A steam engine is a heat engine in which the potential energy of expanding steam is converted into mechanical energy given to the consumer.

We will get acquainted with the principle of operation of the machine using the simplified diagram of Fig. 1.

Inside cylinder 2 is a piston 10 which can move back and forth under steam pressure; the cylinder has four channels that can be opened and closed. Two upper steam channels1 And3 are connected by a pipeline to the steam boiler, and through them fresh steam can enter the cylinder. Through the two lower capals 9 and 11, the pair, which has already completed the work, is released from the cylinder.

The diagram shows the moment when channels 1 and 9 are open, channels 3 and11 closed. Therefore, fresh steam from the boiler through the channel1 enters the left cavity of the cylinder and, with its pressure, moves the piston to the right; at this time, the exhaust steam is removed from the right cavity of the cylinder through channel 9. With the extreme right position of the piston, the channels1 And9 are closed, and 3 for the inlet of fresh steam and 11 for the exhaust of exhaust steam are open, as a result of which the piston will move to the left. At the extreme left position of the piston, channels open1 and 9 and channels 3 and 11 are closed and the process is repeated. Thus, a rectilinear reciprocating motion of the piston is created.

To convert this movement into rotational, the so-called crank mechanism is used. It consists of a piston rod - 4, connected at one end to the piston, and at the other, pivotally, by means of a slider (crosshead) 5, sliding between the guide parallels, with a connecting rod 6, which transmits movement to the main shaft 7 through its knee or crank 8.

The amount of torque on the main shaft is not constant. Indeed, the strengthR , directed along the stem (Fig. 2), can be decomposed into two components:TO directed along the connecting rod, andN , perpendicular to the plane of the guide parallels. The force N has no effect on the movement, but only presses the slider against the guide parallels. ForceTO is transmitted along the connecting rod and acts on the crank. Here it can again be decomposed into two components: the forceZ , directed along the radius of the crank and pressing the shaft against the bearings, and the forceT perpendicular to the crank and causing the shaft to rotate. The magnitude of the force T will be determined from the consideration of the triangle AKZ. Since the angle ZAK = ? + ?, then

T = K sin (? + ?).

But from the OCD triangle the strength

K= P/ cos ?

That's why

T= psin( ? + ?) / cos ? ,

During the operation of the machine for one revolution of the shaft, the angles? And? and strengthR are continuously changing, and therefore the magnitude of the torsional (tangential) forceT also variable. To create a uniform rotation of the main shaft during one revolution, a heavy flywheel is mounted on it, due to the inertia of which a constant angular velocity shaft rotation. In those moments when the powerT increases, it cannot immediately increase the speed of rotation of the shaft until the flywheel accelerates, which does not happen instantly, since the flywheel has a large mass. At those moments when the work produced by the twisting forceT , becomes less work the resistance forces created by the consumer, the flywheel, again, due to its inertia, cannot immediately reduce its speed and, giving off the energy received during its acceleration, helps the piston overcome the load.

At the extreme positions of the piston angles? +? = 0, so sin (? + ?) = 0 and, therefore, T = 0. Since there is no rotational force in these positions, if the machine were without a flywheel, sleep would have to stop. These extreme positions of the piston are called dead positions or dead spots. The crank also passes through them due to the inertia of the flywheel.

At dead positions the piston is not brought into contact with the cylinder covers, a so-called harmful space remains between the piston and the cover. The volume of harmful space also includes the volume of steam channels from the steam distribution organs to the cylinder.

StrokeS called the path traveled by the piston when moving from one extreme position into another. If the distance from the center of the main shaft to the center of the crank pin - the radius of the crank - is denoted by R, then S = 2R.

Cylinder displacement V h called the volume described by the piston.

Typically, steam engines are double (double-sided) action (see Fig. 1). Sometimes single-acting machines are used, in which steam exerts pressure on the piston only from the side of the cover; the other side of the cylinder in such machines remains open.

Depending on the pressure with which the steam leaves the cylinder, the machines are divided into exhaust, if the steam escapes into the atmosphere, condensing, if the steam enters the condenser (a refrigerator where reduced pressure is maintained), and heat extraction, in which the steam exhausted in the machine is used for any purpose (heating, drying, etc.)

It began its expansion at the beginning of the 19th century. And already at that time, not only large units for industrial purposes were being built, but also decorative ones. Most of their customers were rich nobles who wanted to amuse themselves and their kids. After steam engines were firmly established in the life of society, decorative engines began to be used in universities and schools as educational models.

