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WEEKLY POSTERS
WEEK 2
WEEK 3
WEEK 4
WEEK 5
WEEK 6
WEEK 7
WEEK 8
WEEK 9
WEEK 10
WEEK 11
WEEKLY PROGORESS VIDEO
WEEK 2
WEEK 2
Hi and welcome to my Steam Turbine Car project! I’m Janani A/P K Yokesvaran, and this is part of my Physical Chemistry (BWK10103) course. This exciting project allows me to explore how the First Law of Thermodynamics works in real life by building a car powered by steam. When water in the boiler is heated, it produces steam that spins a turbine wheel, which then drives the car forward—transforming heat energy into motion!
For my experiment, I chose wheel type as my focus to see how it affects the distance the car can travel. I’ll be testing different wheels like bottle caps, toy car wheels, and CDs, while keeping the steam system the same. The toy car wheels will perform best because they’re designed for smooth movement. I’m excited to start building and testing next week—thank you for following my journey!
WEEK 3
WEEK 3
Hi everyone! Warm greetings and welcome to my Week 3 progress update!
This week has been all about shaping the key physical parts of my Steam Turbine Car. I made steady progress by working on both the chassis and the turbine, which brings me one step closer to getting the car moving.
I continued with the chassis, which I built using cardboard. I reinforced the structure to make it more stable and made sure to leave enough space for installing the boiler and nozzle later. The base now gives the car a proper shape and support.
For the turbine, I used a simple but effective method. I took an aluminium can, cut it open, and then bent the strips inwards to create curved blades. This forms a basic turbine wheel that will help spin when steam is released onto it. It’s a simple design, but it lays the foundation for future testing once the steam pressure is ready.
As for the boiler, I haven’t completed it yet. I’m still in the preparation phase and will be starting the construction in the upcoming week. That’s when the real testing can begin!
Thank you so much for following my progress — I’m excited for what’s coming next. Stay tuned for more updates soon!
WEEK 4
WEEK 4
Hi everyone! Warm greetings and welcome to my Week 4 progress update for the Steam Turbine Car project!
In Week 4, I successfully completed building the boiler for my steam turbine car using an aluminium can. I poked a hole at the top of the can and fixed a ball pen tip into it to function as the nozzle for steam release. Once the boiler was ready, I attached it securely onto the cardboard chassis, ensuring proper alignment so that the steam could be directed toward the turbine.
I also installed a basic pulley system connected to the rear tyre to help transfer motion from the turbine to the wheels. After setting everything up, I tested the car by heating the boiler with a candle to produce steam.
Unfortunately, the car didn’t move during the test. I suspect this could be due to low steam pressure, poor nozzle alignment, or ineffective turbine rotation. Despite this, it was a valuable learning experience. I now have a clearer idea of what needs to be improved, and I’m determined to refine the design in the following week.
Thank you for following my journey! Stay tuned for Week 5 as I work on fixing the system and making real movement happen!
WEEK 5
WEEK 5
Hi everyone! Warm greetings and welcome back to my Week 5 progress update for the Steam Turbine Car project.
This week, I focused on building the second version of my steam turbine car by applying improvements based on what I learned earlier. I rebuilt the boiler using an aluminium can and carefully fixed a ball pen tip as the nozzle. Instead of using hot glue like before, I switched to heat-resistant glue, which is more suitable for high temperatures and prevents leakage caused by steam pressure.
In addition, I fixed bottle caps as the wheels for this second car and completed the cardboard chassis, ensuring all components are properly aligned and supported.
Thank you for following my journey! Stay tuned for Week 6, where I hope to test this improved version and get closer to achieving successful movement.
WEEK 6
WEEK 6
Hi everyone! Warm greetings and welcome to my Week 6 progress for the Steam Turbine Car project.
This week, I started building the third model. I prepared the boiler using an aluminium can and fixed a pen tip as the nozzle using heat-resistant glue. Then, I completed the car chassis using cardboard and attached the wheels.
One key improvement was modifying the axle system. I inserted straws into the chassis and passed the axles through them to reduce friction and allow smoother rotation. I'm happy with the progress and excited to continue working on the car's performance.
