The sound, smell, and sight of the
exhaust of a steam locomotive is undoubtedly its
most memorable aspect. Interestingly, the exhaust
system is a crucial part of the design of a steam
locomotive, and one which dramatically affects
its performance for better or worse. Around the
world, a great deal of attention was focused on
the design of the exhaust systems for steam
locomotives. Unfortunately, in most countries
steam locomotive development ceased about the
same time that research in the fields of
engineering related to gas flow and nozzles
exploded. Since WWII, much research and
development has been peformed in these areas as a
result of the development of jet powered aircraft
and rockets.
This page provide links to information on steam locomotive exhaust design. The
first link is a technical paper written in 1974 by Ing. L. D. Porta and describes his Lempor Ejector exhaust system.
Also included is a series of photos of the Kylpor
Exhaust system (superceded by the Lempor),
developed by Ing. Porta from the Kylchap exhaust
system of Chapelon. The last page provides an
overview of steam locomotive exhaust system
development in the 20th century.
Another interesting work on steam locomotive design is Jos
Koopman's book "The Fire Burns Much Better". Excerpts from
the book and additional information are available at:
http://www.thefireburnsmuchbetter.nl/
|
