Modern Engines and Power Generators: A Practical Work on Prime Movers and the Transmission of Power, Steam, Electric, Water and Hot Air, Vol. 1 (Classic Reprint)

Modern Engines applies not only to engines of modern design, or invented in recent years, but also to all engines found to serve useful and efficient purposes at this date. Many old devices and designs have survived, and are worthy of a place when presented in their more modern developments. The most highly developed machinery cannot in every case be employed by the engineer. In many instances rough and ready methods are necessary, and efficiency is sacrificed for the sake of convenience and simplicity. He has often to make use of what materials can be most readily found in his neighbourhood, and while a tripleexpansion steam engine and a multitubular boiler would be highly appreciated and very economical as a prime mover, such an outfit would be in many cases impossible where less complicated and more primitive machinery would be quite successful. References are therefore made to older types still in practical use. Each Volume of this work will contain some special feature. This First Volume discusses the fluid pressure machines operated by fluid impulse, by air, water, and steam flowing under a difference of pressure. These include that most important prime mover, the steam turbine, which therefore forms the special feature of Volume I. Being a new subject, and of great interests involved, the prior patents covering the fundamental inventions have been briefly noticed, as well as all the more recent inventions worthy of notice on this subject. The application of the steam turbine to marine propulsion will be further discussed later on in this work under Marine Engines. The windmill is worthy of attention in connection with the possibility of transmitting and storing the energy generated. Combined with storage, the best site for the mill may be chosen, and the energy delivered where required at any reasonable distance. The water turbines selected for descri
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)