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The early steam engines were atmospheric: they used steam pressure to raise a piston in a cylinder and then by condensing the steam used air pressure to push the piston back down to repeat the cycle.
To condense the steam cold water was injected into the cylinder; not only did this condense the steam but it also cooled the cylinder down. When steam was re-introduced energy was taken from the steam in reheating the cylinder; this resulted in a large amount of wasted energy which translated into the engine requiring lots of fuel. This was improved by using a separate condenser so that the cylinder was kept hot and the separate condenser was kept cold, resulting in a dramatic reduction in the amount of fuel needed.
Also the seals on the cylinder were not perfect so that steam was lost and air leaked in during the cycle (again reducing its efficiency).
With the improvement in cylinder seals and high pressure boilers, later steam engines were able to push the piston in both directions, delivering constant power on both halves of the cycle.
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Can biomass be used for transportation?
Depends on you engine design - for example ... the early steam engines burned wood - which is defiantly biomass.
Did they have to fill the early steam engines with water when the steam ran out?
Yes
What did watt do?
James Watt was a Scottish inventor who is famous for his improvements on the design of early steam engines. He became a major contributor to the Industrial Revolution.
Did James watt invent the steam engine by accident?
No, he improved on Newcomen's design for pumping engines.
What kinds of engines powered automobiles in the early 1900s?
There were gasoline and diesel engines, as today, but also some early steam engines (external combustion), notably the Stanley Steamer (1902-1924).
Why did early auto makers focus on gas and power engines instead of steam engines?
They are smaller and lighter in weight than comparably powered steam engines, however, most Auto-makers did build steam carriages. White, and Stanley are two of the more well known steam powered automakers.
What invention helped create a demand for oil in the early 1900s?
Steam engines and railroads.
Can an engine run on steam?
Yes. The early piston engines were all run on steam generated by coal which would boil water.
What is the collective noun for steam engines?
There is no specific collective noun for steam engines, in which case any noun suitable for the context will work; for example a collection of steam engines, a display of steam engines, a museum of steam engines, etc.
Are steam trains using steam engines?
They are called steam trains because they are pulled by steam engines.
What is the collective noun for steam?
There is no specific collective noun for steam engines, in which case any noun suitable for the context will work; for example a collection of steam engines, a display of steam engines, a museum of steam engines, etc.
Why is steam used for driving steam engines rather than hot gases?
Steam is cheap. It is easy to produce from water and doesn't cause any problems if it escapes into the atmosphere.
