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?
Articles in Russian
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 speed of rotation of the shaft is maintained. 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 , the work of the resistance forces created by the consumer becomes less, 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 points. The crank also passes through them due to the inertia of the flywheel.
In 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 to 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. Moreover, 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 their 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 machines, then this article is just for you, in it we will be happy to tell you about the various ways 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 for setting the structure in motion. The central part of the tube is 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" 90 degrees in different directions. 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 assemble a more serious steam engine with our own hands. 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 of the interior. A steam engine will not work well if there is not enough air at the source of the fire.
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 a piston and a flywheel to the upper end of the copper tube. As a result, the thermal energy of combustion will be converted into mechanical forces of wheel rotation. There are a huge number of different schemes for creating such an external combustion engine, 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.
Steam engines were used as a driving engine in pumping stations, locomotives, on steam ships, tractors, steam cars and other vehicles. Steam engines contributed to the widespread commercial use of machines in enterprises and were the energy basis of the industrial revolution of the 18th century. Steam engines were later superseded by internal combustion engines, steam turbines, electric motors, and nuclear reactors, which are more efficient.
Steam engine in action
invention and development
The first known device powered by steam was described by Heron of Alexandria in the first century, the so-called "Heron's bath" or "aeolipil". The steam coming out tangentially from the nozzles fixed on the ball made the latter rotate. It is assumed that the transformation of steam into mechanical motion was known in Egypt during the period of Roman rule and was used in simple devices.
First industrial engines
None of the described devices has actually been used as a means of solving useful problems. The first steam engine used in production was the "fire engine", designed by the English military engineer Thomas Savery in 1698. Savery received a patent for his device in 1698. It was a reciprocating steam pump, and obviously not very efficient, since the heat of the steam was lost each time the container was cooled, and rather dangerous in operation, because due to the high pressure of the steam, the tanks and engine pipelines sometimes exploded. Since this device could be used both to turn the wheels of a water mill and to pump water out of mines, the inventor called it a "miner's friend."
Then the English blacksmith Thomas Newcomen demonstrated his "atmospheric engine" in 1712, which was the first steam engine for which there could be commercial demand. This was an improvement on Savery's steam engine, in which Newcomen substantially reduced the operating pressure of the steam. Newcomen may have been based on a description of Papin's experiments held by the Royal Society of London, to which he may have had access through a member of the society, Robert Hooke, who worked with Papin.
Diagram of the Newcomen steam engine.
– Steam is shown in purple, water in blue.
– Open valves are shown in green, closed valves in red
The first application of the Newcomen engine was to pump water from a deep mine. In the mine pump, the rocker was connected to a rod that descended into the mine to the pump chamber. The reciprocating movements of the thrust were transmitted to the piston of the pump, which supplied water to the top. The valves of early Newcomen engines were opened and closed by hand. The first improvement was the automation of the valves, which were driven by the machine itself. Legend tells that this improvement was made in 1713 by the boy Humphrey Potter, who had to open and close the valves; when he got tired of it, he tied the valve handles with ropes and went to play with the children. By 1715, a lever control system was already created, driven by the mechanism of the engine itself.
The first two-cylinder vacuum steam engine in Russia was designed by the mechanic I. I. Polzunov in 1763 and built in 1764 to drive blower bellows at the Barnaul Kolyvano-Voskresensky factories.
Humphrey Gainsborough built a model condenser steam engine in the 1760s. In 1769, Scottish mechanic James Watt (perhaps using Gainsborough's ideas) patented the first major improvements to Newcomen's vacuum engine, which made it much more fuel efficient. Watt's contribution was to separate the condensation phase of the vacuum engine in a separate chamber while the piston and cylinder were at steam temperature. Watt added a few more important details to the Newcomen engine: he placed a piston inside the cylinder to expel steam and converted the reciprocating motion of the piston into the rotational motion of the drive wheel.
Based on these patents, Watt built a steam engine in Birmingham. By 1782, Watt's steam engine was more than 3 times as efficient as Newcomen's. The improvement in the efficiency of the Watt engine led to the use of steam power in industry. In addition, unlike the Newcomen engine, the Watt engine made it possible to transmit rotational motion, while in early models of steam engines the piston was connected to the rocker arm, and not directly to the connecting rod. This engine already had the main features of modern steam engines.
