Airless Tire Promises Grace Under Pressure for Soldiers [Slide Show]

The Pentagon investigates the use of a new type of airless tire designed to get troop -carrying Humvees through hot spots without stopping
By Larry Greenemeier

| August 11, 2008 | 6

y y y y

Share Email Print

NON-PNEUMATIC TIRE: The Wausau, Wisc., National Guard is testing a set of Resilient Technologies's 37-inch (94-centimeter) NPTs on one of its Humvees. Image: Courtesy of Resilient Technologies, LLC

In Iraq and elsewhere, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) pack a double-deadly whammy: They can kill when they explode, and then they turn surviving soldiers into sitting ducks when Humvee tires blow out. Conventional Humvee tires need a certain amount of air pressure, but also may inclu de so-called "run-flat" inserts that wrap around the tire's rim to keep it from going completely flat when the tire's surface is ruptured. The U.S. Army, however, is looking for an alternative that can keep its vehicles running faster and farther than a run -flat donut after an attack. To keep troops from being stranded and easily ambushed on the battlefield, th e Army is working with researchers to develop tires for their Humvees that can better withstand roadside attacks. One such design comes from Resilient Technologies, LLC, based in Wausau, Wisc., and the University of WisconsinMadison's Polymer Engineering Center. With a four-year, $18-million grant from the Pentagon, Resilient is working to create a "non -pneumatic tire" (NPT) technology, called that because it doesn't require air. The NPT looks like a circle of honeycombs bordered by a thick black tread. "There's a lot of space for shrapnel to pass through," says Ed Hall, Resilient Te chnologies's director of business affairs. "Even if you remove 30 percent of the webs, the tire will still work." Resilient is now working to deliver to the Army Research Lab a prototype wheel that the Army would be able to manufacture on its own. "The Army Research Lab approached us, saying that flats on Humvees made them suscept ible to attack," Hall says. "We looked at a lot of non-pneumatic designs before coming up with a polymeric web." Resilient says it's too early to say how much the tires will cost or even which polymers they're using, because they're still in the prototype phase. (The company installed a set of 37-inch (94-centimeter) NPTs on a Wausau -based National Guard Humvee to test them in April.) Although the military is hoping to put these tires in use as soon as possible, Resilient has no plans for a consumer version right now. It may be a decade or more before an NPT makes spare tires a relic of the past: that's how long Michelin says it will be before its airless "Tweel" comes to market. In the meantime, the Tweel is more likely to show up on small construction vehicles. And for those of you wondering why all tires aren't simply made out of solid rubber, some construction vehicl es use them on sites with debris that can easily shred a pneumatic tire, but solid tires give an incredibly rough ride, generate a lot of heat, and might be even worse if a piece cam e off during an explosion, because it could not easily be repaired. The NPT's honeycomb structure is designed to support the load placed on the tire, dissipate heat and offset some of these issues.

$LUOHVVWLUHSURMHFWPD\SURYHDOLIHVDYHULQPLOLWDU\FRPEDW



5DUHO\GRHVRQH FRPHDFURV VDEXVLQHVVZKHUHWKHSKUDVH UHLQYHQWLQJWKHZKHHO LVQRWMXVWDPHWDSKRUL W VDQRSHUDWLQJSULQ FLSOH 

$QDPELWLRXV V WDUWXSFRPSDQ\LQ0DGLVRQLVH[SORULQJWKDWYHU\FKDOOHQJHZLWKDSURMHFWWRGHYHORSWLUHVWKDWFDQZL WKVWDQGH [WUHPHSXQLVKPHQW HYHQWKRVHPHWHGRXWLQPLOL WDU\FR PEDW]RQHV 

5HVLOLHQW7HFKQRORJLHV//&LV ZRUNLQJRQDIRXU \HDUPLOOL RQSURMH FWZLWK WKH86 'HSDUWPHQWRI 'HIHQVHDQGWKH8QLYHUVLW\RI :LV FRQVLQ 0DGLVRQWRUHVHDUFKDQGGHYHORSDQRQ SQHXPDWLFWLUHIRUXVHRQKHDY\ JUDGHPLOLWDU\YHKLFOHVVXFK DV+XPYHHV7KHSURMHFWFRXOG OLWHUDOO\EHDOLIHVDYHUIRUWKHPLOL WDU\,Q PDQ\VLWXDWLRQVLQ,UDTWL UHVKDYHSURYHQWREHZHDNOLQNVLQ+XPYHHVWKDWHQHPLHVWDUJHWZLWK LPSURYLVHGH[SORVLYHGHYLFHV,('V 

