Steam engine with your own hands. History of steam engines

Opportunities in the use of steam energy were known at the beginning of our era. This is confirmed by a device called Heron's aeolipil, created by the ancient Greek mechanic Heron of Alexandria. An ancient invention can be attributed to a steam turbine, the ball of which rotated due to the power of jets of water vapor.

It became possible to adapt steam for the operation of engines in the 17th century. They did not use such an invention for long, but it made a significant contribution to the development of mankind. In addition, the history of the invention of steam engines is very fascinating.

concept

The steam engine consists of an external combustion heat engine, which, from the energy of water vapor, creates a mechanical movement of the piston, which, in turn, rotates the shaft. The power of a steam engine is usually measured in watts.

Invention history

The history of the invention of steam engines is connected with the knowledge of ancient Greek civilization. For a long time, no one used the works of this era. In the 16th century, an attempt was made to create a steam turbine. The Turkish physicist and engineer Takiyuddin ash-Shami worked on this in Egypt.

Interest in this problem reappeared in the 17th century. In 1629, Giovanni Branca proposed his own version of the steam turbine. However, the inventions were losing a lot of energy. Further developments required appropriate economic conditions, which will appear later.

The first person to invent the steam engine is Denis Papin. The invention was a cylinder with a piston rising due to steam and falling as a result of its thickening. The devices of Savery and Newcomen (1705) had the same principle of operation. The equipment was used to pump water out of workings in the extraction of minerals.

Watt managed to finally improve the device in 1769.

Inventions by Denis Papin

Denis Papin was a medical doctor by training. Born in France, he moved to England in 1675. He is known for many of his inventions. One of them is a pressure cooker, which was called "Papenov's cauldron".

He managed to reveal the relationship between two phenomena, namely the boiling point of a liquid (water) and the pressure that appears. Thanks to this, he created a sealed boiler, inside which the pressure was increased, due to which the water boiled later than usual and the temperature of the processing of the products placed in it increased. Thus, the speed of cooking increased.

In 1674, a medical inventor created a powder engine. His work consisted in the fact that when the gunpowder ignited, a piston moved in the cylinder. A slight vacuum was formed in the cylinder, and atmospheric pressure returned the piston to its place. The resulting gaseous elements exited through the valve, and the remaining ones were cooled.

By 1698, Papin managed to create a unit based on the same principle, working not on gunpowder, but on water. Thus, the first steam engine was created. Despite the significant progress that the idea could lead to, it did not bring significant benefits to its inventor. This was due to the fact that earlier another mechanic, Savery, had already patented a steam pump, and by that time they had not yet come up with another application for such units.

Denis Papin died in London in 1714. Despite the fact that the first steam engine was invented by him, he left this world in need and loneliness.

Inventions of Thomas Newcomen

More successful in terms of dividends was the Englishman Newcomen. When Papin created his machine, Thomas was 35 years old. He carefully studied the work of Savery and Papin and was able to understand the shortcomings of both designs. From them he took all the best ideas.

Already by 1712, in collaboration with the glass and plumbing master John Calley, he created his first model. Thus continued the history of the invention of steam engines.

Briefly, you can explain the created model as follows:

• The design combined a vertical cylinder and a piston, like Papin's.
• The creation of steam took place in a separate boiler, which worked on the principle of the Savery machine.
• The tightness in the steam cylinder was achieved due to the skin, which was covered with a piston.

The Newcomen unit raised water from the mines with the help of atmospheric pressure. The machine was distinguished by its solid dimensions and required a large amount of coal to operate. Despite these shortcomings, Newcomen's model was used in mines for half a century. It even allowed the reopening of mines that had been abandoned due to groundwater flooding.

In 1722, Newcomen's brainchild proved its effectiveness by pumping water out of a ship in Kronstadt in just two weeks. The windmill system could do it in a year.

Due to the fact that the machine was based on early versions, the English mechanic was unable to obtain a patent for it. The designers tried to apply the invention to the movement of the vehicle, but failed. The history of the invention of steam engines did not stop there.

Watt's invention

The first to invent equipment of compact size, but powerful enough, James Watt. The steam engine was the first of its kind. A mechanic from the University of Glasgow in 1763 began to repair the Newcomen steam engine. As a result of the repair, he understood how to reduce fuel consumption. To do this, it was necessary to keep the cylinder in a constantly heated state. However, Watt's steam engine could not be ready until the problem of steam condensation was solved.