A further increase in efficiency was the use of high pressure steam (American Oliver Evans and Englishman Richard Trevithick). R. Trevithick successfully built high-pressure industrial single-stroke engines, known as "Cornish engines". They operated at 50 psi, or 345 kPa (3.405 atmospheres). However, with increasing pressure, there was also a greater danger of explosions in machines and boilers, which initially led to numerous accidents. From this point of view, the most important element of the high-pressure machine was the safety valve, which released excess pressure. Reliable and safe operation began only with the accumulation of experience and the standardization of procedures for the construction, operation and maintenance of equipment.
French inventor Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot demonstrated the first working self-propelled steam vehicle in 1769: the "fardier à vapeur" (steam cart). Perhaps his invention can be considered the first automobile. The self-propelled steam tractor turned out to be very useful as a mobile source of mechanical energy that set in motion other agricultural machines: threshers, presses, etc. In 1788, a steamboat built by John Fitch was already operating a regular service along the Delaware River between Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) and Burlington (state of New York). He lifted 30 passengers on board and went at a speed of 7-8 miles per hour. J. Fitch's steamboat was not commercially successful, as a good overland road competed with its route. In 1802, Scottish engineer William Symington built a competitive steamboat, and in 1807, American engineer Robert Fulton used a Watt steam engine to power the first commercially successful steamboat. On 21 February 1804, the first self-propelled railway steam locomotive, built by Richard Trevithick, was on display at the Penydarren ironworks at Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales.
Reciprocating steam engines
Reciprocating engines use steam power to move a piston in a sealed chamber or cylinder. The reciprocating action of a piston can be mechanically converted into linear motion for piston pumps, or into rotary motion to drive rotating parts of machine tools or vehicle wheels.
vacuum machines
Early steam engines were called at first "fire engines", and also "atmospheric" or "condensing" Watt engines. They worked on the vacuum principle and are therefore also known as "vacuum engines". Such machines worked to drive piston pumps, in any case, there is no evidence that they were used for other purposes. During the operation of a vacuum-type steam engine, at the beginning of the cycle, low-pressure steam is admitted into the working chamber or cylinder. The inlet valve then closes and the steam cools and condenses. In a Newcomen engine, the cooling water is sprayed directly into the cylinder and the condensate escapes into a condensate collector. This creates a vacuum in the cylinder. Atmospheric pressure at the top of the cylinder presses on the piston, and causes it to move down, that is, the power stroke.
Constant cooling and reheating of the working cylinder of the machine was very wasteful and inefficient, however, these steam engines allowed pumping water from a greater depth than was possible before their appearance. A version of the steam engine appeared in the year, created by Watt in collaboration with Matthew Boulton, the main innovation of which was the removal of the condensation process in a special separate chamber (condenser). This chamber was placed in a cold water bath and connected to the cylinder by a tube closed by a valve. A special small vacuum pump (a prototype of a condensate pump) was attached to the condensation chamber, driven by a rocker and used to remove condensate from the condenser. The resulting hot water was supplied by a special pump (a prototype of the feed pump) back to the boiler. Another radical innovation was the closure of the upper end of the working cylinder, at the top of which was now low-pressure steam. The same steam was present in the double jacket of the cylinder, maintaining its constant temperature. During the upward movement of the piston, this steam was transferred through special tubes to the lower part of the cylinder in order to be condensed during the next stroke. The machine, in fact, ceased to be "atmospheric", and its power now depended on the pressure difference between low-pressure steam and the vacuum that could be obtained. In the Newcomen steam engine, the piston was lubricated with a small amount of water poured on top of it, in Watt's engine this became impossible, since steam was now in the upper part of the cylinder, it was necessary to switch to lubrication with a mixture of grease and oil. The same grease was used in the cylinder rod stuffing box.
Vacuum steam engines, despite the obvious limitations of their efficiency, were relatively safe, using low pressure steam, which was quite consistent with the general low level of 18th century boiler technology. The power of the machine was limited by low steam pressure, cylinder size, the rate of fuel combustion and water evaporation in the boiler, and the size of the condenser. The maximum theoretical efficiency was limited by the relatively small temperature difference on either side of the piston; this made vacuum machines intended for industrial use too large and expensive.
Compression
The outlet port of a steam engine cylinder closes slightly before the piston reaches its end position, leaving some exhaust steam in the cylinder. This means that there is a compression phase in the cycle of operation, which forms the so-called “vapor cushion”, which slows down the movement of the piston in its extreme positions. It also eliminates the sudden pressure drop at the very beginning of the intake phase when fresh steam enters the cylinder.
