Timeline of steam power

Development phases

Early examples

• Circa 30-20 BC – Vitruvius provides the earliest known description of an aeolipile in his work de Architectura, noting hollow bronze vessels that, when water within boils, emit a “violent wind”.
• 1st century AD – Hero of Alexandria describes an aeolipile, as an example of the power of heated air or water. The device consists of a rotating ball spun by steam jets; it produced little power but is nevertheless the first known device moved by steam pressure. He also describes a way of transferring water from one vessel to another using pressure. The methods involved filling a bucket, the weight of which worked tackle to open temple doors, which were then closed again by a deadweight once the water in the bucket had been drawn out by a vacuum caused by cooling of the initial vessel.
• He claims it was built by Pope Sylvester II.
• Late 15th century AD: Leonardo Da Vinci described the Architonnerre, a steam-powered cannon.

Development of a practical steam engine

The Newcomen Engine: Steam power in practice

Watt's engine

• {{Timeline-event|date=|event= Watt's patent expires. By this time about 450 Watt engines (totaling 7,500 hp)

Improving power

• Earlier versions of the steam engine indicator were in use by 1851, though relatively unknown.
• {{cite book |last=Griffiths|first=Denis|editor1-first=Robert|editor1-last= Gardiner|editor2-first=Dr. Basil|editor2-last= Greenhill
• Steam turbines are made to 1,500 MW (2,000,000 hp) to generate electricity.

Notes

References

1. "De architectura (On architecture) – Roman technology".
2. William of Malmesbury. "William of Malmesbury's Chronicle of the Kings of England: From the earliest period to the reign of King Stephen".
3. "Top Comments - Steamed Edition".
4. "History Of Science And Technology In Islam".
5. Thurston, pp 14
6. Thurston, pp 16
7. Thurston, Robert. (1878). "A History of the Growth of the Steam-Engine". D. Appleton and Company.
8. Thurston, pp 25
9. Thurston, pp 31-41
10. Thurston, ch 2
11. Hulse David K: "The early development of the steam engine"; TEE Publishing, Leamington Spa, UK, ISBN, 85761 107 1
12. Roe, Joseph Wickham. (1916). "English and American Tool Builders". Yale University Press.
13. [http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects/motive_power/1861-46.aspx The "Lap" engine; part of the collection at the Science Museum in London.]
14. Thomson, Ross. (2009). "Structures of Change in the Mechanical Age: Technological Invention in the United States 1790-1865". The Johns Hopkins University Press.
15. Cowan, Ruth Schwartz. (1997). "A Social History of American Technology". Oxford University Press.
16. Young, Robert: "Timothy Hackworth and the Locomotive"; the Book guild Ltd, Lewes, UK (2000) (reprint of 1923 ed.)
17. Benett, Stuart. (1986). "A History of Control Engineering 1800-1930". Institution of Engineering and Technology.
18. (1985). "A History of Industrial Power in the United States, 1730-1930, Vol. 2: Steam Power". University Press of Virginia.
19. (2008). "The Engine Indicator".
20. (1991). "A History of Industrial Power in the United States, 1730-1930, Vol. 3: The Transmission of Power". MIT Press.
21. McNeil, Ian. (1990). "An Encyclopedia of the History of Technology". Routledge.
22. [https://books.google.com/books?id=AygDAAAAMBAJ&dq=Popular+Science+1933+plane+%22Popular+Science%22&pg=PA9 "World's First Steam Driven Airplane"] ''Popular Science'', July 1933, detailed article with drawings
23. (April 29, 2011). "The Besler Steam Plane". Bomberguy.
24. (2009-08-25). "UK team breaks steam car record". BBC News.
25. "The British Steam Car Official Land Speed Record Holder".
26. Copied from Wikipedia [[Steam turbine]]. See that article for references. Retrieved Aug 24, 2021