Watt invented the steam engine, why can steam drive trains forward?

Everyone is familiar with the story of Watt’s invention of the steam engine, which led to the industrial revolution. It is said that when Watt was a child, he saw the steam pushing the lid of the kettle open after water was boiled. From this, he realized that steam contained huge energy, so he planted the seeds for the future invention of the steam engine.

There is no doubt about Watt’s greatness, but there are two basic facts that we must also understand: First, Watt was not the first to invent the steam engine, and his main achievement was to make it practical; second, Watt’s research The scientific knowledge and huge funds required for the steam engine were beyond his own ability. He received the support of a mysterious team.

Especially the second point, Watt himself was just a craftsman with no higher education and no mine at home. Under normal circumstances, it would be difficult to overcome these difficulties. Fortunately, Watt met this mysterious team and finally completed the invention of a practical steam engine.

▲The oil painting invented by Watt

1. Steam engine

As early as two thousand years ago in ancient Greece, people discovered that steam has the ability to propel objects into motion. Ability, but unable to harness this energy. At the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century, French and British scientists successively invented primitive steam engines.

However, these primitive steam engines were not very practical. Not only were they low in efficiency, but they were also large and could only be used to pump water in coal mines. why is that? Because only coal mines can afford steam engines, and burning coal costs nothing.

▲Watt's portrait

The principle of Watt's steam engine is not complicated. After the steam enters the cylinder, it pushes a piston to reciprocate, and the piston is then connected to other devices to achieve the effect of power output. Figuratively speaking, this piston is the kettle lid. When steam pushes the lid upward, it generates power. After the steam escapes, the lid will automatically close and wait for the next cycle.

Although the principle is simple, it is very difficult to implement. Watt was an apprentice worker and learned instrument making and hammering skills, and was particularly good at using hammers. Watt's ingenuity was recognized by the University of Glasgow, and he was allowed to open a small shop in the school, specializing in making mathematical instruments.

The small shop opened well, and after he had some savings, he started Tinker with steam engines. However, a steam engine is a big thing, and it requires funds to buy raw materials and conduct experiments. Watt's small shop simply cannot cover the expenses. A steel mill owner saw the potential of the steam engine and fully funded Watt.

▲Britain in the 18th century was on the eve of the Industrial Revolution

It was much easier to do it if you had money. Watt worked wholeheartedly for several years and invested a huge amount of money, and finally...invested People went bankrupt, and pigs stood on the wind. The wind was not strong enough and they fell to death. Watt's steam engine was still full of problems, its horsepower was pitiful, and the coal it burned was more valuable than the power it produced.

Misfortune never comes singly. Watt's wife unfortunately passed away. The sad Watt gave up research on steam engines and planned to go to Russia to do whatever he wanted, away from this place that made him sad. At this time, a boss named Bolton came to Watt, rekindling the hope in Watt's heart.

2. Moonlight Society

Bolt has his own factory, with thousands of workers, producing all kinds of Internet celebrity products, and he is very wealthy. What worries him most now is the lack of power in the factory. The hydraulic turbine cannot work during the dry season, which affects his output and income. Hearing that Watt was working on a steam engine, Bolt came to visit.

Bolt's conditions were very attractive, providing free factory buildings and funds, and the profits from the success of the steam engine would be divided equally between the two. What else can be said, Watt actually couldn't let go of the steam engine, so he agreed to Bolton and continue his research.

▲Before the invention of Watt’s steam engine, the conditions for large-scale machine production were already available

In addition to providing sufficient funds, Bolt also provided Watt with a more important resource— —Moonlight Club. This was a society composed of the top scientists at the time. The founder was Darwin, his grandfather who invented the theory of evolution.

The Moonlight Society is the mysterious team that helped Watt achieve success. It was founded in 1765, and Bolton was also one of the founders. Because they like to gather when the moon is full, they named it the Moonlight Society, which certainly has no connection with werewolves.

The Moonlight Society is a gathering of philosophers, chemists, astronomers, businessmen, etc. They focus more on the practical application of science and technology, produce newer and cheaper goods, and are instrumental in promoting the British Industrial Revolution. Played a big role.

