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Steam Engine

The steam engine was invented by British engineer called Thomas Newcomen. The first successful steam engine was built by him in 1712.

Many things have led to the development of the steam engine.

  1. the concept of a vacuum
  2. the concept of pressure
  3. techniques for generating a vacuum
  4. means for generating steam
  5. The piston and cylinder.

Before Thomas Newcomen, there were other people that had created similar machinery. Such people were Hero of Alexandria in about 100 AD and Thomas Savery who was an English military engineer in 1698.

In Newcomen’s steam engine, steam passes from the boiler through a valve into the cylinder. This balances the atmospheric pressure on the upper side of the piston and allows the weight of the pump rod, connected to the piston rod by a beam balanced on a fulcrum, to raise the piston. This allows the valve between the boiler and the cylinder to close and a jet of water is sprayed into the cylinder. By doing this, it produces a vacuum by condensing the steam, so the atmospheric pressure on the upper side of this piston forces it downward, lifting the pump-rod by means of the beam. This whole cycle may be repeated.

Newcomen’s engine was used mostly in mine pumping. James Watt is was a famous person for making big improvements to Newcomen’s steam engine. Newcomen’s steam engine led to the development of high-pressure engines, Cornish engines, high speed engines and the uniflow engine which represents the final stage of the development of the steam engine. As time goes past, steam engine have been improved but not dramatically after the invention of the uniflow steam engine.

Life would be really different if it wasn’t for the creation of the steam engine. Great inventors such as the Wright brothers would not have the opportunity to create an engine to fly an airplane, also the idea of using steam engines in boats wouldn’t exist. If you really think about it, this great invention has led to many of the great developments created today.