3 ms·
The first steam engines were motivated by the need to pump water out of coal mines. https://www.egr.msu.edu/~lira/supp/steam/ https://www.egr.msu.edu/~lira/supp
by Merrill 7y ago
The first steam engines were motivated by the need to pump water out of coal mines. https://www.egr.msu.edu/~lira/supp/steam/ https://www.egr.msu.edu/~lira/supp/steam/
This was long before Bessemer and less expensive steel.
- hbbio 7y agoExactly. There is a Newcomen on display (it's not small...) at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. Edit: cf. https://www.nms.ac.uk/explore-our-collections/stories/science-and-technology/newcomen-engine/ https://www.nms.ac.uk/explore-our-collections/stories/scienc...
- dredmorbius 7y agoAnd all of that generated about 5 hp (3.7 kW), at about 1-3% efficiency of thermal energy to motive power. Watt's engines were about 10-20 hp, and about 10% efficient. Peak efficiency of a triple-expansion steam engine approached 25%. The best thermal engines today (combined-cycle steam turbines) approach 50%, and have a far better power-to-weight ratio.