A Glimpse at Thermodynamics

Dimitrios P. Tassios

doi:10.1007/978-3-662-01645-9_1

Applied Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics pp 1-34 | Cite as

A Glimpse at Thermodynamics

Authors
Authors and affiliations

Dimitrios P. Tassios

Chapter

372 Downloads

Abstract

Imagine yourself living in the first half of the 19th century. The society you live in is changing rapidly as a result of the Industrial Revolution made possible by the Steam Engine, which replaced the limited human, animal, and waterfall power, by the — what it seemed then — unlimited heat power.

Keywords

Intermolecular Force Distillation Column Saturated Steam Steam Engine Reversible Operation

These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

The modern steam engine was designed and first used to facilitate the mining of coal. As mines had to be sunk deeper into the ground to extract available supplies, it became more difficult to ventilate the mines and to face still another problem. At a certain depth the water table was reached and drainage became a priority. All of these problems required a technological solution. The steam engine was the answer. The first steam pump was patented in 1698 by Thomas Savery.

... The answer to the transportation (of coal) crisis was the invention of the steam locomotive and rail road tracks. Like the steam pump, the steam locomotive was a direct technological response to the needs created by the new coal environment. Together, the steam pump and the steam locomotive laid the technological base for the industrial era that followed. (Emphasis added, Rifkin, 1980, p.74.)

This is a preview of subscription content, to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

Cardwell, D.S.L., 1971. From Watt to Clausius, the Rise of Thermodynamics in the Early Industrial Age, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, N.Y.Google Scholar
Cardwell, D.S.L., in Springs of Scientific Creativity, Aris, R., Davis, H.T., Stuewer, R.H., Eds, University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Min., 1983.Google Scholar
Hatsopoulos, G.H., Keenan, J.H., 1965. Principles of General Thermodynamics, Wiley, New York.Google Scholar
Rifkin, J., 1980. Entropy, Viking Press, New York.Google Scholar

Copyright information

Authors and Affiliations

Dimitrios P. Tassios
- 1
- 2

1.National Technical University of AthensZographos, AthensGreece
2.New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNewarkUSA

A Glimpse at Thermodynamics

Abstract

Keywords

Preview

References

Copyright information

Authors and Affiliations

Personalised recommendations

Cite chapter