Safety Systems

Driver

The danger of sitting in front of 2 MW of heat output and a steam generator delivering 500 PSI steam at over 700 degrees Fahrenheit is not inconsiderable. There are dangers with both the fuel and working fluid. For this reason many redundant safety systems are being included in the design of the car.

During all test runs and record attempts, the driver is to be protected by not less than 3 layers of Nomex common in Formula 1 racing with FIA approved helmet, Balaclava (head sock), gloves and boots.

Part of the danger associated with the project is that the fuel exists in a gaseous state at room temperatures and pressures. While this in and of itself is not excessively dangerous it presents difficulty in the fact that some fabrics can become saturated with it. Even a fire retardant garment saturated with gaseous LPG can cause severe burns to exposed skin should a fire occur. In order to keep the driver suit free of the possibility of becoming tainted with unspent fuel it will be flooded with gaseous nitrogen. This will inhibit combustion of any fuel vapors that may have contaminated the suit. Properly maintained with a positive differential pressure, the fabric will actually be saturated with non-flammable nitrogen.

The car will contain many of the same safety systems contained in a Formula 1 car as well as some that are not necessary in a race car. In the event of a fire or leakage of superheated steam into the cockpit, the driver will be breathing from a self contained air source.

Fire

Although activated by a single control, the vehicle fire safety systems are split into two active systems; the boiler section and the driver’s compartment.

The driver’s compartment is sealed from the boiler section by an aluminum bulkhead. In the event of a fire, the driver can activate a suppression system that will flood the compartment with high pressure nitrogen. At the same time all non-life support systems are shut down. This will drive atmospheric oxygen out of the car to extinguish existing fires and prevent further combustion. 

The boiler section of the vehicle will be protected in a similar fashion. Should the fire suppression system be activated the boiler fuel and air are shut off and the boilers and engine compartment are flooded with high pressure nitrogen.

General Vehicle

The vehicle control system includes sensors that indicate the load on each wheel. If the system senses less than 40% of the static load on the front an alarm is sounded and the engine is shut down.

The engine control system includes a system that detects burner panel flame-out. If any one of the burner panels is somehow extinguished or flames out, the system shuts down all of the burners and simultaneously floods the boiler room/engine compartment and burner segments with nitrogen.

(c) 1999-2008, British Steam Car Challenge