Summarized Proceedings and a Directory of Members Volume 5-6 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1851 Excerpt: ...is to bring forward a mode of making available much power hitherto unserviceable, and of modifying the existing applications of mechanical power. Elastic fluids give back, in expanding, most of the power requisite for effecting their compression. If we expend force in compressing air, this force may be recovered, and used at any desired point of the space occupied by the condensed air. By giving to this space the form of a long tube or passage way, the air may be condensed at one end, and used in driving an engine at the other end, just as steam drives a steam engine. Both theory and experience prove, that in such a case, the rapidity of flow will be very great. Power may thus be transferred through this atmospheric medium, from a point where it is not available, to one where it will fulfil all desired conditions. The only losses are those due to passive resistances of machinery, to cooling of the air heated by compression, and to its friction on the tube. The inertia of the flowing column would preserve that force expended in giving the motion, acting as in the hydraulic ram. If the tube be made large, and the distance of transfer be not too great, all these losses will be very small. Steam might be used in this way, except that the cooling consequent on giving great length to the induction pipe would be very great, causing much loss of tension or condensation. Again, force may be expended in forming a vacuum in a tube leading to the place where it is desired to apply any hitherto unavailable power. A sustained vacuum in a city would be a capital fortune. By its aid, atmospheric pressure might be made an exhaustless source of power. A piston, with the air on one side and a total or partial vacuum on the other, would act like that of a steam engine. There a...