INDUSTRIAL HERITAGEINDUSTRIAL HERITAGE

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF NEWCOMEN DISCOVERIES NEWCOMEN DISCOVERIES

ON COAL MININGON COAL MINING

PLANPLAN

ProblematicProblematic First discoveries on the 17th centuryFirst discoveries on the 17th century Newcomen’s personal historyNewcomen’s personal history Newcomen’s steam engineNewcomen’s steam engine Opening on other discoveries laterOpening on other discoveries later Survey on Ventron textile museumSurvey on Ventron textile museum ConclusionConclusion

PROBLEMATICPROBLEMATIC

How to move large quantities of water How to move large quantities of water from deep coal mines?from deep coal mines?

Context : Context :

18th century : rapid development of 18th century : rapid development of Britain industry and coal-miningBritain industry and coal-mining

Problem : water flowing into the mines as Problem : water flowing into the mines as miners went deeper was a major miners went deeper was a major problem.problem.

FIRST DISCOVERIESFIRST DISCOVERIES

Discovery that Discovery that

earth’s atmosphere earth’s atmosphere

exerts a pressure exerts a pressure

= determination of that = determination of that

pressurepressure Papin’s experimentsPapin’s experiments

Thomas Savery : Thomas Savery :

« Raising water by « Raising water by

the impellant force the impellant force

of fire »of fire »

NEWCOMEN’S LIFENEWCOMEN’S LIFE

Born in 1663 in Darmouth (Devon)Born in 1663 in Darmouth (Devon) An humble position : « ironmonger » and An humble position : « ironmonger » and

blacksmith of Darmouthblacksmith of Darmouth His trade with metal mines His trade with metal mines His experiments on Savery’machine : The His experiments on Savery’machine : The

patent with John Calleypatent with John Calley 1708 : The patent in combination with Savery1708 : The patent in combination with Savery Died in 1729 : the denigration of scientifics Died in 1729 : the denigration of scientifics

academicsacademics

THE THE ATMOSPHERIC ATMOSPHERIC STEAM ENGINESTEAM ENGINE

THE HISTORYTHE HISTORY

Major breakthrough : inject cold water Major breakthrough : inject cold water directly into the enginedirectly into the engine

First recorded Newcomen engine : coal First recorded Newcomen engine : coal pit near Dudley Castle in Staffordshire in pit near Dudley Castle in Staffordshire in 17121712 Cylinder : diameter 21 inches (533 mm)Cylinder : diameter 21 inches (533 mm) Distance : 51 yards (46.6 metres)Distance : 51 yards (46.6 metres) Rate : 120 gallons per min (546 litres)Rate : 120 gallons per min (546 litres)

THE PROCESSTHE PROCESS

Water is boiled continuously Water is boiled continuously to produce steam.  to produce steam. 

The rising piston creates a The rising piston creates a vacuum in the cylinder. Water vacuum in the cylinder. Water flows up the suction pipe flows up the suction pipe because of atmospheric because of atmospheric pressure and fills the cylinder.pressure and fills the cylinder.

The pressure is insufficient to The pressure is insufficient to lift the piston on its own -- the lift the piston on its own -- the weight of the pump rod does weight of the pump rod does most of the work.most of the work.

At the top of the stroke the At the top of the stroke the steam valve is closed and steam valve is closed and a water jet is briefly turned a water jet is briefly turned on, cooling the steam in on, cooling the steam in the cylinder.the cylinder.

The cool steam contracts, The cool steam contracts, sucking the piston downward.  sucking the piston downward. 

...Or stated another way: the ...Or stated another way: the higher atmospheric pressure higher atmospheric pressure drives the piston downward, drives the piston downward, hence the name hence the name atmosphericatmospheric engine. engine. 

At the end of the stroke, the At the end of the stroke, the cooling water is drained from cooling water is drained from the cylinder by an extra the cylinder by an extra passage not illustrated here. passage not illustrated here.

During the upward stroke,During the upward stroke,

an auxiliary pump fills the an auxiliary pump fills the cooling water reservoir.cooling water reservoir.