Steam engines of today

At the beginning of the 20th century, the relevance of steam engines began to decline. One of the few companies that continued to produce decorative mini-engines was the British company Mamod, which allows you to purchase a sample of such equipment even today. But the cost of such steam engines easily exceeds two hundred pounds, which is not so little for a trinket for a couple of evenings. Especially for those who like to assemble all kinds of mechanisms on their own, it is much more interesting to create a simple steam engine with your own hands.

Very simple. The fire heats the cauldron of water. Under the action of temperature, the water turns into steam, which pushes the piston. As long as there is water in the tank, the flywheel connected to the piston will rotate. This is the standard layout of a steam engine. But you can assemble a model and a completely different configuration.

Well, let's move on from the theoretical part to more exciting things. If you are interested in doing something with your own hands, and you are surprised by such exotic cars, then this article is for you, in which we will be happy to talk about various ways how to assemble a steam engine with your own hands. At the same time, the very process of creating a mechanism gives joy no less than its launch.

Method 1: DIY mini steam engine

So, let's begin. Let's assemble the simplest steam engine with our own hands. Drawings, complex tools and special knowledge are not needed.

To begin with, we take from under any drink. Cut off the bottom third. Since as a result we get sharp edges, they must be bent inward with pliers. We do this carefully so as not to cut ourselves. Since most aluminum cans have a concave bottom, it needs to be leveled. It is enough to firmly press it with your finger to some hard surface.

At a distance of 1.5 cm from the upper edge of the resulting "glass" it is necessary to make two holes opposite each other. It is advisable to use a hole punch for this, since it is necessary that they turn out to be at least 3 mm in diameter. At the bottom of the jar we put a decorative candle. Now we take the usual table foil, wrinkle it, and then wrap our mini-burner on all sides.

Mini nozzles

Next, you need to take a piece of copper tube 15-20 cm long. It is important that it is hollow inside, as this will be our main mechanism setting the structure in motion. central part the tubes are wrapped around the pencil 2 or 3 times, so that a small spiral is obtained.

Now you need to place this element so that the curved place is placed directly above the candle wick. To do this, we give the tube the shape of the letter "M". At the same time, we display the sections that go down through the holes made in the bank. Thus, the copper tube is rigidly fixed above the wick, and its edges are a kind of nozzles. In order for the structure to rotate, it is necessary to bend the opposite ends of the "M-element" by 90 degrees in different sides. The design of the steam engine is ready.

Engine starting

The jar is placed in a container with water. In this case, it is necessary that the edges of the tube are under its surface. If the nozzles are not long enough, then you can add a small weight to the bottom of the can. But be careful not to sink the entire engine.

Now you need to fill the tube with water. To do this, you can lower one edge into the water, and the second draw in air as if through a tube. We lower the jar into the water. We light the wick of the candle. After some time, the water in the spiral will turn into steam, which, under pressure, will fly out of opposite ends of the nozzles. The jar will begin to rotate in the container quickly enough. This is how we got a do-it-yourself steam engine. As you can see, everything is simple.

Steam engine model for adults

Now let's complicate the task. Let's collect more serious engine do-it-yourself steam. First you need to take a can of paint. You need to make sure that it is absolutely clean. On the wall, 2-3 cm from the bottom, we cut out a rectangle with dimensions of 15 x 5 cm. The long side is placed parallel to the bottom of the jar. From the metal mesh we cut out a piece with an area of ​​​​12 x 24 cm. From both ends of the long side we measure 6 cm. We bend these sections at an angle of 90 degrees. We get a small “platform table” with an area of ​​​​12 x 12 cm with legs of 6 cm. We install the resulting structure on the bottom of the can.

Several holes must be made around the perimeter of the lid and placed in a semicircle along one half of the lid. It is desirable that the holes have a diameter of about 1 cm. This is necessary in order to ensure proper ventilation. inner space. A steam engine can't work well if it doesn't get to the source of the fire. enough air.

main element

We make a spiral from a copper tube. You need about 6 meters of 1/4-inch (0.64 cm) soft copper tubing. We measure 30 cm from one end. Starting from this point, it is necessary to make five turns of a spiral with a diameter of 12 cm each. The rest of the pipe is bent into 15 rings with a diameter of 8 cm. Thus, 20 cm of free tube should remain at the other end.

