Steam engines basics

The pioneering work in the direction of the second law of thermodynamics is considered to be performed in 1825 by Sadi Carnot investigating the Carnot cycle [51] [40]. Carnot s main theoretical contribution was that he realized that the production of work by a steam engine depends on a flow of heat from a higher temperature to a lower temperature. However, Clausius (1822-1888) was the first that clearly stated the basic ideas of the second law of thermodynamics in 1850 [13] and the mathematical relationship called the inequality of Clausius in 1854 [51]. The word entropy was coined by Clausius in 1854 [51]. 

Thermodynamics is a mature subject and it is sometimes difficult not to gel bogged down in the details. The basic ideas were laid down in the early 19th century, at a time when atoms and molecules had scarcely been heard of, and when optimization of the steam engine and other marvels of the industrial revolution were of prime concern. What follows here, though less rigorous than you will find in most textbooks, will be enough to place thermodynamics in a molecular context-... 

Heniy Rossiter Worthington was already interested in meehanieal problems as a boy. He concentrated his attention on problems of the city water supply once having left basic schooling, becoming familiar also with the steam engines and mechanical pumps. 

About 2000 years ago, a figure showing a workable steam reaction turbine was included in a book by Hero of Alexandria. He showed other ways in which steam, or other hot gases, could be used to do mechanical woik, and used the boiler, valve, and piston (basic components of a steam engine) at various places in his book. In spite of this promising start, the use of steam for power never advanced significantly in antiquity it remained for later generations to develop its potential. 

Before starting with the basic chapters, some definitions of the terminology used in this monograph are introduced (see Table 1.1). These definitions may not coincide with those used by steam engineers, so be warned ... 

The basic steam cycle for a steam turbine installation is called a Rankine cycle (named after Scottish engineer and physicist William John Macquorn Rankine). This cycle consists of a compression of liquid water, heating and evaporation in the heat source (a steam boiler or nuclear reactor), expansion of the... 

Syngas can be used as a fuel to generate electricity or steam, or as a basic building block for a multitude of chemicals. When mixed with air, syngas can be used in gasoline or diesel engines with few modifications to the engine. 

Combustion of aluminum particle as fuel, and oxygen, air, or steam as oxidant provides an attractive propulsion strategy. In addition to hydrocarbon fuel combustion, research is focussed on determining the particle size and distribution and other relevant parameters for effectively combusting aluminum/oxygen and aluminum/steam in a laboratory-scale atmospheric dump combustor by John Foote at Engineering Research and Consulting, Inc. (Chapter 8). A Monte-Carlo numerical scheme was utilized to estimate the radiant heat loss rates from the combustion products, based on the measured radiation intensities and combustion temperatures. These results provide some of the basic information needed for realistic aluminum combustor development for underwater propulsion. 

BASIC Programs for Steam Plant Engineers Boilers, Combustion, Fluid Flow, and Heat Transfer, V. Ganapathy... 

Ganapathy, V., Basic Programs for Steam Plant Engineers, Marcel Dekker, New York, 1986. 

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