STENGINES
MOTHERFUCKING STEAM ENGINES BITCH
TOP INTRO
Brief History of the Steam Engine
One of the most significant industrial challenges of the 1700's was the removal of water from mines. Steam power was used to pump the water from the mines. Now, this might seem to have very little to do with modern steam-powered electrical power plants. However, one of the fundamental principles used in the development of steam-based power is the principle that condensation of water vapour can create a vacuum. This brief history discusses how condensation was used to create vacuum for operation of early steam-based pumps, and how James Watt invented the separate condenser. Although the cyclic processes presented in this history are not used in today's continuous flow steam turbines, current systems use separate condensers operating at sub-atmospheric pressure, adapting the principles explained here. Also, the stories of the inventors and their inventions offer insight into the process of technological discovery. One of the most important principles applied in the operation of steam power is the creation of vacuum by condensation.
Savery Pump
In the early days, one common way of removing the water was to use a series of buckets on a pulley system operated by horses. This was slow and expensive since the animals required feeding, veterinary care, and housing. The use of steam to pump water was patented by Thomas Savery in 1698, and in his words provided an "engine to raise water by fire". Savery's pump worked by heating water to vaporize it, filling a tank with steam, then creating a vacuum by isolating the tank from the steam source and condensing the steam. The vacuum was used to draw water up from the mines. However, the vacuum could only draw water from shallow depths. Another disadvantage of the pump was the use of steam pressure to expel the water that had been drawn into the tank. In principle, pressure could be used to force the water from the tank upwards 80 feet, but
TOP INTRO
Brief History of the Steam Engine
One of the most significant industrial challenges of the 1700's was the removal of water from mines. Steam power was used to pump the water from the mines. Now, this might seem to have very little to do with modern steam-powered electrical power plants. However, one of the fundamental principles used in the development of steam-based power is the principle that condensation of water vapour can create a vacuum. This brief history discusses how condensation was used to create vacuum for operation of early steam-based pumps, and how James Watt invented the separate condenser. Although the cyclic processes presented in this history are not used in today's continuous flow steam turbines, current systems use separate condensers operating at sub-atmospheric pressure, adapting the principles explained here. Also, the stories of the inventors and their inventions offer insight into the process of technological discovery. One of the most important principles applied in the operation of steam power is the creation of vacuum by condensation.
Savery Pump
In the early days, one common way of removing the water was to use a series of buckets on a pulley system operated by horses. This was slow and expensive since the animals required feeding, veterinary care, and housing. The use of steam to pump water was patented by Thomas Savery in 1698, and in his words provided an "engine to raise water by fire". Savery's pump worked by heating water to vaporize it, filling a tank with steam, then creating a vacuum by isolating the tank from the steam source and condensing the steam. The vacuum was used to draw water up from the mines. However, the vacuum could only draw water from shallow depths. Another disadvantage of the pump was the use of steam pressure to expel the water that had been drawn into the tank. In principle, pressure could be used to force the water from the tank upwards 80 feet, but