The solution came when a mechanic was walking past the laundries and noticed puffs of steam coming out from under the lids of the boilers. He realized that steam is a gas and needs to travel in a reduced pressure cylinder.

By sealing the inside of the steam cylinder with oil-soaked hemp rope, Watt was able to forego atmospheric pressure. This was a big step forward.

In 1769, a mechanic received a patent, which stated that the temperature of the engine in a steam engine would always be equal to the temperature of the steam. However, the affairs of the hapless inventor did not go as well as expected. He was forced to pawn the patent for debt.

In 1772 he met Matthew Bolton, who was a wealthy industrialist. He bought and returned Watt his patents. The inventor returned to work, supported by Bolton. In 1773, Watt's steam engine was tested and showed that it consumes coal much less than its counterparts. A year later, the production of his cars began in England.

In 1781, the inventor managed to patent his next creation - a steam engine for driving industrial machines. Over time, all these technologies will make it possible to move trains and steamboats with the help of steam. It will completely change a person's life.

One of the people who changed the lives of many was James Watt, whose steam engine accelerated technological progress.

Polzunov's invention

The design of the first steam engine, which could power a variety of working mechanisms, was created in 1763. It was developed by the Russian mechanic I. Polzunov, who worked at the mining plants of Altai.

The head of the factories was acquainted with the project and received the go-ahead for the creation of the device from St. Petersburg. The Polzunov steam engine was recognized, and the work on its creation was entrusted to the author of the project. The latter wanted to first assemble a miniature model in order to identify and eliminate possible flaws that are not visible on paper. However, he was ordered to start building a large, powerful machine.

Polzunov was provided with assistants, of whom two were inclined towards mechanics, and two were supposed to perform auxiliary work. It took one year and nine months to build the steam engine. When Polzunov's steam engine was almost ready, he fell ill with consumption. The creator died a few days before the first tests.

All actions in the machine took place automatically, it could work continuously. This was proved in 1766, when Polzunov's students conducted the last tests. A month later, the equipment was put into operation.

The car not only paid back the money spent, but also gave a profit to its owners. By autumn, the boiler began to leak, and work stopped. The unit could be repaired, but this did not interest the factory authorities. The car was abandoned, and a decade later it was dismantled as unnecessary.

Operating principle

A steam boiler is required for the operation of the entire system. The resulting steam expands and presses on the piston, resulting in the movement of mechanical parts.

The principle of operation is best studied using the illustration below.

If you do not paint the details, then the work of the steam engine is to convert the energy of steam into mechanical movement of the piston.

Efficiency

The efficiency of a steam engine is determined by the ratio of useful mechanical work in relation to the amount of heat expended, which is contained in the fuel. The energy that is released into the environment as heat is not taken into account.

The efficiency of a steam engine is measured as a percentage. The practical efficiency will be 1-8%. In the presence of a condenser and expansion of the flow path, the indicator can increase up to 25%.

Advantages

The main advantage of steam equipment is that the boiler can use any heat source, both coal and uranium, as fuel. This significantly distinguishes it from the internal combustion engine. Depending on the type of the latter, a certain type of fuel is required.

The history of the invention of steam engines showed advantages that are still noticeable today, since nuclear energy can be used for the steam counterpart. By itself, a nuclear reactor cannot convert its energy into mechanical work, but it is capable of generating a large amount of heat. It is then used to generate steam, which will set the car in motion. Solar energy can be used in the same way.

Steam-powered locomotives perform well at high altitude. The efficiency of their work does not suffer from the low atmospheric pressure in the mountains. Steam locomotives are still used in the mountains of Latin America.

In Austria and Switzerland, new versions of steam locomotives running on dry steam are used. They show high efficiency thanks to many improvements. They are not demanding in maintenance and consume light oil fractions as fuel. In terms of economic indicators, they are comparable to modern electric locomotives. At the same time, steam locomotives are much lighter than their diesel and electric counterparts. This is a great advantage in mountainous terrain.

Flaws

The disadvantages include, first of all, low efficiency. To this should be added the bulkiness of the design and low-speed. This became especially noticeable after the advent of the internal combustion engine.

Application

Who invented the steam engine is already known. It remains to be seen where they were used. Until the middle of the twentieth century, steam engines were used in industry. They were also used for railway and steam transport.

Factories that operated steam engines:

• sugar;
• match;
• paper mills;
• textile;
• food enterprises (in some cases).

Steam turbines are also included in this equipment. Electricity generators still work with their help. About 80% of the world's electricity is generated using steam turbines.