Thanks for tuning in, and see you in Week 7!
WEEK 7
WEEK 7
Hi everyone! Welcome back to my Week 7 progress update for the Steam Turbine Car project.
This week, I focused on improving the pulley system of my car. In my initial test, the pulley didn’t work properly due to excessive tension caused by the rubber material. To solve this, I replaced it with lighter, non-stretchable materials like string and rope. This helped reduce the tension and made the system more flexible.
I also worked on refining the surface of the wooden stick used in the pulley setup. First, I tried applying hot glue around the stick to make it smoother, but it didn’t work as expected. Then, I wrapped the stick with aluminium foil, which gave a much smoother surface and allowed the string to rotate more freely.
To hold the string in place and prevent slipping, I tested a cardboard stopper. However, it wasn’t firm enough, so I planned to use a washer instead for better grip. This was a crucial part of my plan to make the pulley system more stable and efficient.
Overall, this week involved a lot of trial and error, but I made great progress in refining the mechanics of the pulley system. Looking forward to continuing the improvements next week!
WEEK 8
WEEK 8
Hi everyone! Welcome back to my Week 8 update for the Steam Turbine Car project.
This week, I successfully fixed a washer onto the pulley system as a strong and tight stopper for the string. This helped improve the pulley setup and prevent slipping.
Next, I attached the turbine onto a wooden stick wrapped with aluminium foil and tested it manually — it rotated smoothly. I then connected it to the pulley system and rear axle to complete the mechanism.
The goal is for the steam to rotate the turbine, which pulls the string and turns the axle, moving the car forward. Although the pulley system still didn’t work during the test, I’m getting closer and learning a lot through the process.
Thanks for following along, and stay tuned for Week 9!
WEEK 9
WEEK 9
Hi everyone! Welcome back to my Week 9 update for the Steam Turbine Car project.
This week, I focused on testing all three car models I’ve built. Since my manipulated variable is the type of wheels, I tested each car with a different wheel type — bottle caps for the first car, toy car wheels for the second, and drink can bottoms for the third. I used a candle as the heat source to generate steam from the boiler and attempted to make the car move.
Unfortunately, none of the cars moved during testing, even after several modifications. I reflected on the issues and identified several potential reasons
low steam pressure,
steam leakage
friction in the pulley system,
produce successful movement, this experience was highly valuable. I gained deeper insights into the mechanical and thermal aspects of the project. Thank you for following my weekly progress, stay tuned for week 11 bye bye guys.
WEEK 10
WEEK 10
In Week 10, I focused on selecting the best-performing model out of the three steam turbine cars I built. Since the manipulated variable in my project was the type of wheel, I compared all three models:
Car 1 used bottle caps,
Car 2 used toy car wheels, and
Car 3 used the bottom part of aluminium drink cans.
After careful observation, I found that Car 2 performed the best in terms of wheel stability and smooth rotation. The toy car wheels were symmetrical and provided less friction, making the structure more compatible with the axle and pulley system. While none of the models moved during the steam tests, this analysis helped me clearly identify the most promising design.
This week was all about making informed decisions.
WEEK 11
WEEK 11
In this final week of my steam turbine car project, I took time to reflect on the entire journey I’ve been through. Although I have not yet achieved full movement of the car during testing, this project has taught me valuable lessons in engineering design, creative problem-solving, and determination.
Throughout the 11 weeks, I explored multiple designs, tested various materials, and spent many hours researching how to make each component function better — especially the boiler, turbine, and pulley systems. Each obstacle I faced helped me grow, and I gained hands-on experience that deepened my understanding of steam-based motion systems.
Emotionally, this project pushed me to be more patient and persistent. I faced many failures, but I never gave up. This journey has helped me discover my ability to stay committed and strong even when things don’t go as planned.
I would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Faridah Binti Abu Bakar, who supported and guided me throughout this project. Her encouragement and advice kept me motivated from start to finish.
This project was more than just a technical task. It became a meaningful experience that shaped my growth as a student and aspiring chemist. I’m proud of how far I’ve come, and I’m excited to carry forward everything I’ve learned into future challenges.
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