Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad

Student: Parisa Tajalli (CHEM)

Advisor: Shoba Krishnan

The chemistry student helped solve a problem with “foaming” occurring in the steam engines of the train locomotives.  Working with a professor in the chemistry department, she learned that the water in the steam engine was “lacking proper nucleation sites” which was causing the steam to super-heat. The water would flash boil causing the engine to spew water.  Not operating normally, the engine would also lose power when this happened. The student with her professor’s assistance determined that the addition of a silicon gel would provide the necessary nucleation sites to enable the steam engine to function normally.