At one time, various types of transport powered by a steam engine were created. Some did not take root due to unresolved problems, while others continue to work today.

Steam powered transport:

• automobile;
• tractor;
• excavator;
• airplane;
• locomotive;
• vessel;
• tractor.

Such is the history of the invention of steam engines. Briefly consider the successful example of the Serpolle racing car, created in 1902. It set a world speed record, which amounted to 120 km per hour on land. That is why steam cars were competitive in relation to electric and gasoline counterparts.

So, in the USA in 1900, most of all steam engines were produced. They met on the roads until the thirties of the twentieth century.

Most of these vehicles became unpopular after the advent of the internal combustion engine, whose efficiency is much higher. Such machines were more economical, while light and fast.

Steampunk as a trend of the era of steam engines

Speaking of steam engines, I would like to mention the popular direction - steampunk. The term consists of two English words - "par" and "protest". Steampunk is a type of science fiction that takes place in the second half of the 19th century in Victorian England. This period in history is often referred to as the Age of Steam.

All works have one distinctive feature - they tell about the life of the second half of the 19th century, while the style of narration is reminiscent of H. G. Wells' novel "The Time Machine". The plots describe urban landscapes, public buildings, technology. A special place is given to airships, old cars, bizarre inventions. All metal parts were fastened with rivets, since welding had not yet been used.

The term "steampunk" originated in 1987. Its popularity is associated with the appearance of the novel "The Difference Engine". It was written in 1990 by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling.

At the beginning of the 21st century, several famous films were released in this direction:

• "Time Machine";
• "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen";
• "Van Helsing".

The forerunners of steampunk include the works of Jules Verne and Grigory Adamov. Interest in this direction from time to time manifests itself in all spheres of life - from cinema to everyday clothes.

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

The history of the creation of a 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 disadvantage of all these inventions was too much steam consumption, 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, which was far from perfect at that time, attracted special attention in the shipbuilding field. D. Papin spent his last savings on the purchase of a small ship, on which he set about installing a water-lifting steam-atmospheric machine of his 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, useful work was done. 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 work of his predecessors for a long time, focusing on weaknesses. 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 skin was fixed around the piston, which significantly increased the tightness inside the steam cylinder. This machine was also steam-atmospheric (water rose from the mine using 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 happened in the 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 a steam mechanism was constantly hanging 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. The question of a 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 per 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 steam engine throughout its history has had many variations of embodiment in metal. One of these incarnations was the steam rotary engine of mechanical engineer N.N. Tverskoy. This steam rotary engine (steam engine) was actively used in various fields of technology and transport. In the Russian technical tradition of the 19th century, such a rotary engine was called a rotary machine. The engine was distinguished by its durability, efficiency and high torque. But with the advent of steam turbines, it was forgotten. Below are archival materials raised by the author of this site. The materials are very extensive, so for now only a part of them is presented here.

Trial scrolling with compressed air (3.5 atm) of a steam rotary engine.
The model is designed for 10 kW of power at 1500 rpm at a steam pressure of 28-30 atm.

At the end of the 19th century, steam engines - "N. Tverskoy's rotary engines" were forgotten because reciprocating steam engines turned out to be simpler and more technologically advanced in production (for the industries of that time), and steam turbines gave more power.
But the remark regarding steam turbines is true only in their large weight and overall dimensions. Indeed, with a power of more than 1.5-2 thousand kW, steam multi-cylinder turbines outperform steam rotary engines in all respects, even with the high cost of turbines. And at the beginning of the 20th century, when ship power plants and power units of power plants began to have a capacity of many tens of thousands of kilowatts, then only turbines could provide such opportunities.

BUT - steam turbines have another drawback. When scaling their mass-dimensional parameters downwards, the performance characteristics of steam turbines deteriorate sharply. The specific power is significantly reduced, the efficiency drops, while the high cost of manufacture and high revolutions of the main shaft (the need for a gearbox) remain. That is why - in the power range of less than 1.5 thousand kW (1.5 MW), it is almost impossible to find an efficient steam turbine in all respects, even for a lot of money ...