Both leads are passed through the vent holes in the lid of the jar. If it turns out that the length of the straight section is not enough for this, then one turn of the spiral can be unbent. Coal is placed on a pre-installed platform. In this case, the spiral should be placed just above this site. Coal is carefully laid out between its turns. Now the bank can be closed. As a result, we got a firebox that will power the engine. The steam engine is almost done with his own hands. Left a little.

Water tank

Now you need to take another can of paint, but of a smaller size. A hole with a diameter of 1 cm is drilled in the center of its lid. Two more holes are made on the side of the jar - one almost at the bottom, the second - higher, at the lid itself.

They take two crusts, in the center of which a hole is made from the diameters of the copper tube. 25 cm of plastic pipe are inserted into one crust, 10 cm into the other, so that their edge barely peeks out of the corks. A crust with a long tube is inserted into the lower hole of a small jar, and a shorter tube into the upper hole. We place the smaller can on top of the large can of paint so that the hole at the bottom is on the opposite side of the ventilation passages of the large can.

Result

The result should be the following design. Water is poured into a small jar, which flows through a hole in the bottom into a copper tube. A fire is kindled under the spiral, which heats the copper container. Hot steam rises up the tube.

In order for the mechanism to be complete, it is necessary to attach to upper end copper tube piston and flywheel. As a result, the thermal energy of combustion will be converted into mechanical forces of wheel rotation. There is a huge amount various schemes to create such an engine external combustion, but in all of them two elements are always involved - fire and water.

In addition to this design, you can assemble a steam one, but this is material for a completely separate article.

The invention of steam engines was a turning point in human history. Somewhere at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries, inefficient manual labor, water wheels, and completely new and unique mechanisms began to be replaced - steam engines. It was thanks to them that the technical and industrial revolutions, and indeed the entire progress of mankind, became possible.

But who invented the steam engine? To whom does humanity owe this? And when was it? We will try to find answers to all these questions.

Even before our era

History of creation steam engine begins in the first centuries BC. Hero of Alexandria described a mechanism that only started working when it was exposed to steam. The device was a ball on which nozzles were fixed. Steam came out tangentially from the nozzles, thereby causing the engine to rotate. It was the first device that worked on steam.

The creator of the steam engine (or rather, the turbine) is Tagi al-Dinome (Arab philosopher, engineer and astronomer). His invention became widely known in Egypt in the 16th century. The mechanism was arranged as follows: streams of steam were directed directly to the mechanism with blades, and when the smoke fell, the blades rotated. Something similar was proposed in 1629 by the Italian engineer Giovanni Branca. The main drawback of all these inventions was too high flow steam, which in turn required a huge amount of energy and was not advisable. Development was suspended, as the then scientific and technical knowledge of mankind was not enough. In addition, the need for such inventions was completely absent.

Developments

Until the 17th century, the creation of a steam engine was impossible. But as soon as the bar for the level of human development soared, the first copies and inventions immediately appeared. Although no one took them seriously at that time. So, for example, in 1663, an English scientist published in the press a draft of his invention, which he installed in Raglan Castle. His device served to raise water on the walls of the towers. However, like everything new and unknown, this project was accepted with doubt, and there were no sponsors for its further development.

The history of the creation of a steam engine begins with the invention of a steam engine. In 1681, a scientist from France invented a device that pumped water out of mines. At first, gunpowder was used as a driving force, and then it was replaced with water vapor. This is how the steam engine was born. A huge contribution to its improvement was made by scientists from England, Thomas Newcomen and Thomas Severen. The Russian self-taught inventor Ivan Polzunov also provided invaluable assistance.

Papin's failed attempt

The steam-atmospheric machine, far from perfect at that time, attracted Special attention in the shipbuilding industry. D. Papin spent his last savings on the purchase of a small ship, on which he began to install a water-lifting steam-atmospheric machine own production. The mechanism of action was that, falling from a height, the water began to rotate the wheels.

The inventor conducted his tests in 1707 on the Fulda River. Many people gathered to look at a miracle: a ship moving along the river without sails and oars. However, during the tests, a disaster occurred: the engine exploded and several people died. The authorities got angry at the unfortunate inventor and banned him from any work and projects. The ship was confiscated and destroyed, and Papen himself died a few years later.

