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. I'm sure she'll appreciate the humor.)
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Deviousness `anmari has been spreading her infectious positivity throughout our community for over 6 years. Throughout this time Ana has been at the core of all things devious, passionately developing an eclectic gallery, helping organise devmeets, participating in chat events and also recently completed dedicating her time as a Community Volunteer. We are absolutely delighted to bestow the Deviousness Award for May 2013 to `anmari, congratulations! Read More
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Sta.sh
YOU......YOU...YOU..... CAPATALIST
XDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
YOU TAKE THAT BACK! THOSE BE FIGHTING WORDS ALEX! I'LL TURN THE YELLOW JACKET INTO A DIESEL SHIP YET!!!
...well, actually, I couldn't do that. Not unless I wanted everything associated with the ship to suddenly disappear from the Great Lone Islands.
Of course, it is complete curiosity that makes me point this out. Seriously, for what reasons would one make such large diesel engines? Certainly very large ones can be used on naval vessels. Hell, the largest diesel engines in reality weigh in at 2300 tonnes...
Diesels in the lone islands, when made, were made huge as to be able to run on incredibly crude fuel, like kerosene, as there was nor will there be any dedicatedly refined fuel specially made for these engines. Some were even fueled on crude oil. I have worked with these large diesels in Mystic, along side the steam engines. They have incredibly low power density especially for their size and weight. They rotate at speeds like 175-250 RPM at most, and unlike a steam engine of comparable RPM, they cannot be stopped or slowed to near a stop without stalling, and they have INCREDIBLY low torque, because a diesel, like any internal combustion engine, is an impact motor, not a pressure engine. Impact motor principals are not favored in the islands for very good reasons, and this is also why turbines are not used. Turbines of any kind are also impact motors.
The other disadvantage to these and any diesels is the need for immensely heavy castings, at least twice as strong as those used in steam engines, because in THESE cylinders you need to contain explosions. You ALSO have to cool these cylinders with a fluidic coolant medium, meaning heavier, larger castings with water jacket passages in them, dedicated coolant pumps, radiators, and the possibility of overheats should these fail. Because of the immense internal friction of these engines at these sizes compared to steam engines, and because of the need to bleed usable thermal heat out with a coolant system, the total thermal efficiency runs into the single digits, like between 4 and 8 percent, whereas the most efficient steam engines we ever had (and hence, this world ever had) can go up to 25 percent.
The biggest diesel in this world, a 30 cylinder in line, ran in a stationary powerplant for 20 years without any major faults, until one day, a developing crack blew the integral casing apart and the engine was ruined. It was decided to supercede the experiment with a far more efficient vertical triple steam engine.
A 1000 lb. engine for a mere six horsepower is very sad. The one in the video is obviously generating more than that, likely, but still.
Your criticism of diesel engines is a bit unfair, in my opinion, as the real-world technology is very compact and reliable after a century of development. One could argue that diesel engines evolved and progressed much more rapidly than the steam engine. However, in relation to that article on Cyclone that I linked you, I am very interested in the notion of steam powered cars. From what I've been reading, it would seem that Cyclone's Mark V engine is most promising.
Personally, I have nothing against IC engines. Their one and only downfall is the finite matter of their fuel supply. Steam engines, on the other hand, can be run on virtually ANYTHING. Renewable biodiesel has especially been emphasized, considering that a large variety of plant matter can be used to produce it.