That is why a whole “bouquet” of exotic and little-known designs appeared in this power range. But most often, just as expensive and inefficient ... Screw turbines, Tesla turbines, axial turbines, and so on.
But for some reason, everyone forgot about the steam "rotary machines" - rotary steam engines. Meanwhile, these steam engines are many times cheaper than any bladed and screw mechanisms (I say this with knowledge of the matter, as a person who has already manufactured more than a dozen such machines with his own money). At the same time, the steam “rotary machines of N. Tverskoy” have a powerful torque from the smallest revolutions, have an average frequency of rotation of the main shaft at full revolutions from 1000 to 3000 rpm. Those. such machines, even for an electric generator, even for a steam car (car-truck, tractor, tractor) - will not require a gearbox, coupling, etc., but will be directly connected with their shaft to a dynamo, wheels of a steam car, etc.
So, in the form of a steam rotary engine - the “N. Tversky rotary engine” system, we have a universal steam engine that will perfectly generate electricity from a solid fuel boiler in a remote forestry or taiga village, on a field camp or generate electricity in a boiler house of a rural settlement or "spin" on the waste of process heat (hot air) in a brick or cement plant, in a foundry, etc., etc.
All such heat sources just have a power of less than 1 mW, and therefore conventional turbines are of little use here. And other machines for heat recovery by converting the pressure of the resulting steam into operation are not yet known by general technical practice. So this heat is not utilized in any way - it is simply lost stupidly and irretrievably.
I have already created a "steam rotary machine" to drive an electric generator of 3.5 - 5 kW (depending on the pressure in the steam), if everything goes as planned, there will soon be a machine of 25 and 40 kW. Just what is needed to provide cheap electricity from a solid fuel boiler or waste industrial heat to a rural estate, a small farm, a field camp, etc., etc.
In principle, rotary engines scale well upwards, therefore, by mounting many rotor sections on one shaft, it is easy to multiply the power of such machines by simply increasing the number of standard rotor modules. That is, it is quite possible to create steam rotary machines with a power of 80-160-240-320 kW or more ...

But, in addition to medium and relatively large steam power plants, steam power circuits with small steam rotary engines will also be in demand in small power plants.
For example, one of my inventions is “Camping-tourist electric generator using local solid fuel”.
Below is a video where a simplified prototype of such a device is being tested.
But the small steam engine is already merrily and energetically spinning its electric generator and is generating electricity using wood and other pasture fuel.

The main direction of commercial and technical application of steam rotary engines (rotary steam engines) is the generation of cheap electricity using cheap solid fuel and combustible waste. Those. small power - distributed power generation on steam rotary engines. Imagine how a rotary steam engine will fit perfectly into the scheme of operation of a sawmill-sawmill, somewhere in the Russian North or in Siberia (Far East) where there is no central power supply, electricity is provided by a diesel generator on a diesel fuel imported from afar. But the sawmill itself produces at least half a ton of wood chips-sawdust per day - croaker, which has nowhere to go ...

Such wood waste is a direct road to the boiler furnace, the boiler gives high-pressure steam, the steam drives a rotary steam engine, which turns an electric generator.

In the same way, it is possible to burn millions of tons of crop waste from agriculture, unlimited in volume, and so on. And there is also cheap peat, cheap thermal coal, and so on. The author of the site calculated that the fuel costs for generating electricity through a small steam power plant (steam engine) with a 500 kW steam rotary engine will be from 0.8 to 1,

2 rubles per kilowatt.

Another interesting application of a steam rotary engine is the installation of such a steam engine on a steam car. The truck is a tractor steam car, with powerful torque and using cheap solid fuel - a very necessary steam engine in agriculture and in the forestry industry. With the use of modern technologies and materials, as well as the use of the "Organic Rankine cycle" in the thermodynamic cycle, it will be possible to bring the effective efficiency up to 26-28% on cheap solid fuel (or inexpensive liquid, such as "furnace oil" or used engine oil). Those. truck - tractor with a steam engine

and a rotary steam engine with a power of about 100 kW, will consume about 25-28 kg of thermal coal per 100 km (cost 5-6 rubles per kg) or about 40-45 kg of sawdust chips (the price of which in the North is take away for nothing) ...

There are many more interesting and promising applications of the rotary steam engine, but the size of this page does not allow us to consider all of them in detail. As a result, the steam engine can still occupy a very prominent place in many areas of modern technology and in many branches of the national economy.

LAUNCHES OF THE EXPERIMENTAL MODEL OF A STEAM-POWERED ELECTRIC GENERATOR WITH A STEAM ENGINE

May -2018 After lengthy experiments and prototypes, a small high-pressure boiler was made. The boiler is pressurized to 80 atm pressure, so it will keep the operating pressure at 40-60 atm without difficulty. It was put into operation with an experimental model of an axial-piston steam engine of my own design. Works great - watch the video. In 12-14 minutes from ignition on wood, it is ready to give high-pressure steam.

