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Jan 1, 1000
aeolipile
The earliest known rudimentary steam engine and reaction steam turbine, the aeolipile, is described by a Greek mathematician and engineer named Heron of Alexandria (Heron) in 1st century Roman Egypt, as recorded in his manuscript Spiritalia seu Pneumatica.[3][4] Steam ejected tangentially from nozzles caused a pivoted ball to rotate. Its thermal efficiency was low. It does not have any practical use, only a fancy thing at that time. (From Aeolipile and Steam jack) -
Jan 1, 1551
Smoke-jack
A rudimentary impact steam turbine was described in 1551 by Taqi al-Din who described a method for rotating a spit by means of a jet of steam playing on rotary vanes around the periphery of a wheel. These devices were then called "mills" but are now known as steam jacks. The engine was not concentrated and most of its energy was dissipated in all directions,so they were never seriously considered for industrial use. (From Aeolipile and Steam jack) -
Cylinders
Denis Papin (22 August 1647 – c. 1712) was a French physicist, mathematician and inventor. Papin devised a version of the same cylinder that obtained a more complete vacuum from boiling water and then allowing the steam to condense; in this way he was able to raise weights by attaching the end of the piston to a rope passing over a pulley. Papin's research plays a key part in the development of the first successful industrial engines. (From A History of the Growth of the Steam-Engine) -
Savery steam pump
The first steam engine to be applied industrially was the "fire-engine", designed by Thomas Savery in 1698. Savery made two key contributions. First he used condensed steam to produce a partial vacuum in the pumping reservoir, and using that to pull the water upward. Secondly, in order to rapidly cool the steam to produce the vacuum, he ran cold water over the reservoir. (From Technological Change and Industrial Development in Western Europe from 1750 to the Present) -
Newcomen "atmospheric" engine
Thomas Newcomen developed the first practical steam engine for which there could be a commercial demand. Newcomen used the vacuum to pull on a piston instead of pulling on water directly. The piston was lubricated and sealed by a trickle of water from the same cistern that supplied the cooling water. Further, to improve the cooling effect, he sprayed water directly into the cylinder.(From Paxton Engineering Division Report) -
Watt's separate condenser
Watt solved the problem of the water spray by removing the cold water to a different cylinder, placed beside the power cylinder. Watt never ceased improving his designs. This further improved the operating cycle speed, introduced governors, automatic valves, double-acting pistons, a variety of rotary power takeoffs and many other improvements. Watt's technology enabled the widespread commercial use of stationary steam engines.(From English and American Tool Builders) -
Watt double-acting and rotative engines
Watt developed a double-acting engine in which steam drove the piston in both directions, thereby increasing the engine speed and efficiency. The double-acting principle also significantly increased the output of a given physical sized engine.(From Rotative beam engine)
