British project will convert diesel locomotive to steam power

[mahatmakanejeeves]

I checked to make sure this wasn't dated April 1.

British project will convert diesel locomotive to steam power
By Trains Staff | June 20, 2024

LONDON — A British company has announced plan to convert a 1980s diesel locomotive to a prototype of a zero-emission steam powered unit.

Rail equipment leasing firm Eversholt Rail Group said earlier this month it would convert a British Rail Class 60 locomotive, a C-C unit built by Brush Traction, in a partnership with Steamology, a start-up company in West Dawn, Hampshire, with a focus on green steam technology.

According to a press release, the Class 60’s power plant will be replaced with 20 steam generators, four steam turbines, and roughly 310 lbs. of gas storage. The equipment will use new technology, developed by Steamology, to generate high-pressure steam by burning hydrogen in oxygen within these modular generators, minus the generating of carbon emissions.

{snip}

[RockRaven]

1. Where's the hydrogen coming from?

Without a truly "green" answer to that, this is just greenwashing -- like driving an EV which recharges off of a coal power plant.

[Think. Again.]

3. Perhaps you haven't heard...

...such a new industry like CLEAN H2 (no fossil fuels), is taking a standard amount time to build out the H2 network that will handle the coming massive increase in Green Hydrogen demand, but it's well on it's way.

With Biden's $7 billion H2 funding, and the Clean H2 Roadmap in place, all that's left to do is the easy part, spend that money to build out the Green H2 network, and that's just in the U.S. which is way behind on the Green H2 industry development.

Biden-Harris Administration Releases First-Ever National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap to Build a Clean Energy Future, Accelerate American Manufacturing Boom
JUNE 5, 2023

Source: https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-harris-administration-releases-first-ever-national-clean-hydrogen-strategy-and


WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Biden-Harris Administration today released the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap, a comprehensive framework for accelerating the production, processing, delivery, storage, and use of clean hydrogen—a versatile and flexible energy carrier that can be produced with low or zero carbon emissions. Achieving commercial-scale hydrogen deployment is a key component of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, and critical to building a strong clean energy economy while enabling our long-term decarbonization objectives. Estimates indicate that America’s growing hydrogen economy has the potential to add 100,000 net new direct and indirect jobs by 2030. Developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in partnership other federal agencies, the Strategy and Roadmap underscores the President’s whole-of-government approach to addressing the climate crisis and achieving a carbon-free grid by 2035 and a net-zero emissions economy by 2050.

-snip-

[RockRaven]

5. I'm aware of the phenomenon, I'm asking about THIS train. nt

[Think. Again.]

6. This train is still in the concept stage...

From the press release at https://eversholtrail.co.uk/news/a-new-dawn-for-steam-on-the-railway/

"The conversion is currently planned for 2025 with tests to follow."

[Think. Again.]

2. Cool, yet another use for green Hydrogen...

From the press release at https://eversholtrail.co.uk/news/a-new-dawn-for-steam-on-the-railway/ ;

Steamology has developed a patented new technology to generate high pressure steam without carbon emissions by burning hydrogen in oxygen inside small modular steam generators. This zero-carbon “green” steam can be created at a mega-watt scale. The New Dawn project will apply this innovation to rail by converting a Class 60 locomotive to a full powered prototype, heralding a return to steam after a break of more than 60 years.

This conversion will replace the diesel engine with 20 steam generators, four steam turbines and 140kg of gas storage, creating a 2MW zero emission steam locomotive. Conversion work is planned to commence in the UK in 2025. If successful, this technology could be applied as a modification to existing locomotives or incorporated into newly-built products by locomotive manufacturers.

And yes, "Green" Hydrogen, which is produced through processes that are CO2 emission-free, would need to be used in these steam generators to make this actually "Green Steam".

[SarahD]

4. Remember "The Big Bus?"

A 1976 spoof movie about an atomic powered passenger bus. I think it had a piano bar and a bowling alley. Some of these projects remind me of the nuclear powered bus, racing down the highway at high speed. "We're breaking wind at 90!"

[Fords Crackpipe]

7. Kick & rec