Advance
The described effect of the "steam cushion" is also enhanced by the fact that the intake of fresh steam into the cylinder begins somewhat earlier than the piston reaches the extreme position, that is, there is some advance of the intake. This advance is necessary so that before the piston starts its working stroke under the action of fresh steam, the steam would have time to fill the dead space that arose as a result of the previous phase, that is, the intake-exhaust channels and the volume of the cylinder not used for piston movement.
simple extension
A simple expansion assumes that the steam only works when it expands in the cylinder, and the exhaust steam is released directly into the atmosphere or enters a special condenser. The residual heat of the steam can then be used, for example, to heat a room or a vehicle, as well as to preheat the water entering the boiler.
Compound
During the expansion process in the cylinder of a high-pressure machine, the temperature of the steam drops in proportion to its expansion. Since there is no heat exchange (adiabatic process), it turns out that the steam enters the cylinder at a higher temperature than it leaves it. Such temperature fluctuations in the cylinder lead to a decrease in the efficiency of the process.
One of the methods of dealing with this temperature difference was proposed in 1804 by the English engineer Arthur Wolfe, who patented Wulff high-pressure compound steam engine. In this machine, high-temperature steam from the steam boiler entered the high-pressure cylinder, and then the steam exhausted in it at a lower temperature and pressure entered the low-pressure cylinder (or cylinders). This reduced the temperature difference in each cylinder, which generally reduced temperature losses and improved the overall efficiency of the steam engine. The low-pressure steam had a larger volume, and therefore required a larger volume of the cylinder. Therefore, in compound machines, the low pressure cylinders had a larger diameter (and sometimes longer) than the high pressure cylinders.
This arrangement is also known as "double expansion" because the vapor expansion occurs in two stages. Sometimes one high-pressure cylinder was connected to two low-pressure cylinders, resulting in three approximately the same size cylinders. Such a scheme was easier to balance.
Two-cylinder compounding machines can be classified as:
- Cross compound- Cylinders are located side by side, their steam-conducting channels are crossed.
- Tandem compound- Cylinders are arranged in series and use one rod.
- Angle compound- The cylinders are at an angle to each other, usually 90 degrees, and operate on one crank.
After the 1880s, compound steam engines became widespread in manufacturing and transportation, and became virtually the only type used on steamboats. Their use on steam locomotives was not as widespread as they proved to be too complex, partly due to the difficult operating conditions of steam engines in rail transport. Although compound locomotives never became a mainstream phenomenon (especially in the UK, where they were very rare and not used at all after the 1930s), they gained some popularity in several countries.
Multiple expansion
Simplified diagram of a triple expansion steam engine.
High pressure steam (red) from the boiler passes through the machine, leaving the condenser at low pressure (blue).
The logical development of the compound scheme was the addition of additional expansion stages to it, which increased the efficiency of work. The result was a multiple expansion scheme known as triple or even quadruple expansion machines. Such steam engines used a series of double-acting cylinders, the volume of which increased with each stage. Sometimes, instead of increasing the volume of low pressure cylinders, an increase in their number was used, just as on some compound machines.
The image on the right shows a triple expansion steam engine in operation. Steam flows through the machine from left to right. The valve block of each cylinder is located to the left of the corresponding cylinder.
The appearance of this type of steam engines became especially relevant for the fleet, since the size and weight requirements for ship engines were not very strict, and most importantly, this scheme made it easy to use a condenser that returns the exhaust steam in the form of fresh water back to the boiler (use salty sea water to power the boilers was not possible). Ground-based steam engines usually did not experience problems with water supply and therefore could emit exhaust steam into the atmosphere. Therefore, such a scheme was less relevant for them, especially considering its complexity, size and weight. The dominance of multiple expansion steam engines ended only with the advent and widespread use of steam turbines. However, modern steam turbines use the same principle of dividing the flow into high, medium and low pressure cylinders.