Error

The Papin steamer had the following principle of operation. At the bottom of the cylinder it was necessary to pour a small amount of water. A brazier was located under the cylinder itself, which served to heat the liquid. When the water began to boil, the resulting steam, expanding, raised the piston. Air was expelled from the space above the piston through a specially equipped valve. After the water boiled and steam began to fall, it was necessary to remove the brazier, close the valve to remove air, and cool the walls of the cylinder with cool water. Thanks to such actions, the steam in the cylinder condensed, a vacuum formed under the piston, and due to the force of atmospheric pressure, the piston returned to its original place again. During its downward movement and was made useful work. However, the efficiency of Papen's steam engine was negative. The steamer's engine was extremely uneconomical. And most importantly, it was too complicated and inconvenient to use. Therefore, Papen's invention had no future from the very beginning.

Followers

However, the history of the creation of the steam engine did not end there. The next, already much more successful than Papen, was the English scientist Thomas Newcomen. He studied the works of his predecessors for a long time, focusing on weak spots. And taking the best of their work, he created his own apparatus in 1712. The new steam engine (photo shown) was designed as follows: a cylinder was used, which was in a vertical position, as well as a piston. This Newcomen took from the works of Papin. However, steam was already formed in another boiler. Whole leather was fixed around the piston, which significantly increased the tightness inside steam cylinder. This machine was also para-atmospheric (water rose from the mine with the help of atmospheric pressure). The main disadvantages of the invention were its bulkiness and inefficiency: the machine "ate" a huge amount of coal. However, it brought much more benefits than the invention of Papen. Therefore, it has been used in dungeons and mines for almost fifty years. It was used to pump out groundwater, as well as to dry ships. tried to convert his car so that it was possible to use it for traffic. However, all his attempts were unsuccessful.

The next scientist who declared himself was D. Hull from England. In 1736, he presented his invention to the world: a steam-atmospheric machine, which had paddle wheels as a mover. His development was more successful than that of Papin. Immediately, several such vessels were released. They were mainly used to tow barges, ships and other vessels. However, the reliability of the steam-atmospheric machine did not inspire confidence, and the ships were equipped with sails as the main mover.

And although Hull was more fortunate than Papen, his inventions gradually lost their relevance and were abandoned. Still, the steam-atmospheric machines of that time had many specific shortcomings.

The history of the creation of a steam engine in Russia

The next breakthrough came in Russian Empire. In 1766, the first steam engine was created at a metallurgical plant in Barnaul, which supplied air to the melting furnaces using special blower bellows. Its creator was Ivan Ivanovich Polzunov, who was even given an officer rank for services to his homeland. The inventor presented his superiors with drawings and plans for a "fiery machine" capable of powering bellows.

However, fate played a cruel joke with Polzunov: seven years after his project was accepted and the car was assembled, he fell ill and died of consumption - just a week before the tests of his engine began. However, his instructions were enough to start the engine.

So, on August 7, 1766, Polzunov's steam engine was launched and put under load. However, in November of the same year, it broke down. The reason turned out to be too thin walls of the boiler, not intended for loading. Moreover, the inventor wrote in his instructions that this boiler can only be used during testing. The manufacture of a new boiler would easily pay off, because the efficiency of Polzunov's steam engine was positive. For 1023 hours of work, more than 14 pounds of silver was smelted with its help!

But despite this, no one began to repair the mechanism. Polzunov's steam engine was gathering dust for more than 15 years in a warehouse, while the world of industry did not stand still and developed. And then it was completely dismantled for parts. Apparently, at that moment Russia had not yet grown up to steam engines.

The demands of the time

Meanwhile, life did not stand still. And humanity constantly thought about creating a mechanism that would allow not to depend on the capricious nature, but to control fate itself. Everyone wanted to abandon the sail as soon as possible. Therefore, the question of creating steam mechanism was constantly in the air. In 1753, a competition among craftsmen, scientists and inventors was put forward in Paris. The Academy of Sciences announced an award to those who can create a mechanism that can replace the power of the wind. But despite the fact that such minds as L. Euler, D. Bernoulli, Canton de Lacroix and others participated in the competition, no one made a sensible proposal.

The years went by. And the industrial revolution covered more and more countries. Superiority and leadership among other powers invariably went to England. By the end of the eighteenth century, it was Great Britain that became the creator of large-scale industry, thanks to which it won the title of world monopoly in this industry. Question about mechanical engine every day became more and more relevant. And such an engine was created.

