Transcript EARLY STEAM ENGINS

EARLY STEAM ENGINES
of the Industrial Revolution
Presented by
BOB VAN CLEEF
of the
North River Railway
Question: What happens when you steam clean a tank
car on a cold winter day, then close the dome before
the car has a chance to cool down?
Answer: You get a vivid demonstration of atmospheric pressure.
THE BEGINNING (?)
• Heron of Alexandria a Greek mathematician inventor was born
in 75 AD. He is considered the greatest experimenter of
antiquity almost 2000 years ahead of his time
• He invented the first steam turbine, called the aeolipile. At
that time it was used as a toy, possibly to make puppets dance.
• Water heated in the base was heated to steam. This steam was
conducted to sphere which rotated due to the exiting of the
steam through nozzles.
The Groundwork is Laid
• The first sign of any attempt to use steam power for industrial purposes
were patents taken out in 1631 by a prolific patentee David Ramsay. One
in seven of 182 patents granted in England between 1561-1642 was for
the raising of water.
• While this was happening in England Evangelista Torricelli of Faenza
(1608-1647), Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) and Otto von Guericke (16021686) engaged in a series of scientific experiments which showed the
effects of atmospheric pressure and that if a vacuum could be created the
weight of the atmosphere could be a useful source for the transmission of
power.
• A further discovery relevant to the
development of steam power that would
be used later was Boyles Law which states
the volume of a given mass of gas varies
inversely with its pressure when its
temperature remains constant.
Dennis Papin
•
Papin started as an assistant of
Huygens who showed him the
gunpowder-engine.
•
In 1679 he invented "A New
Digester or Engine (above), for
softaing bones, the description of
its makes and use in cookery,
voayages at see, confectionary,
making of drinks, chemistry, and
dying, etc.” Note the Safety Valve.
FIRST ATMOSPHERIC
STEAM ENGINE
• Papins’ first 1690 steam “engine” looked a
lot like his pre-digester. The cylinder was
filled up halfway with water then heated.
• The water converts into steam and presses
the piston up and the heat is removed. When
the steam condenses, the atmospheric
pressure will press the piston back down.
• The power stroke occurs not during the
vaporizing but during the condensation of
steam.
Other Papin Steam Engines
• Papin
continued
to
develop his ideas mostly
for draining water from
mines
They
were
continued after his death
in 1712 by Thomas
Newcomen.
•
Many inventors, even in
these early days fought
for and were hampered
by patents.
Thomas Savery
First Practical
Steam Pump
• Savery produced a practical steam pump capable of continuous
operation in 1698 but with the unfortunate defect of being
unsuitable for pumping water out of mines as it could only pump
water to a height of twenty feet, not enough to get water out of
most mines.
• Furthermore the machine lacked a safety valve and was inclined to
explode on occasion due to the pressure of steam on the boiler.
•
Nevertheless Savery's engine was the first to be sold commercially.
Savery’s Engine, How It Works, Part 1
• Here, the non return valve in
the delivery pipe would be
held closed by the weight of
water above it. The steam
valve was opened to fill the
vessel with steam and then
closed again.
• Water would be poured or
sprayed on the outer surface
of
the
vessel,
which
condensed the steam and
caused a vacuum within.
•
Atmospheric pressure would
then push the water up the
suction pipe to fill the vessel.
Savery’s Engine, How It Works, Part 2
• In this next stage the
steam valve would be
opened to allow steam
pressure to build up in the
vessel.
•
This would tend to close
the non return valve in the
suction pipe and force the
water out of the vessel
and up the delivery pipe.
•
The cycle would then be
repeated.
Thomas Newcomen
First Practical Engine
•The atmospheric engines built by Thomas
Newcomen starting in 1712, are referred to
as a Newcomen engines.
•They were the first practical device to
harness the power of steam to produce
mechanical work.
•His large Three story high machines also
used a vacuum to move the piston in one
direction but used both gravity and
atmospheric pressure to push it the other
way.
•Note also that cold water is injected
directly into the chamber to speed the
condensation of steam.
A TYPICAL
NEWCOMEN ENGINE
• Newcomen's engines began
operating in mines In the
years following 1712 all over
England, Scotland, Wales and
in Hungary, France, Belgium
and possibly in Germany and
Spain.
• An important reason for the
success
of
Newcomen's
engine over the Savery
engine was that Newcomen's
was an atmospheric engine
that did not need to use
steam pressure any higher
than that of the atmosphere.
JAMES WATT
Several Improvements
• Watt noted In 1765, after being asked to repair a Newcomen engine,
noted there was a great wastage of steam resulting from the heating of
the cylinder and its cooling at each stroke.
