How does a steam engine function?
When you think of a steam engine, you imagine a engine running off the steam of a shower. Or from a kettle. Or maybe even the steam from your breath on a cold day. Now if you have already seen, skimmed, or read the blog on how engines work. Or how 2 strokes and 4 stroke engines work then you'll grasp this pretty easily since it follows the same principles anyways. The only difference is that there is no suction, no compression, or explosion. Just expansion and exhausting.
Think of a steam engine as a giant tea kettle with a purpose. It’s got four steps to the magic: heat, steam, push, and go.
Heat – You start by heating up water in a big boiler. Fire heats the water like a stove cranked to max. The water, trapped inside, gets hotter and hotter until it can’t stay liquid anymore and morphs or turns into steam, a high-energy, invisible gas.
Steam – This steam is trapped with nowhere to go but is only left to expand. Imagine cranking the lid tight on your tea kettle. The pressure keeps building until it’s begging to be let out.
Push – Finally, there’s a release. A valve opens, and all that pent-up steam rushes out, shooting into a cylinder where it expands and pushes against a metal piston. Think of it as the air-fuel mix that is pushing against that piston.
Go! – This motion gets transferred to the wheels or other mechanisms. As the piston moves, it powers a crankshaft that turns the wheels. Rinse and repeat. It’s steam in, motion out, turning potential energy into pure locomotive action.
This was widely spread in every train powered by steam, and I am sure it was used of automobiles for a short time until the Gasoline or diesel engines started becoming widespread all around the world.
Now, I know this was short, but a steam engine is very simple, you cook water till it evaporates, then you open a valve when there is enough pressure forcing the piston to slide due to expansion. then the piston reaches a point where the mechanical energy is absorbed and now releases the gas doing it all over again. There is so many designs for steam engines it's not even funny.
Thank you all very much for sticking around till the end. I appreciate you very much. Each and everyone. And as per usual HERE COMES THE REWARD!
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Honestly love this species with a passion!!
Posted by: Un;eadedPencils
Posted on: 10/25/2024 at 11:47PM
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