<RXVHHUHSRUWVDOOWKHWLPHRIWURRSVZKRZHUHLQMXUHGE\DQ,(' RUWKHLUFRQYR\VJRWV WUDQGHGEHFDXVHWKHLUWLUHV ZHUHVKRWRXW  VD\V0LNH9HLKOJHQHUDOPDQDJHURI5HVLOLHQW 7KHUH V DOOVRUWV  RIDUPRURQWKHYHKLFOHEXWLI\RX UHUXQQLQJLQWKHWKH DWHUDQGJHW \RXUWLUHVKR WRXWZKDWKDYH\RXJRW"<RX YHJRWDEXQFKRI DUPRULQWKHPLGGOHRIDILHOG  

7KHFRPSDQ\KDVPDGHUHPDUNDEOHVWULGHVLQMX VWRYHUWZR\HDUV RIRSHUDWLRQVF\FOLQJWKURXJKOL WHUDOO\KXQGUHGVRISURWRW\SHV GHYHORSLQJVXEVFDOH DLUOHVVWLUHVIR UODZQWUDFWRUVDQGILQDOO\WKH IHDWXUHGSURGXFW,Q$S ULO5HVLO LHQWLQV WDOOHGDVHWRIWKHLU FUHDWLRQVRQD:DXVDX EDVHG1DWLRQDO*XDUG+XPYHHZKHUHLWLV  XQGHUJRLQJULJRURXVRQ DQGRII URDGWHVWV


&RPSDQ\UHSVVD\WKDW5HVLOLHQW VSD UWQHUVKLSZL WK8: 0DGLVRQ V3RO\PHU(QJLQHHULQJ&HQWHU3(& KDVSOD\HGDPDMRU UROHLQVHWWLQJWKHKLJK VSHHGGHYHORSPHQWSDFH7KHFHQWHU VHUYHVDVDVXEFRQWUDFWRULQWKHSURMHFWDQGSURYLGHVWZRJUDGXDWH VWXGHQWVXQGHUWKHJHQHUDOGLUHFWLRQRIPHFKDQLFDOHQJLQHHULQJ SURIHVVRU7L P2V VZDOG 

6JW5REHUW+RRFNZLWKWKH$UP\1DWLRQDO*XDUGEDVHLQ:DXVDX:LVH[DPLQHVWKHLQVWDOODWLRQRIDSURWRW\SHDLUOHVVWLUH

3URWRW\SHWLUHVGHYHORSHGE\5HVLOLHQW7HFKRORJLHV//&XQGHUJRDEDWWHU\RI ,QDGGLWLRQWRFRQGXFWLQJEDVLFSRO\PHUUHVHDUFKWKH3(&ZR UNV ZLWKGR]HQVRI FRPSDQLHVELJDQGVPDOORQPDW HULDOVWHV WLQJDQG SURGXFWGHYHORSPHQWVD\V2VVZDOG7KH5HVLOLHQWSURMH FW SUHVHQWHGRQHRIWKHPRUHFR PSOL FDWHGFKDOOHQJHVKLVODEKDV VHHQJLYHQWKHFRPSOHWHUHWKLQNLQJWDNLQJSODFHLQWKHGHVLJQDQG WKHKLJKOHYHOVRISHUIRUPDQFHWKHWLUHPX VWPHHW  SDUWQHUHG ZLWKWKHFRPSDQ\RQWKH GHYHORSHGE\5HVLOLHQW7HFKQRORJLHV//&7KH8: 0DGLVRQ3RO\PHU(QJLQHHULQJ&HQWHU

