Watt steam engine

E62965

The Watt steam engine was a vastly improved steam engine developed in the late 18th century that greatly increased efficiency and helped power the Industrial Revolution.


Statements (50)
Predicate Object
instanceOf heat engine
industrial technology
steam engine
basedOn Newcomen atmospheric engine
coDeveloper Matthew Boulton
commercializedBy Boulton & Watt
countryOfOrigin Great Britain
developer James Watt
era Industrial Revolution
fieldOfUse brewery power
canal pumping stations
factory power
flour mills
ironworks
mining
pumping water
textile mills
hasPart air pump
centrifugal governor
double-acting cylinder
parallel motion linkage
separate condenser
steam jacket
sun-and-planet gear
throttle valve
inception 1760s
influenced design of later steam engines
development of factory system
mechanization of industry
locationOfManufacture Soho Manufactory
namedAfter James Watt
notableFor greatly increased efficiency over Newcomen engine
helping power the Industrial Revolution
introduction of rotary motion for machinery
introduction of separate condenser
reduced fuel consumption
use of centrifugal governor for speed control
use of double-acting steam
patentGranted 1769
patentNumber British patent 913
placeOfDevelopment Birmingham
replaced Newcomen atmospheric engine in many applications
significantDate 1769
timePeriod late 18th century
typicalEfficiencyComparedToPredecessor about three times more fuel-efficient than Newcomen engine
uses coal
condensing steam
piston-and-cylinder mechanism
rotative motion conversion
water

Referenced by (2)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Science Museum, London
hasExhibit
James Watt
notableWork

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