Direct-flow steam engines
Once-through steam engines arose as a result of an attempt to overcome one drawback inherent in steam engines with traditional steam distribution. The fact is that the steam in an ordinary steam engine constantly changes its direction of movement, since the same window on each side of the cylinder is used for both inlet and outlet of steam. When the exhaust steam leaves the cylinder, it cools its walls and steam distribution channels. Fresh steam, accordingly, spends a certain part of the energy on heating them, which leads to a drop in efficiency. Once-through steam engines have an additional port, which is opened by a piston at the end of each phase, and through which the steam leaves the cylinder. This improves the efficiency of the machine as the steam moves in one direction and the temperature gradient of the cylinder walls remains more or less constant. Once-through machines with a single expansion show about the same efficiency as compound machines with conventional steam distribution. In addition, they can operate at higher speeds, and therefore, before the advent of steam turbines, they were often used to drive power generators that require high rotational speeds.
Once-through steam engines are either single or double acting.
Steam turbines
A steam turbine is a series of rotating disks fixed on a single axis, called the turbine rotor, and a series of fixed disks alternating with them, fixed on a base, called the stator. The rotor disks have blades on the outer side, steam is supplied to these blades and turns the disks. The stator discs have similar blades set at opposite angles, which serve to redirect the steam flow to the following rotor discs. Each rotor disc and its corresponding stator disc is called a turbine stage. The number and size of the stages of each turbine are selected in such a way as to maximize the useful energy of the steam of the speed and pressure that is supplied to it. The exhaust steam leaving the turbine enters the condenser. Turbines spin at very high speeds, and so special step-down transmissions are commonly used when transferring power to other equipment. In addition, turbines cannot change their direction of rotation, and often require additional reverse mechanisms (sometimes additional reverse rotation stages are used).
Turbines convert steam energy directly into rotation and do not require additional mechanisms for converting reciprocating motion into rotation. In addition, turbines are more compact than reciprocating machines and have a constant force on the output shaft. Since turbines are of a simpler design, they tend to require less maintenance.
Other types of steam engines
Application
Steam engines can be classified according to their application as follows:
Stationary machines
steam hammer
Steam engine in an old sugar factory, Cuba
Stationary steam engines can be divided into two types according to the mode of use:
- Variable duty machines such as rolling mills, steam winches and similar devices that must stop and change direction frequently.
- Power machines that rarely stop and do not have to change direction of rotation. These include power motors in power stations, as well as industrial motors used in factories, factories, and cable railways before the widespread use of electric traction. Low power engines are used in marine models and in special devices.
The steam winch is essentially a stationary engine, but mounted on a base frame so that it can be moved around. It can be secured by a cable to the anchor and moved by its own thrust to a new location.
Transport vehicles
Steam engines were used to power various types of vehicles, among them:
- Land vehicles:
- steam car
- steam tractor
- Steam excavator, and even
- Steam plane.
In Russia, the first operating steam locomotive was built by E. A. and M. E. Cherepanov at the Nizhny Tagil plant in 1834 to transport ore. He developed a speed of 13 miles per hour and carried more than 200 pounds (3.2 tons) of cargo. The length of the first railway was 850 m.
Advantages of steam engines
The main advantage of steam engines is that they can use almost any heat source to convert it into mechanical work. This distinguishes them from internal combustion engines, each type of which requires the use of a specific type of fuel. This advantage is most noticeable when using nuclear energy, since a nuclear reactor is not able to generate mechanical energy, but only produces heat, which is used to generate steam that drives steam engines (usually steam turbines). In addition, there are other sources of heat that cannot be used in internal combustion engines, such as solar energy. An interesting direction is the use of the energy of the temperature difference of the World Ocean at different depths.
Other types of external combustion engines also have similar properties, such as the Stirling engine, which can provide very high efficiency, but are significantly larger and heavier than modern types of steam engines.
Steam locomotives perform well at high altitudes, since their efficiency does not drop due to low atmospheric pressure. Steam locomotives are still used in the mountainous regions of Latin America, despite the fact that in the lowlands they have long been replaced by more modern types of locomotives.
In Switzerland (Brienz Rothhorn) and Austria (Schafberg Bahn), new steam locomotives using dry steam have proved their worth. This type of steam locomotive was developed based on the models of the Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works (SLM)'s, with many modern improvements such as the use of roller bearings, modern thermal insulation, burning light oil fractions as fuel, improved steam pipelines, etc. . As a result, these locomotives have 60% lower fuel consumption and significantly lower maintenance requirements. The economic qualities of such locomotives are comparable to modern diesel and electric locomotives.