Now I am starting to prepare for the piece production of such installations - a high-pressure boiler, a steam engine (rotary or axial piston), a condenser. The units will operate in a closed circuit with a circulation of "water-steam-condensate".

The demand for such generators is very high, because 60% of the territory of Russia do not have a central power supply and are sitting on diesel generation. And the price of diesel fuel is growing all the time and has already reached 41-42 rubles per liter. Yes, and where there is electricity, energy companies are raising tariffs, and they require a lot of money to connect new capacities.

In the mind of most people in the age of smartphones, steam-powered cars are something archaic that brings a smile. The steam pages of the history of the automotive industry were very bright and without them it is difficult to imagine modern transport in general. No matter how hard the skeptics from lawmaking, as well as oil lobbyists from different countries, tried to limit the development of the car for a couple, they succeeded only for a while. After all, the steam car is like the Sphinx. The idea of ​​a car for a couple (i.e., on an external combustion engine) is relevant to this day.

In the mind of most people in the age of smartphones, steam-powered cars are something archaic that brings a smile.

So in 1865 in England they introduced a ban on the movement of high-speed self-propelled carriages on steam. They were forbidden to move faster than 3 km / h around the city and not to release puffs of steam, so as not to frighten the horses harnessed to ordinary carriages. The most serious and tangible blow to steam trucks already in 1933 was the law on the tax on heavy vehicles. It was only in 1934, when duties on imports of petroleum products were reduced, that the victory of gasoline and diesel engines over steam engines loomed on the horizon.

Only in England could they afford to scoff at progress in such an elegant and cold-blooded way. In the USA, France, Italy, the environment of inventors-enthusiasts literally seethed with ideas, and the steam car acquired new shapes and characteristics. Although the British inventors made a significant contribution to the development of steam vehicles, the laws and prejudices of the authorities did not allow them to fully participate in the battle with the internal combustion engine. But let's talk about everything in order.

Prehistoric reference

The history of the development of the steam car is inextricably linked with the history of the emergence and improvement of the steam engine. When in the 1st century A.D. e. Heron of Alexandria proposed his idea of ​​making steam rotate a metal ball, his idea was treated as nothing more than fun. Whether other ideas were more exciting for the inventors, but the first to put the steam boiler on wheels was the monk Ferdinand Verbst. In 1672. His "toy" was also treated as fun. But the next forty years were not in vain for the history of the steam engine.

Isaac Newton's project of a self-propelled carriage (1680), the fire apparatus of the mechanic Thomas Savery (1698) and the atmospheric apparatus of Thomas Newcomen (1712) demonstrated the enormous potential of using steam to do mechanical work. At first, steam engines pumped water out of mines and lifted loads, but by the middle of the 18th century, there were already several hundred such steam engines at the enterprises of England.

What is a steam engine? How can steam move wheels? The principle of the steam engine is simple. Water is heated in a closed tank to a state of steam. Steam is discharged through tubes into a closed cylinder and squeezes out the piston. Through the intermediate connecting rod, this translational motion is transmitted to the flywheel shaft.

This schematic diagram of the operation of a steam boiler in practice had significant drawbacks.

The first portion of steam burst out in clubs, and the cooled piston, under its own weight, went down for the next cycle. This schematic diagram of the operation of a steam boiler in practice had significant drawbacks. The absence of a steam pressure control system often led to a boiler explosion. It took a lot of time and fuel to bring the boiler to working condition. Constant refueling and the gigantic size of the steam plant only increased the list of its shortcomings.

The new machine was proposed by James Watt in 1765. He directed the steam squeezed out by the piston into an additional condensation chamber and eliminated the need to constantly add water to the boiler. Finally, in 1784, he solved the problem of how to redistribute the movement of steam so that it pushes the piston in both directions. Thanks to the spool he created, the steam engine could work without interruption between cycles. This principle of a double-acting heat engine formed the basis of most steam technology.

Many smart people worked on the creation of steam engines. After all, this is a simple and cheap way to get energy from almost nothing.

A small digression into the history of steam-powered cars

However, no matter how grandiose were the successes of the British in the region, the first to put the steam engine on wheels was the Frenchman Nicolas Joseph Cugno.

Cugno's first steam car

His car appeared on the roads in 1765. The speed of the stroller was a record - 9.5 km / h. In it, the inventor provided four seats for passengers who could be rolled with the breeze at an average speed of 3.5 km / h. This success seemed to the inventor not enough.

