Blue Flame

File:Goodwood2007-121 The Blue Flame.jpg]]

Blue Flame is a rocket-powered land speed racing vehicle that was driven by Gary Gabelich and achieved a world land speed record on Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah on October 23, 1970. The vehicle set the FIA world record for the flying mile at {{convert|622.407|mi/h|km/h|3|abbr=on}} and the flying kilometer at {{convert|630.388|mi/h|km/h|3|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.sirmalcolmcampbell.com/sirmail.html |title=Sir malcolm campbell |access-date=2013-10-09 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019101530/http://www.sirmalcolmcampbell.com/sirmail.html |archive-date=2013-10-19 }} Blue Flame's world records have since been broken.

Design and construction

Blue Flame was constructed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by Reaction Dynamics, a company formed by Pete Farnsworth, Ray Dausman and Dick Keller, who had developed the first hydrogen peroxide rocket dragster,{{cite web|title=1970: Blue Flame driven by Gary Gabelich|url=http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/world_land_speed_record_39.htm|publisher=©Copyright 1999-2014 Unique Cars & Parts}} called the X-1 and driven by Chuck Suba.{{cite web|last=Ratliff|first=Franklin|title=Drag Racing Story of the Day - Early History of the Hydrogen Peroxide Rocket Dragster|url=http://www.draglist.com/stories/SOD%20Mar%202002/SOD-031402.htm|publisher=Draglist.com Copyright 1996-2014 by Bilden Enterprises}} The car used a combination of high-test peroxide and liquified natural gas (LNG), pressurized by helium gas.{{cite web|last=Coonce|first=Cole|title=IT WASN'T FOR NOTHING THAT WE DID IT - Transcript of interview with Pete Farnsworth|date=3 November 2008 |url=http://infinityoverzero.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/it-wasnt-for-nothing-that-we-did-it/|publisher=INFINITY OVER ZERO Blog at WordPress.com}} The effort was sponsored by the American Gas Association, with technical assistance from the Institute of Gas Technology of Des Plaines, IL.{{cite web|title=The Blue Flame Record Car|url=http://www.classicandperformancecar.com/features/octane_features/262615/the_blue_flame_record_car.html|publisher=Text: Charles Armstrong-Wilson Photos: Richard Keller/American gas association}}{{cite web|title=DICK KELLER - SPACE AGE SPEEDSTER|date=30 April 2012 |url=http://clingonforlife.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/honda-hawk-streamliner-week-post-07.html|publisher=Cling on for dear life Blog on Blogspot.co.uk Monday, 30 April 2012}}

The engine was designed by Reaction Dynamics and some of the components were manufactured by Galaxy Manufacturing of Tonawanda, New York.{{cn|date=December 2018}}

Blue Flame{{'}}s engine is a regeneratively cooled variable-thrust liquid-propellant engine. It can operate on either a single- or dual-propellant basis. In operation, it permits natural gas use as a liquid, gas, or both with a two-stage combustion start. The oxidizer flow is established first, then LNG enters a heat exchanger where it vaporizes and is brought to combustion temperature. The gas is then injected into the combustion chamber with the oxygen provided by the hydrogen peroxide. A stable flame front is established and the remaining liquified natural gas (LNG) is injected to bring the engine to full power.{{cite web|title=Blue Flame - Land Speed Racing History|url=http://hotrod.gregwapling.com/land-speed-racing-history/land-speed-racing-blue-flame.html|publisher=Copyright © 2012 Hot Rods Down Under}}