• He realized that if a separate vessel containing a vacuum was connected to
the cylinder the steam would rush into the separate vessel and could be
condensed without cooling the cylinder.
• The separate vessel, commonly called the separate condenser, was
patented in 1769 and the patent was later extended by Parliament for an
extra 25 years.
Steam Engine with Condenser
• The partnership of
Boulton and Watt was
formed in 1773.
• Trials were made and
the new engine was
found to have extra
power and to use one
quarter of the fuel of
the
Newcomen
engine.
• Sales were soon
being made to mine
owners around Great
Britain and Europe.
Watt Rotary Engine
•
The Watt engine became truly
revolutionary with the addition
of rotary motion which would
allow it to drive all kinds of
machinery.
• Experiments had been made to
get rotary motion out of
Newcomen engines with some
limited success but Watt was
eventually able to create a
rotary engine although it
required many changes in
mechanism.
• Steam acted on both sides of
the piston but it remained as
“low pressure” engine.
A Watt Machine
In the early Watt engines steam was admitted throughout the whole forstroke and energy was wasted. Watt stopped the admission of steam into the
cylinder when the piston had made only part of its stroke, the rest of the
stroke being performed by the steam expanding from boiler pressure to the
low pressure of the condenser. This resulted in better fuel economy for the
engine.
Portable Winding Machines
Winding engines, a smaller cousin to the larger fixed steam engines which
could be moved with relative ease were also developed at this time for much
smaller tasks such as pulling wagons of coal and ore up inclines too steep for
horses to draw. These in time were “miniaturized” further for use in the
American logging industry.
RICHARD
TREVITHICK
• Trevithick developed the first successful high-pressure engine that ran at
about 40psi while working in the coal mines. It was soon in great demand
in Cornwall and South Wales for raising the ore and refuse from mines.
•
By 1796 he had created a miniature locomotive that worked and in 1801
a much larger locomotive (the Puffing Devil ) he used to take seven
friends on a short journey. it could only go on short journeys as it was
impossible to keep up steam for any length of time.
First Steam
Locomotive
• Trevithick produced the world's first steam engine to run successfully on a
plankway in 1804. The locomotive managed to haul ten tons of iron,
seventy passengers and five wagons from the ironworks at speeds of
nearly five miles an hour.
• Trevithick's locomotive employed the very important principle of turning
the exhaust steam up the chimney, so producing a draft which drew the
hot gases from the fire more powerfully through the boiler thus providing
more steam.
• Unfortunately, like most of his ventures, it was not a commercial success.
First Passenger Train
Trevithick in 1808 was also the first to charge the public for rides as a
novelty. He erected a circular railway in London where people paid a
shilling a time to ride in a carriage pulled by his new locomotive called
“Catch Me Who Can” at the breakneck speed of 12 mph.
Plankway Vs. Railway
• The plankways of this time were
essentially wooden planks with
some iron strips laid on top to
protect and to prevent wear of the
wood.
•
They were not designed to carry
the weight of a 5-ton locomotive.
Pig-iron flanges and ribbing was
gradually introduced to help
strengthen and support the rails
but even that proved quite brittle
and broke easily under heavy
weights.
•
It was not until wrought iron rails
became available that heavy
engines became feasible.
George Stephenson, a Pioneer
• Stephenson first worked in various colaries starting in 1802 .
• By 1814 he had constructed a locomotive (the Blutcher) that
could pull thirty tons up a hill at 4 mph.
• In 1815 he developed a lamp (below) that did not cause
explosions in coal mines.
• He had built 16 more locomotives of various designs
by 1819.
• In 1821-3 he was appointed engineer for the
construction of the Stockton and Darlington railway.
• Edward Pease, Michael Longdridge, George
Stephenson and his son Robert formed a company to
make the locomotives.
• Later he opened his Liverpool & Manchester Railway.
Robert Stephenson
• Robert Stephenson, George’s son, was a
prolific inventor in his own right and
might have been better known had he
not been overshadowed by his father.
• He, along with Henry Both is the one
who actually built the first commercially
practical steam locomotive.
• There was a total of (9) rockets built all
of which were constantly receiving
frequent upgrades to improve their
performance.
Henry Booth
• Henry Booth was a railway promoter and manager who played a
role in the planning of the world's first intercity railway,
Stephenson’s Liverpool and Manchester Railway (L&MR).
• As a secretary of the L&M he also made a vital contribution to the
Rocket's design by suggesting the use of a multi-tube boiler.
• Booth was also a leading proponent of working all British railways
to one standard time.
The HIGH TECH Rocket of 1829
• The rocket did not feature anything
new but rather was a combination of
the best features of all the engines of
the time.
• It was also the product of not one but
several individuals as a team effort
and was heavily backed financially for
construction by a company.
