Dutch artist and inventor Joost Conijn refitted his Citroën with wooden panels and installed a wood-burning boiler for propulsion. He then traveled around Eastern Europe, documenting people's reactions to his odd car.
I'm just a bit skeptical because the engine in the video doesn't sound like steam engine and the car moves at a pretty phenomenal rate of speed for a steam engine. But I have read that during World War II, some cars in Sweden were converted to wood-burning engines due to a scarcity of oil, so a functional steam engine modern car should be hypothetically possible.
What do you think? Is this real or a hoax?
http://www.divus.cz/umelec/en/pages/umelec.php?id=196&roc=2002&cis=2 via Make | YouTube Video | Artist's Website (Google Translator Version)
Great post as always, thanks!
Wood-gas fired tractors were moderately common in scandinavia at one time, as the fuel is free, a by-product of the forestry work those tractors were engaged in.
The gas being utilised, by the way, is carbon monoxide.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Energy-Matters/Wood-Gas-Generator.aspx
You can see the video of Dave Nicol's truck at:
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/energy/blogs/watch-powering-a-car-with-biomass
Dave's site has more info on his truck and the concept in general.
http://www.21stcenturymotorworks.com/
The gas generator would extract gas from wood or brown coal to run a completely ordinary engine. They were called "Gen-gas cars" in the colloquial for generator gas, and the technology is fairly simple.
It's a novel, but I would bet that this isn't made up of whole cloth; the author probably had seen some precedent.
It should be noted that, in the book, the car can only go a few miles per hour, the idea being basically, well, it's better than walking from the airport carrying your luggage.
Would this be concidered a bio-fuel run car?
For those of you interested in the tech behind this, I suggest rolling on over here: http://www.lindsaybks.com/
( Lindsay Publications). All sorts of books on "hands-on" DIY and older tech that still does the job.
Have a great New Year!!
As for steam cars, yes they can go fast - Jay Leno a couple of years ago was clocked over 75mph on a US freeway in a 1906 Stanley steamer running on kerosene. Some modern ones have been produced by individuals - but there were some experiments by the big manufacturers in the 1970s, including Saab and GM - neither put the car into production though - a great pity.
Have a great New Year!!
I do like the idea of producer gas and think it could be made easier than a steam car. If it really isn't very user friendly for everyday use, then perhaps you don't have to use it every day.... This is great fun and that's what it was for--an adventure.