[plug] [OT][link] 20 cm long, 30hp, high efficiency, no-moving-parts outboard motor?

[Leon Brooks]

Almost makes one want to go fishing:

    http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993321

    The Pursuit Marine Drive produces thrust by using the energy from
    high-pressure steam to draw in water through an intake at the front
    and expel it at high speed through the rear. The steam emerges at
    high speed from a rearward-facing ring-shaped nozzle into a
    cone-shaped chamber, where it mixes with the water. Shock waves
    created as the steam condenses are focused by the chamber to blast
    water out of the back.

    The drive was invented by Australian engineer Alan Burns [...] Last
    week, New Scientist witnessed a version just 20 centimetres long
    develop around 30 horsepower (22 kilowatts) [...]

    A crucial element of the design is that water flowing into the
    engine draws in air through a vent ahead of the steam jet. The air
    bubbles change the way the steam mixes with the water, and this
    significantly increases the engine's efficiency.

    [...]

    Water emerging from the engine is no more than 3 or 4 °C warmer
    than the water it draws in [so no auto-steamed fish?]

    The steam drive can also function as an extremely robust pump. It
    can shift water, sewage or oil, and in a demonstration for New
    Scientist, Todman shoved large quantities of lard and cardboard
    into the inlet without the pump suffering any ill effects. It
    could even mix materials used by the food industry. "It doesn't
    simply mix -- it macerates," says Todman.

/ME wonders if this has a place in Oliver North's office. (-:

Cheers; Leon