Steam cleaner

A UK company has developed a hybrid steam and petrol system that re-uses fuel energy from internal combustion engines that would normally be wasted. The technology is expected to cut emissions and achieve 30 to 40 per cent fuel savings.

The developer,

, estimates that 36 per cent of fuel energy in a typical internal combustion engine is lost via the exhaust pipe in the form of heat. A similar amount is dissipated by the cooling system. Clean Power's system captures the lost energy from the exhaust and uses it to heat steam that is later injected into the engine.

The company did this by converting two Mazda RX8 rotary engines, which do not have piston strokes. Mike Burns, the developer of Clean Power's heat-recovery unit, said this kind of engine is perfect for a hybrid steam and petrol system.

'The rotary engine is an ideal steam expander engine,' he said. 'It also produces a lot of energy for the amount of fuel it burns.'