The first steam engine in the world

The year 1784 was for England and for the whole world a turning point in the industrial revolution. And the person responsible for this was the English mechanic James Watt. The steam engine he created was the biggest discovery of the century.

For several years he studied the drawings, structure and principles of operation of steam-atmospheric machines. And on the basis of all this, he concluded that for the efficiency of the engine, it is necessary to equalize the temperatures of the water in the cylinder and the steam that enters the mechanism. The main disadvantage of steam-atmospheric machines was the constant need to cool the cylinder with water. It was costly and inconvenient.

The new steam engine was designed differently. So, the cylinder was enclosed in a special steam jacket. Thus Watt achieved his constant heated state. The inventor created a special vessel immersed in cold water (condenser). A cylinder was attached to it with a pipe. When the steam was exhausted in the cylinder, it entered the condenser through a pipe and turned back into water there. Working on the improvement of his machine, Watt created a vacuum in the condenser. Thus, all the steam coming from the cylinder condensed in it. Thanks to this innovation, the steam expansion process was greatly increased, which in turn made it possible to extract much more energy from the same amount of steam. It was the pinnacle of success.

The creator of the steam engine also changed the principle of air supply. Now the steam first fell under the piston, thereby raising it, and then collected above the piston, lowering it. Thus, both strokes of the piston in the mechanism became working, which was not even possible before. And the consumption of coal for one horsepower was four times less than, respectively, for steam-atmospheric machines, which was what James Watt was trying to achieve. The steam engine very quickly conquered first Great Britain, and then the whole world.

"Charlotte Dundas"

After the whole world was amazed by the invention of James Watt, the widespread use of steam engines began. So, in 1802, the first ship for a couple appeared in England - the Charlotte Dundas boat. Its creator is William Symington. The boat was used as towing barges along the canal. The role of the mover on the ship was played by a paddle wheel mounted on the stern. The boat successfully passed the tests the first time: it towed two huge barges 18 miles in six hours. At the same time, the headwind greatly interfered with him. But he managed.

And yet they put it on hold, because they feared that due to the strong waves that were created under the paddle wheel, the banks of the canal would be washed out. By the way, the test of "Charlotte" was attended by a man whom the whole world today considers the creator of the first steamship.

in the world

An English shipbuilder from his youth dreamed of a ship with a steam engine. And now his dream has come true. After all, the invention of steam engines was a new impetus in shipbuilding. Together with the envoy from America, R. Livingston, who took over the material side of the issue, Fulton took up the project of a ship with a steam engine. It was a complex invention based on the idea of ​​an oar mover. Along the sides of the ship stretched in a row plates imitating a lot of oars. At the same time, the plates now and then interfered with each other and broke. Today we can easily say that the same effect could be achieved with just three or four tiles. But from the standpoint of science and technology of that time, it was unrealistic to see this. Therefore, shipbuilders had a much harder time.

In 1803, Fulton's invention was introduced to the world. The steamer moved slowly and evenly along the Seine, striking the minds and imagination of many scientists and figures in Paris. However, the Napoleonic government rejected the project, and the disgruntled shipbuilders were forced to seek their fortune in America.

And in August 1807, the world's first steamboat called the Claremont, in which the most powerful steam engine was involved (photo is presented), went along the Hudson Bay. Many then simply did not believe in success.

The Claremont went on its maiden voyage without cargo and without passengers. No one wanted to travel aboard a fire-breathing ship. But already on the way back, the first passenger appeared - a local farmer who paid six dollars for a ticket. He became the first passenger in the history of the shipping company. Fulton was so moved that he gave the daredevil a lifetime free ride on all of his inventions.

The principle of operation of the steam engine

Contents

annotation

1. Theoretical part

1.1 Timeline

1.2 Steam engine

1.2.1 Steam boiler

1.2.2 Steam turbines

1.3 Steam engines

1.3.1 First steamboats

1.3.2 The birth of two-wheelers

1.4 The use of steam engines

1.4.1 Advantage of steam engines

1.4.2 Efficiency

2. Practical part

2.1 Building the mechanism

2.2 Ways to improve the machine and its efficiency

2.3 Questionnaire

Conclusion

Bibliography

Application

steam engine useful action

annotation

This scientific work consists of 32 sheets. It includes a theoretical part, a practical part, an application and a conclusion. In the theoretical part, you will learn about the principle of operation of steam engines and mechanisms, about their history and the role of their application in life. The practical part details the process of designing and testing the steam mechanism at home. This scientific work can serve good example work and use of steam energy.