The need to stop for refueling with water and kindling a new fire every kilometer of the way was not a significant disadvantage, but only the level of technology of that time.

He decided to invent a tractor for guns. So a three-wheeled wagon with a massive cauldron in front was born. The need to stop for refueling with water and kindling a new fire every kilometer of the way was not a significant disadvantage, but only the level of technology of that time.

The next Cugno model of the 1770 model weighed about one and a half tons. The new cart could transport about two tons of cargo at a speed of 7 km / h.

Maestro Cugno was more interested in the idea of ​​creating a high-pressure steam engine. He was not even embarrassed by the fact that the boiler could explode. It was Cugno who came up with the idea of ​​placing the firebox under the boiler and carrying the “bonfire” with him. In addition, his "cart" can rightfully be called the first truck. The resignation of the patron and a series of revolutions did not allow the master to develop the model to a full-fledged truck.

Self-taught Oliver Evans and his amphibian

The idea of ​​creating steam engines was of universal proportions. In the North American states, inventor Oliver Evans created about fifty steam plants based on Watt's machine. Trying to reduce the dimensions of James Watt's installation, he designed steam engines for flour mills. However, Oliver Evans gained worldwide fame for his amphibious steam car. In 1789, his first automobile in the United States successfully passed land and water tests.

On his amphibian, which can be called the prototype of all-terrain vehicles, Evans installed a machine with a steam pressure of ten atmospheres!

The nine-meter car-boat had a weight of about 15 tons. The steam engine drove the rear wheels and propeller. By the way, Oliver Evans was also a supporter of the creation of a high-pressure steam engine. On his amphibian, which can be called the prototype of all-terrain vehicles, Evans installed a machine with a steam pressure of ten atmospheres!

If the inventors of the 18th and 19th centuries had the technology of the 21st century at their fingertips, can you imagine how much technology they would come up with!? And what technology!

XX century and 204 km / h on the steam car Stanley

Yes! The 18th century gave a powerful impetus to the development of steam transport. Numerous and varied designs of self-propelled steam carts began to increasingly dilute horse-drawn vehicles on the roads of Europe and America. By the beginning of the 20th century, steam-powered cars had spread significantly and became a familiar symbol of their time. As is the photograph.

The 18th century gave a powerful impetus to the development of steam transport

It was their photographic company that the Stanley brothers sold when, in 1897, they decided to seriously engage in the production of steam cars in the United States. They created well-selling steam cars. But this was not enough for them to satisfy their ambitious plans. After all, they were just one of many such automakers. So it was until they designed their "rocket".

It was their photographic company that the Stanley brothers sold when, in 1897, they decided to seriously engage in the production of steam cars in the United States.

Of course, Stanley cars had the reputation of a reliable car. The steam unit was located at the back, and the boiler was heated using torches of gasoline or kerosene. The flywheel of a double-acting steam two-cylinder engine is rotated to the rear axle by means of a chain drive. There were no cases of boiler explosions at Stanley Steamer. But they needed a splash.

Of course, Stanley cars had the reputation of a reliable car.

With their "rocket" they made a splash all over the world. 205.4 km/h in 1906! No one has gone so fast! A car with an internal combustion engine broke this record only 5 years later. Stanley's plywood steam-powered "Rocket" defined the shape of racing cars for many years to come. But after 1917, Stanley Steamer increasingly experienced competition from the cheap Ford T and retired.

Doble brothers' unique steam cars

This famous family managed to provide decent resistance to gasoline engines right up to the beginning of the 30s of the XX century. They didn't build cars for records. The brothers truly loved their steam cars. Otherwise, how else to explain the honeycomb radiator invented by them and the ignition button? Their models were not like small locomotives.

The brothers Abner and John revolutionized steam transport.

The brothers Abner and John revolutionized steam transport. To get moving, his car did not need to warm up for 10–20 minutes. The ignition button pumped kerosene from the carburetor into the combustion chamber. He got there after lighting with a glow plug. The water heated up in a matter of seconds, and after a minute and a half, the steam created the necessary pressure and it was possible to go.

The exhaust steam was sent to the radiator for condensation and preparation for subsequent cycles. Therefore, for a smooth run of 2000 km, Doble cars needed only ninety liters of water in the system and several liters of kerosene. Nobody could offer such profitability! Perhaps it was at the Detroit Auto Show in 1917 that Stanley met the Doble brothers' model and began to wind down their production.