THE SUCCESSTHE SUCCESS

protect the engine under Savery’s patentprotect the engine under Savery’s patent First self-operating machineFirst self-operating machine Dominate mine pumping for nearly 2 Dominate mine pumping for nearly 2

centuriescenturies By 1800 : 1800 engines were builtBy 1800 : 1800 engines were built 20th century : a few were still working20th century : a few were still working

ADVANTAGESADVANTAGES DRAWBACKSDRAWBACKS-Built using technology of the Built using technology of the timetime-Provide a water supply to big Provide a water supply to big citiescities-Easy to operate (at the Easy to operate (at the beginning manually operated beginning manually operated valves : after valve gear)valves : after valve gear)-Steam pressure needed was Steam pressure needed was very lowvery low-Replace a team of 500 Replace a team of 500 horseshorses

-Lack of efficiency (1%)Lack of efficiency (1%)-Needed a lot of people : 1 for Needed a lot of people : 1 for valves + some for firevalves + some for fire-High fuel consumption and High fuel consumption and inefficient boilers = 1 foot of inefficient boilers = 1 foot of water (305mm) for the water (305mm) for the consumption of a bushel of consumption of a bushel of coal (38kg)coal (38kg)-Low rate of condensation of Low rate of condensation of steamsteam-Problem of discontinuity on Problem of discontinuity on the movement = after some the movement = after some working cycles, machines working cycles, machines stopped.stopped.-risk of a boiler explosionrisk of a boiler explosion

OPENING ON WATT OPENING ON WATT INNOVATIONINNOVATION

On years 1760s : Watt had to repair a On years 1760s : Watt had to repair a Newcomen’s modelNewcomen’s model

Problem lay in the cyclic heating and cooling of the Problem lay in the cyclic heating and cooling of the cylinder = separate condensercylinder = separate condenser

Put double-action machines in place of single-Put double-action machines in place of single-action ones as Newcomen steam engineaction ones as Newcomen steam engine

= continuity of the movement= continuity of the movement

SURVEY ON SURVEY ON VENTRON TEXTILE VENTRON TEXTILE

MUSEUMMUSEUM

PROBLEMATICPROBLEMATIC

How to supply textile factories with How to supply textile factories with energy?energy?

Context : Context :

20th century : development of the 20th century : development of the electricity electricity

Problem :cost of electricity in off-peak Problem :cost of electricity in off-peak hourshours

PRESENTATION OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE MUSEUMMUSEUM

Building of the first textile factories categoryBuilding of the first textile factories category Relate the history of thread and textile Relate the history of thread and textile

productionproduction 4 floors :4 floors :

- driving force of textile industry- driving force of textile industry

- spinning of the cotton- spinning of the cotton

- industrial weaving - industrial weaving

- work of the flax- work of the flax

THE WATT ENGINETHE WATT ENGINE

Built in 1903 by « Société Anonyme de Built in 1903 by « Société Anonyme de Mécanique Industrielle d’Anzin »Mécanique Industrielle d’Anzin »

Power : 30 horsesPower : 30 horses Weight : 5 thundersWeight : 5 thunders Diameter : 4 metersDiameter : 4 meters

BOILERBOILER

Built in 1902Built in 1902 Maximum pressure : Maximum pressure :

12 kg12 kg Dimensions :Dimensions :

8x(2x3.2)8x(2x3.2) Composed of Composed of

2 boilers2 boilers

CENTRIFUGAL GOVERNORCENTRIFUGAL GOVERNOR

If the engine gained If the engine gained excessive speed, excessive speed, centrifugal force centrifugal force drove the balls and drove the balls and the balls the steam the balls the steam valve. valve.

The engine then slowed. The engine then slowed.

MANOMETERMANOMETER

measure steam pressure measure steam pressure

within the enginewithin the engine connected to connected to

the position the position

of the pistonof the piston

at the beginning :at the beginning :

a pencil traced the a pencil traced the

Indicator DiagramIndicator Diagram

divert the spent steamdivert the spent steam

out of the cylinder out of the cylinder

and into a separate and into a separate

chamber, called a chamber, called a

condenser, condenser,

where it was cooled.where it was cooled. Machine more efficientMachine more efficient

CONDENSERCONDENSER

CRANKSHAFTCRANKSHAFT

part of an engine which translates reciprocating linear piston motion into rotation

TRANSMISSIONTRANSMISSION

SPINNING PROCESSSPINNING PROCESSBale cleaner Card

Comber

Spinning spoolSpinning machine

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

Importance of Newcomen’s discoveries Importance of Newcomen’s discoveries and achievementsand achievements

Improvement of our knowledge on Improvement of our knowledge on visiting Ventron museumvisiting Ventron museum

Our feelings about this visitOur feelings about this visit