Introduction

The world of submissive to any vagaries of nature, where machines are driven by muscle power or the power of water wheels and windmills - this was the world of technology before the creation of a steam engine. on fire, is able to displace an obstacle (for example, a sheet of paper) that is in its path. This made a person think about how steam can be used as a working fluid. As a result of this, after many experiments, a steam engine appeared. And imagine factories with smoking chimneys, steam engines and turbines, steam locomotives and steamships - the whole complex and powerful world of steam engineering created by man The steam engine was practically the only universal motor and played a huge role in the development of mankind. The invention of the steam engine was the impetus for further development vehicles. For a hundred years she was the only one industrial engine, the versatility of which allowed it to be used in enterprises, railways and in the navy. The invention of the steam engine is a huge breakthrough that stood at the turn of two eras. And after centuries, the whole significance of this invention is felt even more sharply.

Hypothesis:

Is it possible to build with your own hands simplest mechanism working for a couple.

The purpose of the work: to design a mechanism capable of moving on a pair.

Research objective:

1. Study the scientific literature.

2. Design and build the simplest mechanism that worked on steam.

3. Consider opportunities to increase efficiency in the future.

This scientific work will serve as a manual in physics lessons for high school students and for those who are interested in this topic.

1. T eo R e tic part

Steam engine - a thermal piston engine in which the potential energy of water vapor coming from a steam boiler is converted into mechanical work reciprocating motion of a piston or rotational motion of a shaft.

Steam is one of the common heat carriers in thermal systems with a heated liquid or gaseous working fluid along with water and thermal oils. Water vapor has a number of advantages, including ease and flexibility of use, low toxicity, the ability to bring to technological process significant amount of energy. It can be used in a variety of systems that involve direct contact of the coolant with various elements of equipment, effectively contributing to lower energy costs, reducing emissions, and quick payback.

The law of conservation of energy is a fundamental law of nature, established empirically and consisting in the fact that the energy of an isolated (closed) physical system is conserved over time. In other words, energy cannot arise from nothing and cannot disappear into nowhere, it can only pass from one form to another. From a fundamental point of view, according to Noether's theorem, the law of conservation of energy is a consequence of the homogeneity of time and in this sense is universal, that is, inherent in systems of very different physical nature.

1.1 Timeline

4000 BC e. - man invented the wheel.

3000 BC e. - the first roads appeared in ancient Rome.

2000 BC e. - the wheel has become more familiar to us. He had a hub, a rim and spokes connecting them.

1700 BC e. - the first roads paved with wooden blocks appeared.

312 BC e. - The first paved roads were built in ancient Rome. The thickness of the masonry reached one meter.

1405 - the first spring horse-drawn carriages appeared.

1510 - a horse-drawn carriage acquired a body with walls and a roof. Passengers have the opportunity to protect themselves from bad weather during the trip.

1526 - German scientist and artist Albrecht Durer developed an interesting project of a "horseless cart" driven by the muscle power of people. People walking on the side of the carriage rotated special handles. This rotation with worm mechanism transmitted to the wheels of the carriage. Unfortunately, the wagon was not made.

1600 - Simon Stevin built a yacht on wheels, moving under the influence of the force of the wind. She became the first design of a horseless cart.

1610 - carriages underwent two significant improvements. Firstly, the unreliable and too soft belts that rocked passengers during the trip were replaced with steel springs. Secondly, the horse harness was improved. Now the horse pulled the carriage not with its neck, but with its chest.

1649 - passed the first tests on the use of a spring, previously twisted by a person, as a driving force. The spring driven carriage was built by Johann Hauch in Nuremberg. However, historians question this information, since there is a version that instead of a large spring, a person was sitting inside the carriage, who set the mechanism in motion.

1680 - in major cities the first samples of horse-drawn public transport appeared.

1690 - Stefan Farffler from Nuremberg created a three-wheeled cart that moves with the help of two handles rotated by hands. Thanks to this drive, the wagon designer could move from place to place without the help of his legs.

1698 - Englishman Thomas Savery built the first steam boiler.

1741 - Russian self-taught mechanic Leonty Lukyanovich Shamshurenkov sent a “report” describing a “self-running carriage” to the Nizhny Novgorod provincial office.

1769 - French inventor Cugno built the world's first steam car.

1784 - James Watt builds the first steam engine.