SHUIRUPDQFHWHVWVLQFOXGLQJWKLVURDGZKHHO WKDWFDQVLPXODWHWKRXVDQGVRIPLOHV

GHVL JQDQGWHVWLQJRIWKHWLUHZKLFKLVH[SHFWHGWRERRVWWKHVHFXULW\RIYHKLFOHVLQFRPEDW3KRWRE\5HVLOLHQW7HFKQRO RJLH V//&

RIZHDUDWLQWHUVWDWHVSHHGV3KRWRE\5HVLOLHQW7HFKQRORJLHV//&

ODUJH

LPDJH

 7KH:LV FRQVLQGHVLJQEUHDNWKURXJKILUV WGHYHORSHGE\5HVLOLHQW V LQ KRXVHGHVLJQDQGGHYHORSPHQWWHDPWDNHVDSDJHIURPQDWXUH 7KHJRDOZDVWRUHGXFHWKHYDULDWLRQLQWKHV WLIIQHVV RIWKHWLUHWRPDNHLWWUDQVP LWORDGVXQLIRUPO\DQGEHFRPHPRUHKRPRJ HQRXV 7LP 2 VVZDO GVD\V $QGWKHEHVWGHVLJQDVQDWXUH JLYHVLWWRX VLVUHDOO\WKHKRQH\FRPE  

ODUJHLPDJH

2VVZDOGDQGJUDGXDWHVWXGHQWV1L FN1HZPDQDQG(ULF)ROW]UDQWHVWVDQGVLPXODWLRQV WKDWK HOSHG5HVLOLHQWFRQILUPWKHTXDOLW\RILWV XQLTXHGHVLJQFRQ FHSW7KH\DOVRVWXGLHGRWKHUDLUOHVV WLUHGHVLJQVLQ FOXGLQJ0 LF KHOLQ V 7ZHHO WR GHWHUPLQHWKHLUS URSHUWLHV FRPSDUHGZLWKWKH5HVLOLHQWGHVLJQ 

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

$GGV1HZPDQ 1RZ WKDWZH YHGRQHWKLVLW V DPD]LQJWR WKLQNWKDWZHZHUHJRLQJIURP OL WHUDOO\VNHWFKLQJGHVLJQVRQDSLHFH RISDSHULQ-XQH WRKDYLQJDFWXDO+XPYHHVULGLQJDURXQGRQSURWRW\SHWLUHVLQ$S ULO ,Q XQGHUWZR\HDUVUHDOO\IXQFWLRQDOWLUHV ZHUHFUHDWHG  

(DUOLHUWKLV PRQWK1HZPDQGHIHQGHGKLVPDVWHU V WKHVLV WKDWLVEDVHGRQKLVWZR\HDUVRIUHVHDUFKZL WK5HVLOLHQW 

9HLKOVD\V5HVLOLHQWKDVGHYHORSHGLQWRDIXOO VHUYLFHRSHUDWLRQZL WKLQ KRXVHIDFL OLWLHV WKDWFDQGHYHORSQHZPDWHULDOVDQGUXQWKHPWKURXJKDEDWWHU\RISK\VLFDODQGHQYLURQPHQWDOWHVWV7KLV PRQW KWKHFRPSDQ\LVLQWKHSURFHVV RILQV WDOOLQJDPDVVLYHIO\ZKHHO GHYLFHFDOOHGDQ$NURQ6WDQGDUGURDGZKHHOZKLFKFDQLQIOL FWZH DUDQGWHDURQSURWRW\SHWL UHVVLPXODWLQJKXQGUHGVRIWKRXVDQGVRIPLOHVDWLQWHUVWDWHVSHHGV 

%XWWKH8: 0DGLVRQH[SHULHQFHLVYLWDOWRWKHFRQWLQXLQJSURMHFW9HLKOVD\V7KHJURXSKROGVZHHNO\WHOHFRQIHUHQFHVDQG2VVZDOGKDVVS HQWWL PHDWWKHFRPSDQ\SURYLGLQ JKLJK OHYHOSRO\PHUFRXUVHZRUN IRU5HVLO LHQW V HQJLQHHUV0DQ\RIWKHVDPHWHV WVGRQHLQ:DXVDXZHUHGRQHLQSDUDOOHODW8: 0DGLVRQWRIXUWKHUYDOLGDWHRXWFRPHV 

1XPEHURQH\RXKDYHVWXGHQWVZKRDUHIUHVKWKLQNHUVWKH\KDYHQRSUHFRQFHLYHGQRWLRQDER XWZKDWLVWKHULJK WDQVZHURUZURQJDQVZHU KHVD\V $QG2V VZDOGKDVJLYHQXVWKHDELOLW\WRGLYHLQWRDORW RIWKLQJVPXFK PRUHTXL FNO\EHFDXVHKH VVHHQVRPDQ\WKLQJVWKDWZHKDYHQ WLQZR UNLQJZLWKWKHVHPDWHULDOV  

