The Importance and History of the Steam Engine Essay

The introduction of an a highly efficient steam engine by Thomas Watt in 1769 was undoubtedly a crucial factor in the advent of the industrial revolution. This made it possible for mills and later factories to be located nearly anywhere by eliminating the necessity of a running stream to provide power. It was the rise of the factory system of manufacture with its strategy for the specialization of labor which contributed most to the

The idea of using steam as a force to power machinery was not new during the seventeen hundreds; it had already been mentioned by ancient Greek scholars. It was scientist such as James watt that refined that idea to create the steam engine (Live science, 2012). The concept is simple, water is heated by coal and the resulting steam acts as a driving force for the machines, similar to how the rivers flow powered the mills (Live science, 2012). Water power meant that factories were limited to certain locations, however steam powered factories could did not have such constraint (Live science, 2012). The steam engine expanded industries all over Britain. First, it improved the coal industry by pumping water out of coal mines, making it safe from flooding (Live science, 2012). Secondly, the

The most successful steam engine, built by Thomas Newcomen, was used to clean water out of the mines, which meant more coal to power more steam engines, which led James Watt to see the opportunity for improvement. Watt’s newer engine made railroads and steamboats possible. Actually almost all electricity all over the world, whether from coal or nuclear power is just a steam engine, which shows how truly revolutionary the steam engine was.

In spite of the fact that steam as a method for force had been initially explored different avenues regarding by the antiquated Greeks and Romans a large number of years prior, and the first trial steam motors had been fabricated as right on time as the late seventeenth century, it wasn't until the turn of the nineteenth century that it turned into the really commonsense vitality source which was to light the modern insurgency. Indeed, it is difficult to envision the nineteenth century without the steam motor, for from numerous points of view it was the main thrust behind America's western development, assumed a noteworthy part in the North winning the Civil War, and helped the United States make its initial conditional strides

First of all, what are the steam engine and internal combustion engine? The steam engine was first created in 1698, then was reintroduced in 1763 by James Watt. A steam engine works by boiling a big tank of water, called the boiler, under high pressure to produce steam. Tubes run from the firebox to the chimney and carry the

The steam engine revolutionized the way mechanical work was done. Its invention came in the early 1700s in Spain; it worked but was not very efficient, as many firsts are. In 1781, James Watt patented a steam engine that became a key part of the Industrial Revolution; one that worked in a continuous rotative motion that produced torque to do mechanical work. The Industrial Revolution started in 1760 and lasted through the 1840s, during the industrialization of the United States. Once the Watt steam engine had proved itself, it was time for it to be used in other means than just

He was definitely the first to make a huge advance in the development of the steam engine. There is actually a Newcomen Engine still around today.”(Robert H. Thurston) It resides at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. The engine was originally used to pump water from a mine with an over all power of about fifteen horsepower in 1760. However, neither Savery nor Newcomen had any grander purpose in mind for their machines.

A man by the name of James Watts introduced the first steam powered engine that would soon be used to power several forms of transportation. The steam engine had been around for a while, but wasn’t as advanced and wasn’t used on such a large scale such as powering transportation. Boats had been used for centuries for the main forms of transport, however, when Robert Fulton put the new steam engine to work to power a steamboat, it meant even more capital for businessmen. More jobs were created as the waterways were widened and dug deeper for the steamboats. Captains and crews were also formed to man the boats.

Steam engines were the first engine type to see use in industrial purposes. A fire heats water which turns to steam and the steam then has the ability to move things. They were first invented by Thomas Newcomen in 1705, and James Watt (a Scottish inventor) made big improvements to steam engines in 1769. Steam engines powered all early cars, steamboats and factories.

The steam railway was a significant invention in the development of the modern age. I believe that the steam engine was the most important invention to come from the industrial revolution. The expansion of the railway system across the United States and the world influenced how we live our lives today. Throughout the industrial revolution the steam railway reduced the time it took for freight to reach its final destination, expanded the reach people could sell products too, provided a safer transport compared to horses, along with countless other things. The steam railway better connected people and helped fuel the second industrial revolution. Without it our world might look a lot different than it does today.

It is common knowledge that the world as we know it today, was forged in the factories during the era of the industrial revolution. The factories during this era, themselves, were powered by steam engines. But where did the steam engine come from? Who invented this revolutionary invention? How does the steam engine chug-chug at 50+ miles per hour by merely using hot air, emitted by boiling water. The answer to these questions: the steam engine was not invented nor developed solely by one person, but by contributions of a multitude of people throughout this time in history.

It is believed that the first attempt to actually make steam use practical occurred in 1543 upon a naval ship.  Blasco de Garay, a Spanish naval officer, attempted to move the paddle wheels of the ship with what could possibly be considered a steam engine.  This account however is not well credited because nothing is really known about the make-up of the so called steam engine except that it contained a "vessel of boiling water."

The steel industry was also revolutionized through the use of the steam engine. Steel, smelted from iron, was beaten, rolled or shaped on steam-powered machines. This steel became very cheap, and was able to be used for the railroad tracks, and also used later on in construction. (Gordon). Without the steal to be shaped so fast by the steam engines, countries couldn't have expanded its trade and travel the way it did. It is also said that, "The water works and, in many cases, the canals could not exist without steam-power, for their very existence depended upon the regular raising of large quantities of water to high levels. Steam was the only power that made this possible." (The Penetration of the Industry by steam power) Without the steam engine, these factories, mills, agricultural advances, and other industries could not have been revolutionized in the way they were.

The canalization of rivers, the steam engine, and railways were key components of the development of industry [2]. The extensive canal system was created around the mid 1700s to move goods and supplies inland. This system was cheaper and quicker than shipping goods over land [3]. The steam engine, however, was the driving force behind the Industrial Revolution. Prior to the invention of steam power, factories were located along rivers and used water for power. The development of a practical, efficient steam engine and its application to industry and transportation was a great leap in progress for industrialization. The steam engine’s application was limitless, and it was responsible for lifting industries from infancy to adolescence. Steam engines were used to develop machines that operated factory systems, pumps for mines, faster ships, and locomotives. A steam locomotive was able to carry raw materials and products very quickly. The expansion of the uses of the steam engine created the steam locomotive and a greater need for a railroad system. As a result, Railroads multiplied rapidly in England from 1,000 miles in 1836 to more than 7,000 miles by 1852 [4]. Machinery took the place of the work of many humans and made the work easier on others.

James Watt then constructed a new steam engine with an insulated main cylinder that allowed the metal work to stay constantly hot reducing the fuel by almost 75%. He also worked on a condenser which re-uses five-sixths (5/6) of the wasted steam by condensing it back to water. He was also great at adapting a leather