1791 - Ivan Kulibin designed a three-wheeled self-propelled stroller accommodating two passengers. The drive was carried out using a pedal mechanism.

1794 - Cugno's steam engine was handed over to the "repository of machines, tools, models, drawings and descriptions of all kinds of arts and crafts" as another mechanical curiosity.

1800 - there is an opinion that it was in this year that the world's first bicycle was built in Russia. Its author was the serf Yefim Artamonov.

1808 - The first French bicycle appeared on the streets of Paris. It was made of wood and consisted of a crossbar connecting two wheels. Unlike the modern bicycle, it had no handlebars or pedals.

1810 - the carriage industry began to emerge in America and European countries. In large cities, entire streets and even quarters populated by master coachmakers appeared.

1816 - German inventor Carl Friedrich Dreis built a machine resembling a modern bicycle. As soon as it appeared on the streets of the city, it received the name "running car", since its owner, pushing off with his feet, actually ran along the ground.

1834 - a sailing crew designed by M. Hakuet was tested in Paris. This crew had a mast 12 m high.

1868 - It is believed that this year the Frenchman Erne Michaud created the prototype of the modern motorcycle.

1871 - French inventor Louis Perrault developed a bicycle steam engine.

1874 - a steam wheeled tractor was built in Russia. Used as a prototype English car"Evelyn Porter".

1875 - Amadeus Bdlly's first steam engine was demonstrated in Paris.

1884 - American Louis Copland built a motorcycle on which a steam engine was mounted above the front wheel. This design could accelerate to 18 km / h.

1901 - in Russia, a passenger steam car of the Moscow bicycle factory"Dux".

1902 - Leon Serpollet on one of his steam cars set a world speed record - 120 km / h.

A year later, he set another record - 144 km / h.

1905 - American F. Marriott on steam car exceeded the speed of 200 km

1.2 Steam engine

An engine powered by steam. The steam produced by heating water is used for propulsion. In some engines, the steam forces the pistons in the cylinders to move. This creates a reciprocating motion. The connected mechanism usually converts it into rotational motion. In steam locomotives (locomotives) are used Piston engines. Steam turbines are also used as engines, which give direct rotational motion by rotating a series of wheels with blades. Steam turbines drive power generators and ship propellers. In any steam engine, the heat generated by heating water in a steam boiler (boiler) is converted into motion energy. Heat can be supplied from burning fuel in a furnace or from a nuclear reactor. The very first steam engine in history was a kind of pump, with the help of which they pumped out the water flooding the mines. It was invented in 1689 by Thomas Savery. In this machine, very simple in design, the steam condensed into a small amount of water, and due to this, a partial vacuum was created, due to which water was sucked out of the mine shaft. In 1712 Thomas Newcomen invented piston pump steam powered. In the 1760s James Watt improved Newcomen's design and created much more efficient steam engines. Soon they were used in factories to power machine tools. In 1884, the English engineer Charles Parson (1854-1931) invented the first practical steam turbine. His designs were so efficient that they soon began to replace reciprocating steam engines in power plants. The most amazing achievement in the field of steam engines was the creation of a completely closed, working steam engine of microscopic dimensions. Japanese scientists created it using techniques used to make integrated circuits. A small current passing through the electric heating element turns the drop of water into steam, which moves the piston. Now scientists have to discover in which areas this device can find practical applications.

Steam locomotives, which are primitive against the background of other technologies, are still used in some countries. They are autonomous locomotives using a steam engine as an engine. The very first such locomotives appeared in the 19th century and played key role in the development of the economy of a number of countries.

The device of the steam locomotive was constantly improved, as a result of which new designs appeared that were very different from the classical one. So there were models with gears, turbines, without a tender.

The principle of operation and the device of the steam locomotive

Even though there are various modifications designs of this transport, they all have three main parts:

• steam engine;
• boiler;
• crew.

Steam is produced in a steam boiler - it is this unit that is the primary source of energy, and steam is the main working fluid. In a steam engine, it is converted into a reciprocating mechanical movement piston, which, in turn, with the help of a crank mechanism is transformed into a rotational one. Due to this, the wheels of the locomotive rotate. Steam also drives a steam-air pump, a steam turbine generator and is used in a whistle.