:L WK)ROW]DQG1HZPDQJUDGXDW LQJ2VVZDOGZLOO FRQWLQXHWKHSDUWQHUVKLSWKLVIDOOZ LWKWZRQHZJUDGXDWHVWXGHQWV2QHSURMHFWZLOO EHWRHYDOXDWHVLGHZDOO GHVLJQVZKLFKZLO OJLYHWKHWLUHDPR UH FRQYHQWLRQDOORRN 

9HLKOVKDUHVDVWURQJHQWKXVLDVPIR UWKHFRPSDQ\DQGZKDWLWFRXOGPH DQWRWKH: LV FRQVLQHFRQRP\$O WKRXJKWKHPLOL WDU\DSSOLFDWLRQLV WKHPRV WXUJHQWS ULPDU\PDUNHW9HLKOVD\VWKHWL UHKDVSRW HQWLDOIRU YLUWXDOO\DQ\YHKLFOHZKHUHDIODWWLUHFDXVHVVLJQLIL FDQWKHDGDFKHV7KDWLQFOXGHV$79VPLQLQJHTXLSPHQWIDUP PDFKLQH U\DQGFRQVWUX FWLRQHTXLSPHQW7KHSDVVHQJHUDXWRPRELOHLQGXVWU\PD\EHRQWKH KRUL]RQDVZHOO

%XWULJKWQRZ9HLKOL VFRQFHQWUDWLQJRQKLV FX VWRPHUVDWWKH1DWLRQDO*XDUGPDQ\RIZKRPKDYHVHHQWRXUVRIGX W\LQ,UDTDQ GRIIHULQYDOXDEOHDGYLFH 7KH\Z LOOWHOO\RXWKHUHDOGHDODQGWKH\ UHQRWVK\ DERXWLW,I ZHFDQGHYHORSDSURGXFWWKDWVDWLVILHVWKHLUUHTXLUHPHQWVWKHQZH YHGRQHRXUMRE  

865HS'DYH2EH\' : LVZDVLQ VWUXPHQWDOLQJHWWLQJ'HSDUWPHQWRI'HIHQVHVXSSRUWIRUWKHFRPSDQ\ZKLF KL VDIILOLDWHGZLWK DQRWKHUFRPS DQ\LQKLVGLV WUL FW:$' $/3ODV WL FV ,Q F

'HYHORSLQJWLUHVWKDWZLOO DOORZYHKLFOHVWRFRQWLQXHWRUROO QRPDWWHUZKDWL VWKURZQDWWKHP RXUWURRSVLQWKHILHOG VD\V2EH\ 7LP$2VVZDOG

HYHQURDGVLGHERPEV

LV DUHDOSULRUL W\IRUWKHPLO L WDU\DQGFRXOGEHWKHGLIIHUHQFH EHWZHHQOLIHDQGGHDWKIRU

ODUJHLPDJH


%ULDQ0DWWPLOOHU  

Resilient Technologies developing tougher tire for Army

y y
e-mail print

By Meg Jones of the Journal Sentinel Nov. 13, 2008

enlarge photo

Benny Sieu Louie Stark, manufacturing manager (left), and Edward Hall, vice president of business affairs and general counsel, roll out 37inch non-pneumatic tires that were tested on a Humvee.

more photos

Wausau - Getting a flat tire is never convenient. In a war zone, it can be deadly. While Humvees have been loaded with extra armor to protect troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, the tires remain vulnerable to attacks by improvised explosive devices. But an ingenious honeycomb design by a Wisconsin engineering company may be the key to a new airless tire that could keep military vehicles running faster and longer after an attack. Resilient Technologies is in the middle of a four -year, $18 million contract with the Arm y to develop a tire that will continue running even after it has been shredded by roadside bombs or gunfire. Though Humvee tires are now outfitted with run -flat inserts, the Army wants to upgrade to an airless tire that's better at carrying heavier loads a nd can quickly move soldiers out of harm's way.

