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Old 07-08-2015, 04:46 AM
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StainlessSteelCynic StainlessSteelCynic is offline
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Something else to consider is that steam engines can run on liquid biofuels (e.g. ethanol) with far fewer problems than internal combustion engines running on the same fuel.
Now this won't help you much when you're trying to keep your truck or MICV running but for something like a large boat, stationary engines, bulldozers, farm tractors and the like, installing a steam engine and running it on ethanol may be a viable solution for the long term. The principles for this have been known and in use for some time with such things as miniature & model steam engines that burn white spirit/turpentine, kerosene and such like to heat their boilers.

There are also steam locomotives that use liquid fuels but they typically used heavy oils to fire the boiler, as I understand it (and my understanding is pretty limited), these steam locos could run on ethanol but it would require a complete remodelling of the combustion chamber. In the original design, the oil fuel was atomized and the resultant mist was then ignited to heat the boiler. Conversion to a liquid fuel like ethanol would require the oil pan be replaced with burners or such like.
As mentioned, I actually know very little about this in regards to steam locos so any of the steam enthusiast here, please feel free to jump in and fix up anything I got wrong!
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