In addition, steam locomotives are significantly lighter than diesel and electric locomotives, which is especially true for mountain railways. A feature of steam engines is that they do not need a transmission, transferring power directly to the wheels.
Efficiency
The coefficient of performance (COP) of a heat engine can be defined as the ratio of useful mechanical work to the spent amount of heat contained in the fuel. The rest of the energy is released into the environment in the form of heat. The efficiency of the heat engine is
I will skip the inspection of the museum exhibition and go straight to the engine room. Those who are interested can find the full version of the post in my LiveJournal. The machine room is located in this building:
29. Going inside, I was breathless with delight - inside the hall was the most beautiful steam engine I have ever seen. It was a real temple of steampunk - a sacred place for all adherents of the aesthetics of the steam age. I was amazed by what I saw and realized that it was not in vain that I drove into this town and visited this museum.
30. In addition to the huge steam engine, which is the main museum object, various samples of smaller steam engines were also presented here, and the history of steam technology was told on numerous information stands. In this picture you see a fully functioning 12 hp steam engine.
31. Hand for scale. The machine was created in 1920.
32. A 1940 compressor is exhibited next to the main museum specimen.
33. This compressor was used in the past in the railway workshops of the Werdau station.
34. Well, now let's take a closer look at the central exhibit of the museum exposition - a 600-horsepower steam engine manufactured in 1899, to which the second half of this post will be devoted.
35. The steam engine is a symbol of the industrial revolution that took place in Europe in the late 18th and early 19th century. Although the first models of steam engines were created by various inventors at the beginning of the 18th century, they were all unsuitable for industrial use, as they had a number of drawbacks. The mass use of steam engines in industry became possible only after the Scottish inventor James Watt improved the mechanism of the steam engine, making it easy to operate, safe and five times more powerful than the models that existed before.
36. James Watt patented his invention in 1775 and as early as the 1880s, his steam engines began to infiltrate factories, becoming the catalyst for the industrial revolution. This happened primarily because James Watt managed to create a mechanism for converting the translational motion of a steam engine into rotational. All steam engines that existed before could only produce translational movements and be used only as pumps. And Watt's invention could already rotate the wheel of a mill or drive factory machines.
37. In 1800, the firm of Watt and his companion Bolton produced 496 steam engines, of which only 164 were used as pumps. And already in 1810 in England there were 5 thousand steam engines, and this number tripled in the next 15 years. In 1790, the first steam boat carrying up to thirty passengers began to run between Philadelphia and Burlington in the United States, and in 1804 Richard Trevintik built the first operating steam locomotive. The era of steam engines began, which lasted the entire nineteenth century, and on the railway and the first half of the twentieth.
38. This was a brief historical background, now back to the main object of the museum exhibition. The steam engine you see in the pictures was manufactured by Zwikauer Maschinenfabrik AG in 1899 and installed in the engine room of the "C.F.Schmelzer und Sohn" spinning mill. The steam engine was intended to drive spinning machines and was used in this role until 1941.
39. Chic nameplate. At that time, industrial machinery was made with great attention to aesthetic appearance and style, not only functionality was important, but also beauty, which is reflected in every detail of this machine. At the beginning of the twentieth century, simply no one would have bought ugly equipment.
40. The spinning mill "C.F.Schmelzer und Sohn" was founded in 1820 on the site of the present museum. Already in 1841, the first steam engine with a power of 8 hp was installed at the factory. for driving spinning machines, which in 1899 was replaced by a new, more powerful and modern one.
41. The factory existed until 1941, then production was stopped due to the outbreak of war. For all forty-two years, the machine was used for its intended purpose, as a drive for spinning machines, and after the end of the war in 1945-1951, it served as a backup source of electricity, after which it was finally written off from the balance of the enterprise.
42. Like many of her brothers, the car would have been cut, if not for one factor. This machine was the first steam engine in Germany, which received steam through pipes from a boiler house located in the distance. In addition, she had an axle adjustment system from PROELL. Thanks to these factors, the car received the status of a historical monument in 1959 and became a museum. Unfortunately, all the factory buildings and the boiler building were demolished in 1992. This machine room is the only thing left of the former spinning mill.
43. Magical aesthetics of the steam age!
44. Nameplate on the body of the axle adjustment system from PROELL. The system regulated the cut-off - the amount of steam that is let into the cylinder. More cut-off - more efficiency, but less power.