Nominal engine running time was 20 seconds at full thrust of {{convert|22,500|lbf|kN|abbr=on}}, the equivalent of {{convert|58,000|hp|MW|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|title=Featured Stories > Rocket Science - The Blue Flame Record Car|url=http://www.autotraderclassics.com/car-article/Rocket+Science+_+The+Blue+Flame+Record+Car-77786.xhtml|publisher=© 2014 AutoTraderClassics.com, Inc.}}{{cite web|last=Wells|first=Bruce A.|title=The Blue Flame – Natural Gas Rocket Car|date=17 October 2021 |url=http://aoghs.org/petroleum-industry-pioneers/the-blue-flame-natural-gas-rocket-car/|publisher=American Oil & Gas Historical Society, 2014}} Keller stated{{cn|date=December 2018}} the Goodyear Tire Company restricted their top speed to {{convert|700|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cn|date=December 2018}} Reaction Dynamics subsequently modified the LNG flow in the two-stage injector system to almost halve the maximum thrust.{{cite web|last=Keller|first=Richard|title=True Blue Natural Gas - An Energy Blog from the American Gas Association AGA|url=http://www.truebluenaturalgas.org/faster-than-a-blue-flamei-dont-think-so/comment-page-1/#comment-547|publisher=American Gas Association|access-date=2014-03-20|archive-date=2018-12-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181217062942/http://www.truebluenaturalgas.org/faster-than-a-blue-flamei-dont-think-so/comment-page-1/#comment-547|url-status=dead}} The actual thrust during the record runs was between {{convert|13,000|lbf|kN|abbr=on}} [equivalent of {{convert|35,000|hp|MW|abbr=on}}]{{cite web|title=ThrustSSC - History - The Blue Flame|url=http://www.thrustssc.com/thrustssc/History/Blueflame.html|publisher=© SSC Programme Ltd, 1997}} and {{convert|15,000|lbf|kN|abbr=on}}. Blue Flame{{'}}s record runs involved accelerating continuously to the mile midpoint, then coasting through the mile. The peak speed, approximately {{convert|650|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}, was reached at that point and then the vehicle decelerated the rest of the way. The kilometer speed trap was biased towards one end of the mile, resulting in the {{convert|8|mi/h|km/h|1|abbr=on}} higher speed.

Blue Flame uses an aluminum semi-monocoque with welded tubular structure in the nose section and an aluminum "skin." The vehicle is {{convert|37|ft|4.6|in|m|abbr=on}} long, {{convert|8|ft|1.5|in|m|abbr=on}} high to the top of the tail fin, and {{convert|7|ft|8|in|m|abbr=on}} wide, with a wheelbase of {{convert|306|in|m|abbr=on}}. It has an empty weight of {{convert|4,000|lbs|kg|abbr=on}} and is approximately {{convert|6,600|lbs|kg|abbr=on}} fully fueled and loaded.{{cite web|title=ThrustSSC - History - The Blue Flame|url=http://www.thrustssc.com/thrustssc/History/Blueflame.html|publisher=© SSC Programme Ltd, 1997}} Goodyear designed 8:00-25 tires for the vehicle, with an outside diameter of {{convert|34.8|in|mm|abbr=on}} and smooth tread surface to help prevent heat buildup, filled with nitrogen gas at {{convert|350|psi|bar|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|last=Coonce|first=Cole|title=THE OTHER X-1 - Transcript of interview with Pete & Leah Farnsworth|date=3 November 2008 |url=http://infinityoverzero.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/the-other-x-1/|publisher=INFINITY OVER ZERO Blog at WordPress.com November 3, 2008}}

Land speed record

On 23 October 1970 at Bonneville, Gary Gabelich drove Blue Flame to a new record of {{convert|622.407|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} for the flying mile, {{convert|630.388|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} for the flying kilometre.{{Cite book

|title=The Land Speed Record

|last=Holthusen |first=Peter J.R.

|publisher=Guild Publishing

|year=1986

|isbn=

|chapter=Appendix 1: Land speed records

|page=203

}}{{cite web|author=Joel|title=The Blue Flame: Sun, Salt, and Speed {{!}} Today's History Lesson|date=24 October 2009 |url=http://todayshistorylesson.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/the-blue-flame-sun-salt-and-speed/|publisher=Blog at WordPress.com.}}

Legacy

Blue Flame is now on permanent exhibition at the Auto and Technik Museum Sinsheim in Germany.{{cite web|title=The Blue Flame|url=http://sinsheim.technik-museum.de/en/en/blue-flame|publisher=Auto & Technik MUSEUM SINSHEIM Museumsplatz D-74889 Sinsheim Germany|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016032543/http://sinsheim.technik-museum.de/en/en/blue-flame|archive-date=2013-10-16}}

References

External links

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOFVUNoT5wE Break the Record - Official Blue Flame LSR video ]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PFEnzhP9Y4 Speedquest - The Blue Flame movie from Dick Keller's personal collection that he released into the public domain in 2011]