▲The former site of the Moonlight Society

There are more and more civilian scientists in the UK, and it is difficult for them to be accepted by the Royal Scientific Society, which is controlled by aristocrats and Oxbridge people. The Moonlight Club only values ??knowledge and ability, and you can join as long as you are interested in a certain field. Here, Watt's status as an apprentice is no obstacle, everyone is equal. Maybe this is called opening up people's wisdom.

Because these civilian scientists and businessmen were more likely to accept the ideas of the French Revolution, they were criticized by mainstream British society. Coupled with the death or emigration of its creators one after another, Moonlight Society finally fell into silence. The Moonlight Society's most well-known achievement is helping Watt complete his research on steam engines.

3. Success and fame

Watt was not very prominent in the Moonlight Club at first. He eagerly learned all kinds of knowledge from scientists. For example, he burned coal every day, but did not know about oxygen and oxygen. What is carbon dioxide, and the planets move in circles around the sun. Although this knowledge seems to have nothing to do with steam engines, it might come in handy at some point.

Sure enough, Watt was quickly inspired by planetary motion and found a new idea for studying steam engines. He changed the movement of the piston and connecting rod from linear motion to gear rotation similar to planetary motion. The wheels of old steam trains are the most obvious representative.

▲Trains are one of the best applications of steam engines

One of the problems that troubled Watt most was that the horsepower of the steam engine was too low, that is, it lacked power. Wilkinson, another member of the Moonlight Society, once watched the experiment of Watt's steam engine in the fog and immediately pointed out the problem: the sealing of the cylinder was too poor, resulting in too low steam pressure. If you want to lift the lid higher, use a pressure cooker.

Wilkinson disassembled the cylinder and took a look. Oh my god, it turned out that Watt had hammered it out by hand (don’t forget that he was an apprentice hammer worker). The seal at the opening of the cylinder was soaked in water. Rope, no wonder it was steamy as soon as it was turned on, and there was so much steam leaking out that it almost reached the hammam.

▲The original Watt steam engine

Wilkinson said to Watt, I have a way to double the horsepower of your steam engine, do you want it? Just kidding, of course, Watt and Bolt replied eagerly. Wilkinson made a condition that after the steam engine was successfully developed, only the cylinders he provided could be purchased. OK, deal!

A few days after Wilkinson returned, he brought a new set of cylinders and pistons. At first glance, they looked much taller than the Supreme Handmade Exclusive Edition processed by Watt himself, and the metal surface was smooth. , the dimensions of the opening are perfectly matched.

▲Schematic diagram of Watt steam engine

What exactly does Wilkinson do? He was a machine builder and arms dealer, specializing in the manufacture of artillery for the British army. He had a complete set of the most advanced metal processing equipment at the time. This cylinder was bored out with a lathe used to process gun barrels, so it was naturally high-end.

After installing the new cylinder and piston for a try, the power increased 4-5 times than the original, reaching a maximum of 40 horsepower, which finally has practical value. Watt and Bolt let out a long sigh, especially Bolt. The money spent on this steam engine has gone to the sea, and Bolt, who is rich and wealthy, can't bear it anymore. Fortunately, the darkness has passed and dawn is about to come.

▲Steam-powered automobiles

After further improvements, the first high-pressure linkage steam engine came out in 1782. It is also called a universal steam engine and can be used in almost all applications that require machine power. place, the cost is only one-tenth that of horse-drawn power. The order for the steam engine made Bolt's hands cramp, and large sums of pounds came rolling in.

In the following decades, steam-powered trains, ships, and automobiles were invented successively, and mankind officially entered the machine age. Watt achieved financial freedom by relying on his steam engine patent and sales income. His life entered the harvest stage, buying a house, traveling, and then retiring gloriously. Bolt became a famous British steam engine manufacturer and increased his wealth several times.

▲Steam-powered ships

Invention and innovation require not only brains, but also financial and material resources and the support of knowledge in more fields. Watt's good fortune was that he met Bolt and the Moonlight Society, and he was able to use the best minds in Britain at that time to his advantage. Coupled with his own diligence and a little bit of luck, he finally became an inventor who will go down in history, ushering in a new era.