The crew of the machine consists of a running gear and a frame and is a mobile base. These three elements are the main ones in the design of a steam locomotive. Also, a tender can be attached to the car - a wagon that serves as a storage of coal (fuel) and water.

steam boiler

When considering the device and principle of operation of a steam locomotive, you need to start with a boiler, since this is the primary source of energy and the main component of this machine. Certain requirements are imposed on this element: reliability and safety. The steam pressure in the installation can reach 20 atmospheres or more, which makes it practically explosive. Malfunction of any element of the system can lead to an explosion, which will deprive the machine of a source of energy.

Also given element should be easy to manage, repair, maintain, be flexible, that is, be able to work with different fuels (more or less powerful).

Firebox

The main element of the boiler is a furnace where solid fuel is burned, which is supplied by means of a coal feeder. If the machine runs on liquid fuel, then it is supplied through nozzles. The high-temperature gases released as a result of combustion transfer heat through the walls of the firebox to water. Then the gases, having given up most of their heat to the evaporation of water and the heating of saturated steam, are discharged into the atmosphere through the chimney and spark arrester.

The steam formed in the boiler is accumulated in the hood-dry steamer (in the upper part). When steam pressure exceeds 105 Pa, special safety valve it is dumped, releasing the excess into the atmosphere.

Hot steam under pressure is supplied through pipes to the cylinders of the steam engine, where it presses on the piston and crank mechanism, leading to the rotation of the leading axis. The exhaust steam enters the chimney, creating a vacuum in the smoke box, which increases the air flow into the boiler furnace.

Scheme of work

That is, if you describe the principle of operation in a generalized way, everything seems extremely simple. What the scheme of the steam locomotive device looks like can also be seen in the photo posted in the article.

The steam boiler burns fuel to heat water. Water is converted to steam, and as it heats up, the steam pressure in the system increases. When it reaches high value, then it is fed into the cylinder where the pistons are located.

Due to the pressure on the pistons, the axle is rotated, and the wheels are set in motion. Excess steam is released into the atmosphere through a special safety valve. By the way, the role of the latter is extremely important, because without him the boiler would have been torn apart from the inside. This is what the steam locomotive boiler looks like.

Advantages

Like other types, they have certain advantages and disadvantages. The pros are as follows:

1. Simplicity of design. Due to the simple structure of the steam engine of a steam locomotive and its boiler, it was not difficult to establish production at machine-building and metallurgical plants.
2. Reliability at work. This simplicity of design provides high reliability operation of the entire system. There is practically nothing to break, which is why steam locomotives work for 100 years or more.
3. Powerful traction when starting off.
4. Usability different types fuel.

Previously, there was such a thing as "omnivorous". It was applied to steam locomotives and determined the possibility of using wood, peat, coal, fuel oil as fuel for this machine. Sometimes locomotives were heated with production waste: various sawdust, grain husks, wood chips, defective grain, used lubricants.

Of course, the traction capabilities of the machine were reduced, but in any case, this made it possible to save substantial funds, since classic coal is more expensive.

Flaws

Not without drawbacks either:

1. Low efficiency. Even on the most advanced steam locomotives, the efficiency was 5-9%. This is logical, given the low efficiency of the steam engine itself (about 20%). Inefficiency of fuel combustion, large heat losses during the transfer of steam heat from the boiler to the cylinders.
2. The need for huge reserves of fuel and water. This problem became especially relevant when operating machines in arid areas (in deserts, for example), where it is difficult to get water. Of course, steam locomotives with exhaust steam condensation were invented a little later, but this did not completely solve the problem, but only simplified it.
3. Fire hazard due to open fire of burning fuel. This disadvantage is not present on fireless steam locomotives, but their range is limited.
4. Smoke and soot emitted into the atmosphere. This problem becomes serious when steam locomotives move within the boundaries of settlements.
5. Difficult conditions for the crew that serves the car.
6. The complexity of the repair. If something breaks down in a steam boiler, then repairs are carried out for a long time and require investment.

Despite the shortcomings, steam locomotives were very much appreciated, since their use significantly raised the level of industry in different countries. Of course, today the use of such machines is not relevant, due to the presence of more modern engines internal combustion and electric motors. Nevertheless, it was steam locomotives that laid the foundation for the creation of railway transport.

Finally

Now you know the structure of the locomotive engine, its features, the pros and cons of operation. By the way, today these machines are still used on the railway lines of underdeveloped countries (for example, in Cuba). Until 1996, they were also used in India. IN European countries, USA, Russia, this type of transport exists only in the form of monuments and museum exhibits.