When engineers at Resilient Technologies began working on tire designs, they settled on one of the most resilient natural structures the six-sided cells bees construct to hold their honey. "Patterns in nature have gotten there for a reason. We looked to structures in nature that are sound, and that's how we came up with the honeycomb," said Ed Hall, vice president of business affairs. Aside from strength, the design allows shrapnel and high -caliber bullets to pass through the tire. During testing, the tire has continued to run well - losing only a small percentage of performance - with much of the webbing removed. Airless tires have been around for a long time, but their drawbacks are legion - bumpy rides and overheating. Hall said Resilient Technologies' prototype dissipates heat and is flexible enough to support the heavy Humvee loads while providing a relatively smooth ride. Though Humvees outfitted with "run-flat" tires are supposed to travel at least 30 m ph for 30 miles, service members caught in firefights and hit by roadside bombs have complained about performance. The new tire must withstand a minimum of 50 mph speeds for 50 miles once it's punctured, said Chuck Pergantis, an Army Research Laboratory mechanical engineer who is the technical monitor of the airless tire program. "They've up-armored the Humvees so much the current tires can't support the load. We want to create a tire that extends the mobility of the vehicle and the survivability and maint ainability," Pergantis said. "We recently shot this tire with a very large-caliber round a number of times with a high -velocity rifle, and it didn't go flat at all. Of course we don't know the durability characteristics because a lot of testing has to be d one."

Combining materials
In a 6,000-square-foot office and lab on the outskirts of Wausau, Resilient Technologies engineers work on different combinations of materials to make the honeycomb design. That includes various cocktails of rubber, chemicals and polymer plastics that are put through their paces in equipment that pushes, pulls, prods, overheats and freezes them. Coming up with the right combination is the challenge, said Louie Stark, manufacturing manager. A softer material provides good traction b ut wears out sooner. A harder material lasts longer but also generates more heat and is less flexible. Though Humvees are now the primary mode of transportation for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, the airless tires must handle any terrain and temperature. "You have to assume it's in the desert one day and the next day it's in Siberia," said Glenn Howland, materials development manager. University of Wisconsin-Madison engineering students also have been involved in the project. Dan Negrut, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, has worked on computer simulation models to show how the tires will behave in different scenarios.

Road testing
Resilient Technologies engineers borrowed a Wisconsin National Guard Humvee to test the prototype, but much of the road testing is done in a Dodge pickup truck outfitted with sensors and extra weight that simulates the heavy military vehicles. Some testing has been done on the airport runway in Rhinelander. Eventually, the 37-inch tires will be tested by the milit ary at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland to see how they react to mine blasts and how they handle on various obstacles. Since the tire is still under development, there's no price tag. Hall said the company is expected to come up with a tire that costs the same or less than current Humvee tires. Resilient Technologies opened in 2006 and has 15 employees. The company, which has patents pending for the airless tire technology, announced a joint development agreement this month with Ohio -based Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. Cooper will help with tread design of the Humvee airless tire as well as manufacturing and testing. Though the Army hasn't set a deadline for implementation of airless tires on Humvees, Resilient Technologies' contract calls for delivery by December 2011, "but with soldiers where they are, we want to finish as soon as we can," Hall said. "To think we could be helping save lives is what's motivating a lot of our guys."

Dick Stephens, Former President of Cooper Tire, Joins Board

&1 10&) $

said Robert J. ange, Chief Executi e Officer of Resilient Technologies. Dicks considerable
R Q

technology expertise, as

ell as his broad product and

Q

anagement experience, significantly

strengthens the Board, and

e look forward to working with him as we continue to bring advanced

mobility products to market.

Mr. Stephens has over 4 years experience in the tire industry. As President of Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., he oversaw a multibillion dollar global business that in troduced multiple technological innovations to the industry.
S

Resilient Technologies has been developing a non -pneumatic tire (NPT) because of the growing number of military vehicles and personnel being stranded in Iraq, and elsewhere, due to flat tires caused by gunfire or shrapnel. The NPT provides better mobility, range, functionality and reliability, and requires less maintenance than, a standard military MMWV ( umvee ) run-flat tire. The NPT abandons the traditional tire and rim design for a struc ture comprised of a unique rim, polymeric web, and tread package, thereby eliminating the need for the cavity that typically retains air for a traditional tire. The polymeric web allows bullets and shrapnel to move through the tire without disabling it. In fact, the NPT will continue to run even if a substantial portion of the polymeric web cells have been disabled.