• The Rocket of the Rainhill Fame
probably looked more like the picture
below than the iconic image above.
• It set the precedent for every
locomotive built after it.
Rainhill Trials
• This was to be a competition
for which engine would
provide
power
on
Stephenson’s L&M.
• Six engines were entered, two
actually completed on the
trial, and only Robert’s engine
met
or
exceeded
all
specifications of the contest.
• Locomotives
that
were
entered were to be subjected
to a variety of tests and
conditions.
These
were
amended at various points,
but were eventually nailed
down as follows….
1829 COMPETITION LOCOMOTIVES
on the LIVERPOOL & MANCHESTER RAILWAY
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1829. GRAND COMPETITION of LOCOMOTIVES on the LIVERPOOL & MANCHESTER RAILWAY
STIPULATIONS & CONDITIONS on which the directions of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway offer a premium
of £500 for the most improved locomotive engine.
The said Engine must 'effectually consume its own smoke', according to the provisions of the Railway Act. 7th
Geo. IV.
The Engine, if it weighs Six Tons, must be capable of drawing after it, day by day, on a well-constructed Railway,
on a level plane, a Train of Carriages of the gross weight of Twenty Tons, including the Tender and Water Tank,
at the rate of Ten Miles per Hour, with a pressure of steam in the boiler not exceeding Fifty Pounds on the
square inch. Two Safety Valves, one of which must be completely out of reach or control of the Engine-man
There must be, and neither of which must be fastened down while the Engine is working.
The Engine and Boiler must be supported on Springs. and rest on Six Wheels; and the height from the ground to
the top of the Chimney must not exceed Fifteen Feet.
The weight of the Machine, WITH ITS COMPLEMENT OF WATER in the Boiler, must, at most, not exceed Six Tons,
and a Machine of less weight will be preferred if it draw AFTER it a PROPORTIONATE weight; and if the weight of
the Engine, etc., do not exceed FIVE TONS, then the gross weight to be drawn need not exceed Fifteen Tons; and
in that proportion for Machines of still smaller weight - provided that the Engine, etc., shall still be on six
wheels, unless the weight (as above) be reduced to Four Tons and a Half, or under, in which case the Boiler, etc.,
may be placed on four wheels. And the Company shall be at liberty to put the Boiler, Fire Tube, Cylinders. etc.,
to the test of a pressure of water not exceeding 150 Pounds per square inch, without being answerable for any
damage the Machine may receive in consequence.
There must be a Mercurial Gauge affixed to the Machine, with Index Rod, showing the Steam Pressure above
45 Pounds per square inch; and constructed to blow out a Pressure of 60 Pounds per inch.
The Engine to be delivered complete for trial, at the Liverpool end of the Railway, not later than the 1st of
October next.
The price of the Engine which may be accepted, not to exceed £550 delivered on the Railway; and any Engine
not approved to be taken back by the owner.
NB. - The Railway Company will provide the ENGINE TENDER with a supply of Water and Fuel for the
experiment. The distance within the Rails is four feet eight inches and a half.
Measuring Boiler Pressure
• That pipe running up the right side of the
stack is not a whistle but a mercury
monometer.
• There were also 2 water cocks on the
front left side of the boiler.
• John Rastrick, an early engine builder in
his own right and one of the judges at the
Rainhill trials invented the sight glass later
in 1929. It was used on later upgrades to
the rocket.
Meanwhile in America …
• America borrowed the invention of
steam engines from England (and
Europe).
• American
Locomotives
were
developed in America for quarries
along the same lines as in those in
English coal mines but about 20
years later.
• Their
development
was
independent, but with knowledge
of, what was happening in Europe
however it was a bit faster.
For More Information…
The Penydarren Tramroad
http://www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/59/Penydarren.htm
The Rocket
http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/aff/8/aft/9987/afv/topic/Default.aspx
The history of steam engines
http://www.e4training.com/steam/index.htm
Newcomen steam engine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newcomen_steam_engine
Denis Papin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Papin
start your engines
http://library.thinkquest.org/C006011/english/sites/index.php3?v=2
Spartacus Educational
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/
Science Photo Library
http://www.sciencephoto.com/images/download_lo_res.html?id=863100060
Rainhill Trials
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainhill_Trials
THE Rainhill Trials Oct 1829
http://www.resco.co.uk/rainhill/index.html
Black powder Engine Challenge http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE29MJOnTdE
Huygens' explosion engines
http://library.thinkquest.org/C006011/english/sites/huygens.php3?v=2
Newcomen Engine in Action
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/34867-massive-engines-newcomen-engine-in-actionvideo.htm
This presentation has been brought
to you by the North River Railway
Bob Van Cleef
46 Broadway
Coventry, CT 06238
http://www.northriverrailway.net
THE END