The Model E became the most luxurious car of the second half of the 20s and the latest version of the Doble steam car. Leather interior, polished elements of wood and elephant bone delighted wealthy owners inside the car. In such a cabin, one could enjoy mileage at speeds up to 160 km / h. Only 25 seconds separated the moment of ignition from the moment of launch. It took another 10 seconds for a car weighing 1.2 tons to accelerate to 120 km / h!

All these high-speed qualities were incorporated in a four-cylinder engine. Two pistons were pushed out by steam at a high pressure of 140 atmospheres, and the other two sent the cooled low-pressure steam to a honeycomb condenser-radiator. But in the first half of the 30s, these beauties of the Doble brothers ceased to be produced.

Steam trucks

However, one should not forget that steam traction developed rapidly in freight transport. It was in the cities that steam cars caused snobs to become allergic. But the goods must be delivered in any weather and not only in the city. What about intercity buses and military equipment? You can't get off with small cars there.

Freight transport has one significant advantage over passenger cars - these are its dimensions.

Freight transport has one significant advantage over passenger cars - these are its dimensions. They allow you to place powerful power plants anywhere in the car. Moreover, it will only increase the carrying capacity and throughput. And what the truck will look like is not always paid attention to.

Among the steam trucks, I would like to highlight the English Sentinel and the Soviet NAMI. Of course, there were many others, such as Foden, Fowler, Yorkshire. But it was Sentinel and NAMI that turned out to be the most tenacious and were produced until the end of the 50s of the last century. They could run on any solid fuel - coal, wood, peat. The omnivorous nature of these steam trucks put them beyond the influence of oil prices, and also allowed them to be used in hard-to-reach places.

Workaholic Santinel with an English accent

These two trucks differ not only in the country of manufacture. The principles of the location of the steam generators were also different. Sentinels are characterized by the upper and lower arrangement of steam engines relative to the boiler. At the top location, the steam generator supplied hot steam directly to the engine chamber, which was connected to the bridges by a system of cardan shafts. With the lower location of the steam engine, i.e., on the chassis, the boiler heated the water and supplied steam to the engine through the pipes, which guaranteed temperature losses.

Sentinels are characterized by the upper and lower arrangement of steam engines relative to the boiler.

The presence of a chain transmission from the flywheel of a steam engine to cardans was typical for both types. This allowed the designers to unify the production of Sentinels depending on the customer. For hot countries such as India, steam trucks were produced with a lower, separated arrangement of the boiler and engine. For countries with cold winters - with the upper, combined type.

For hot countries such as India, steam trucks were produced with a lower, separated arrangement of the boiler and engine.

Many proven technologies were used on these trucks. Spools and steam distribution valves, single and double acting motors, high or low pressure, with or without gearbox. However, this did not extend the life of the English steam trucks. Although they were produced until the end of the 50s of the XX century and even served in the military before and during the 2nd World War, they were still bulky and somewhat resembled steam locomotives. And since there were no interested persons in their cardinal modernization, their fate was sealed.

Although they were produced until the end of the 50s of the XX century and even served in the military before and during the 2nd World War, they were still bulky and somewhat resembled steam locomotives.

To whom what, and to us - US

In order to revive the war-ravaged economy of the Soviet Union, it was necessary to find a way not to waste oil resources, at least in hard-to-reach places - in the north of the country and in Siberia. Soviet engineers were given the opportunity to study the design of the Sentinel with an overhead four-cylinder direct-acting steam engine and develop their own "answer to Chamberlain".

In the 30s, Russian institutes and design bureaus made repeated attempts to create an alternative truck for the timber industry.

In the 30s, Russian institutes and design bureaus made repeated attempts to create an alternative truck for the timber industry. But each time the case stopped at the testing stage. Using their own experience and the opportunity to study captured steam vehicles, the engineers managed to convince the country's leadership of the need for such a steam truck. Moreover, gasoline cost 24 times more than coal. And with the cost of firewood in the taiga, you can generally not mention it.

A group of designers led by Yu. Shebalin simplified the steam unit as a whole as much as possible. They combined a four-cylinder engine and a boiler into one unit and placed it between the body and the cab. We put this installation on the chassis of the serial YaAZ (MAZ) -200. The work of steam and its condensation were combined in a closed cycle. The supply of wood ingots from the bunker was carried out automatically.

This is how NAMI-012 was born, or rather on the off-road forest. Obviously, the principle of bunker supply of solid fuel and the location of the steam engine on the truck was borrowed from the practice of gas generators.