T T

Resilients NPT technology represents a unique solution to multiple problems created by loss of air pressure, both in military and commercial applications, said Mr. Stephens. I look forward to helping the Resilient team bring the NPT and other advanced mobility products to market.

About Resilient Technologies, LLC

UU

Resilient Technologies,

C develops advanced mobility products for the mil itary and commercial

sectors. The companys skilled team of professionals draws on extensive experience in product development, analysis, and manufacturing. Resilient serves clients nationwide from its headquarters

DC

EGC FD

EDC

The B

f Di ect

e l eased t announce that Dick S tephens has joined as a Di ector,

A2 A ' 0&

2 5A62

'

&

&

922

&

5 A9 A A2 '& &@

'

&

5A6

( ( 2996 &@

i t

t f D. Ri

(Di k) St

,f

t fC

i , t it B

f Di

&0

2 ((6 7652

44

'&

32 2(

&

'&

%%

&1

#"

WAUSAU, WISCONSIN, FEBRUARY

10

 !

As

r c mm rc pp c rs H m pm

                            

c m c

r ss

r s H

s s

s s

- rr

c s

c s rc

9R

ili

Ct

t t

isconsin. http://www.resilienttech.com/mrzeislo/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/

OLK8CF/www.resilienttech.com)

How I Works

> How It Works > Why It's Better

d d

> How It's Used

and cooling water in a closed -loop, piston-based engine system. The process loo s li e this:

Actual image of yclone ar V Engine

` Y

d c

The

yclone Engine is a

a n i ne

ycle heat regenerative e ternal combustion engine, otherwise nown as a Schoell

ycle engine.

in
V

ausau,

home | how it works | why it's better | how it's used | waste heat engine | technical information | corporate info | contact

It creates mechanical energy by heating

Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configure d not to display inline frames.

The yclone Engine is a an ine ycle heat regenerative e ternal combustion engine, otherwise nown as a Schoell ycle engine. It creates mechanical energy by heating and cooling water in a closedloop, piston-based engine system. The process loo s li e this:

HEAT P ESS 1. Fuel is atomized and injected into the patented centrifugal combustion chamber shown as lifted off the engine bloc for better viewing , where a spar ignites the fuel-air mi ture into a flame that spins around the heat coils. Thermocouples not pictured control the duration of combustion to eep the heat in the combustion chamber at a constant temperature.
2. ater contained in the coils becomes super-heated steam up to 1200F) in as little as 5 seconds from start up which is (a) piped to the cylinders, (b) where it enters through a patentpending valve system not pictured). ote, valve timing mechanisms regulate how much steam enters the cylinders the longer the cut-off the greater the torque and acceleration.

E HANI AL P ESS 3. Steam enters the si radial-configured cylinders under pressures up to 3200 psi to push the pistons down in sequence. Note, no motor oil is used water is both the wor ing fluid and engine lubricant. Also, because of the valve design, the engine starts without the need of a starter motor.

yclone Power Technologies Inc. All rights reserved. Patented. U.S. Patent 200 U.S. and Foreign.

o. 7,080,512.

For more technical info about the

yclone Engine, including photos and video, clic here.

p i

ther Patents Pending,

4. The rotating action of the pistons connected through a patent-pending spider bearing not pictured) turns the cran shaft. Note, because the greatest amount of torque occurs at the first rotation, the shaft can be directly connected to a drive train without a transmission.

LING P ESS 5. Steam escapes the cylinders through e haust ports and (a) enters the patent-pending condensing unit where it turns bac into water, and (b) collects in a sealed pan at the bottom of the condenser. Note, this is a closed-loop system the water does not need to be replaced or topped-off.
6. Blowers spin fresh air around the condenser to speed the cooling process.

EGENE ATIVE P ESS 7. (a) Air which has been pre-heated from the condensing unit, (b) continues up to a second heat e changer located in the e haust port of the combustion chamber, further pre-heating the air used for combustion while also cooling the e haust fumes to about 320F).
8. A high pressure pump not pictured) pipes water from the collecting pan to the heat coils (a) via heat e changers surrounding each of the cylinders only one pictured), and then (b) to the center of the coils to start the heat cycle again.