45. Instruments.
46. By its design, this machine is a multiple expansion steam engine (or as they are also called a compound machine). In machines of this type, steam expands sequentially in several cylinders of increasing volume, passing from cylinder to cylinder, which makes it possible to significantly increase the efficiency of the engine. This machine has three cylinders: in the center of the frame there is a high pressure cylinder - it was into it that fresh steam from the boiler room was supplied, then after the expansion cycle, the steam was transferred to the medium pressure cylinder, which is located to the right of the high pressure cylinder.
47. Having completed the work, the steam from the medium pressure cylinder moved to the low pressure cylinder, which you see in this picture, after which, having completed the last expansion, it was released outside through a separate pipe. Thus, the most complete use of steam energy was achieved.
48. The stationary power of this installation was 400-450 hp, maximum 600 hp.
49. The wrench for car repair and maintenance is impressive in size. Under it are the ropes, with the help of which the rotational movements were transmitted from the flywheel of the machine to the transmission connected to the spinning machines.
50. Flawless Belle Époque aesthetics in every screw.
51. In this picture, you can see in detail the device of the machine. The steam expanding in the cylinder transferred energy to the piston, which in turn carried out translational motion, transferring it to the crank-slider mechanism, in which it was transformed into rotational and transmitted to the flywheel and further to the transmission.
52. In the past, an electric current generator was also connected to the steam engine, which is also preserved in excellent original condition.
53. In the past, the generator was located at this place.
54. A mechanism for transmitting torque from the flywheel to the generator.
55. Now, in place of the generator, an electric motor has been installed, with the help of which a steam engine is set in motion for the amusement of the public for several days a year. Every year the museum hosts "Steam Days" - an event that brings together fans and modelers of steam engines. These days the steam engine is also set in motion.
56. The original DC generator is now on the sidelines. In the past, it was used to generate electricity for factory lighting.
57. Produced by "Elektrotechnische & Maschinenfabrik Ernst Walther" in Werdau in 1899, according to the information plate, but the year 1901 is on the original nameplate.
58. Since I was the only visitor to the museum that day, no one prevented me from enjoying the aesthetics of this place one-on-one with a car. In addition, the absence of people contributed to getting good photos.
59. Now a few words about the transmission. As you can see in this picture, the surface of the flywheel has 12 rope grooves, with the help of which the rotary motion of the flywheel was transmitted further to the transmission elements.
60. A transmission, consisting of wheels of various diameters connected by shafts, distributed the rotational movement to several floors of a factory building, on which spinning machines were located, powered by energy transmitted by a transmission from a steam engine.
61. Flywheel with grooves for ropes close-up.
62. The transmission elements are clearly visible here, with the help of which the torque was transmitted to a shaft passing underground and transmitting rotational motion to the factory building adjacent to the machine room, in which the machines were located.
63. Unfortunately, the factory building was not preserved and behind the door that led to the neighboring building, now there is only emptiness.
64. Separately, it is worth noting the electrical control panel, which in itself is a work of art.
65. Marble board in a beautiful wooden frame with rows of levers and fuses located on it, a luxurious lantern, stylish appliances - Belle Époque in all its glory.
66. The two huge fuses located between the lantern and the instruments are impressive.
67. Fuses, levers, regulators - all equipment is aesthetically pleasing. It can be seen that when creating this shield, the appearance was taken care of not least.
68. Under each lever and fuse is a "button" with the inscription that this lever turns on / off.
69. The splendor of the technology of the period of the "beautiful era".
70. At the end of the story, let's return to the car and enjoy the delightful harmony and aesthetics of its details.
71. Control valves for individual machine components.
72. Drip oilers designed to lubricate moving parts and assemblies of the machine.
73. This device is called a grease fitting. From the moving part of the machine, worms are set in motion, moving the oiler piston, and it pumps oil to the rubbing surfaces. After the piston reaches dead center, it is lifted back by turning the handle and the cycle repeats.
74. How beautiful! Pure delight!
75. Machine cylinders with intake valve columns.
76. More oil cans.
77. A classic steampunk aesthetic.
78. The camshaft of the machine, which regulates the supply of steam to the cylinders.
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81. All this is very very beautiful! I received a huge charge of inspiration and joyful emotions while visiting this machine room.
82. If fate suddenly brings you to the Zwickau region, be sure to visit this museum, you will not regret it. Museum website and coordinates: 50°43"58"N 12°22"25"E
