, Dec 09 2005

       Steam rockets have been written about and done.   

       It used to be done to use water boost on a jet engine, for take-off only.   

       There is no point in compressing the air, and no point in having a turbine, if combustion is not taking place.   

       This is silly.
baconbrain, Dec 09 2005

       The steam would be spinning a small, high-pressure, high speed turbine which would in turn spin a larger ducted fan to move the air. It wouldn't be a jet engine per se, since there would be no combustion, but there would still be expanding gasses and fans pushing the engine forwards.
discontinuuity, Dec 09 2005

       But you would need some kind of combustion to heat the water to make steam. So then if you already are burning something, why not heat the air instead of water, like a normal jet engine, since air is already surrounding the jet and its lighter than water. Ergo, a normal jet engine would be better and your idea is just a little too inefficient, though I do like the concept behind it. A bun for the effort.
MikeOxbig, Dec 10 2005


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