The fate of the owner of the forests - NAMI-012

The characteristics of the steam domestic flatbed truck and timber carrier NAMI-012 were as follows

• Load capacity - 6 tons
• Speed ​​- 45 km / h
• Range without refueling - 80 km, if it was possible to renew the water supply, then 150 km
• Torque at low speeds - 240 kgm, which was almost 5 times higher than the base YaAZ-200
• A natural circulation boiler created a pressure of 25 atmospheres and brought steam to a temperature of 420 ° C
• It was possible to replenish water supplies directly from the reservoir through ejectors
• The all-metal cab did not have a hood and was pushed forward
• The speed was controlled by the amount of steam in the engine using a feed/cutoff lever. With its help, the cylinders were filled by 25/40/75%.
• One reverse gear and three control pedals.

Serious shortcomings of the steam truck were the consumption of 400 kg of firewood per 100 km of track and the need to get rid of water in the boiler in cold weather.

Serious shortcomings of the steam truck were the consumption of 400 kg of firewood per 100 km of track and the need to get rid of water in the boiler in cold weather. But the main disadvantage that was present in the first sample was poor patency in an unloaded state. Then it turned out that the front axle was overloaded with the cabin and the steam unit, compared to the rear. We coped with this task by installing a modernized steam power plant on the all-wheel drive YaAZ-214. Now the power of the NAMI-018 timber carrier has been increased to 125 horsepower.

But, not having time to spread throughout the country, steam generator trucks were all disposed of in the second half of the 50s of the last century.

But, not having time to spread throughout the country, steam generator trucks were all disposed of in the second half of the 50s of the last century. However, together with gas generators. Because the cost of converting cars, the economic impact and ease of operation were labor intensive and questionable, compared to gasoline and diesel trucks. Moreover, by this time oil production was already being established in the Soviet Union.

Fast and affordable modern steam car

Do not think that the idea of ​​a steam-powered car is forgotten forever. Now there is a significant increase in interest in engines that are alternative to internal combustion engines on gasoline and diesel fuel. The world's oil reserves are not unlimited. Yes, and the cost of petroleum products is constantly increasing. The designers tried so hard to improve the internal combustion engine that their ideas almost reached their limit.

Electric cars, hydrogen cars, gas generators and steam cars have become hot topics again. Hello, forgotten 19th century!

Now there is a significant increase in interest in engines that are alternative to internal combustion engines on gasoline and diesel fuel.

A British engineer (England again!) demonstrated the new possibilities of a steam engine. He created his Inspuration not only to demonstrate the relevance of steam-powered cars. His brainchild is made for records. 274 km / h - this is the speed that is accelerated by twelve boilers installed on a 7.6 meter car. Only 40 liters of water is enough for liquefied gas to bring the steam temperature to 400 ° C in just an instant. Just think, it took 103 years for history to break the speed record for a steam-powered car set by the Rocket!

In a modern steam generator, you can use powdered coal or other cheap fuels, such as fuel oil, liquefied gas. That is why steam cars have always been and will be popular.

But in order for an environmentally friendly future to come, it is again necessary to overcome the resistance of oil lobbyists.

I came across an interesting article on the Internet.

"American inventor Robert Green has developed a completely new technology that generates kinetic energy by converting residual energy (as well as other fuels). Green's steam engines are piston-strengthened and designed for a wide range of practical purposes."
That's it, nothing more, nothing less: a completely new technology. Well, naturally began to look, trying to penetrate. Everywhere it's written one of the most unique advantages of this engine is the ability to generate power from the residual energy of the engines. More precisely, the residual exhaust energy of the engine can be converted to energy going to the pumps and cooling systems of the unit. Well, so what of this, as I understand it, use exhaust gases to bring water to a boil and then convert steam into motion. How necessary and low-cost it is, because ... even though this engine, as they say, is specially designed from a minimum number of parts, it still costs a lot and is there any point in fencing a garden, all the more fundamentally new in this invention I don’t see . And a lot of mechanisms for converting reciprocating motion into rotational motion have already been invented. On the author's website, a two-cylinder model is for sale, in principle, not expensive
only 46 dollars.
On the author's website there is a video using solar energy, there is also a photo where someone on a boat uses this engine.
But in both cases it is clearly not residual heat. In short, I doubt the reliability of such an engine: "The ball bearings are at the same time hollow channels through which steam is supplied to the cylinders." What is your opinion, dear users of the site?
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