The first steamboat, like its counterparts, is a variant of a reciprocating steam engine. In addition, this name applies to similar devices equipped with a steam turbine. For the first time, the considered word was introduced into use by a Russian officer. The first version of a domestic ship of this type was built on the basis of the Elizabeth barge (1815). Previously, such vessels were called “pyroscopes” (in the Western manner, which means boat and fire). By the way, in Russia such a unit was first built at the Charles Bendt plant in 1815. This passenger liner ran between St. Petersburg and Krondstat.
Features
The first steamboat as propulsors was equipped with paddle wheels. There was a variation from John Fish who experimented with the design of oars driven by a steam device. These devices were located on the sides in the frame compartment or behind the stern. At the beginning of the twentieth century, an advanced propeller came to replace the propeller wheels. Coal and oil products were used as energy carriers on machines.
Now such ships are not being built, however, some instances are still in working condition. Steamboats of the first line, unlike steam locomotives, used steam condensation, which allowed to reduce the pressure at the exit of the cylinders, significantly increasing the efficiency. Efficient boilers with a liquid turbine can also be used on this technique, which are more practical and reliable than fire-tube analogues mounted on steam locomotives. The maximum power indicator of steamboats until the mid-70s of the last century exceeded the similar parameter of diesel engines.
The first screw steamer was absolutely not picky about the grade and quality of the fuel. The construction of machines of this type lasted several decades longer than the production of steam locomotives. River modifications left mass production much earlier than their marine “competitors”. There are only a few dozen river models in the world.
Who invented the first ship?
Steam energy was used to give the object of motion even Heron of Alexandria in the first century BC. He created a primitive turbine without blades, which was operated on several useful devices. Many such aggregates were noted by chroniclers of the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries.
In 1680, a French engineer Denis Papin, living in London, provided the local royal community with a draft steam boiler with a safety valve. After 10 years, he substantiated the dynamic thermal cycle of a steam engine, but he did not build a finished machine.
In 1705, from Leibniz, a sketch of Thomas Savery's steam engine, designed to raise water, was presented. A similar device inspired the scientist to new experiments. According to some reports, in 1707 a trip was carried out on the Weser River in Germany. According to one version, the boat was equipped with a steam engine, which is not confirmed by official facts. Subsequently, the ship was destroyed by embittered competitors.
History
Who built the first ship? Thomas Savery demonstrated a steam pump for pumping water from mines back in 1699. A few years later, an advanced analogue was introduced by Thomas Newman. There is a version that in 1736 an engineer from the United Kingdom Jonathan Hulse created a ship with a stern wheel, which was driven by a steam device. Evidence of successful testing of such a machine was not preserved, however, given the design features and the amount of coal consumption, operation can hardly be called successful.
Where was the first steamer tested?
In July 1783, the French Marquis Joffois Claude presented a vessel of the Piroskaf type. This is the first officially documented steam engine vessel to be propelled by a horizontal single cylinder steam engine. The car rotated a pair of paddle wheels, which were placed on the sides. Tests were conducted on the Seine river in France. The ship passed about 360 kilometers in 15 minutes (approximate speed - 0.8 knots).
Then the engine failed, after which the Frenchman stopped the experiments. The name “Piroskaf” has been used for many years in many countries as a designation for a ship with a steam power plant. This term in France has not lost its relevance to this day.
American projects
The first steamboat in America was introduced by inventor James Ramsey in 1787. The boat was tested on the Potomac River. The vessel moved with the help of water-jet propulsion mechanisms that function from steam energy. In the same year, compatriot engineer John Fitch tested the Perseverance (“Persistence”) steam ship on the Delaware River. This machine was driven by a pair of oars that worked from a steam installation. The unit was created together with Henry Voigot, since Britain blocked the possibility of exporting new technologies to their former colonies.
The name of the first steamboat in America is Perseverance. Following this, Fitch and Voigot built an 18-meter ship in the summer of 1790. The steam vessel was equipped with a unique oar propulsion, operated between Burlington, Philadelphia and New Jersey. The first passenger ship of this brand was able to carry up to 30 passengers. In one summer, the ship covered about 3 thousand miles. One of the designers said that the boat mastered 500 miles without any problems. The rated speed of the craft was about 8 miles per hour. The design in question turned out to be quite successful, however, further modernization and improvement of technologies made it possible to substantially modify the ship.
Charlotte Dantes
In the fall of 1788, Scottish inventors Symington and Miller designed and successfully tested a small wheeled steam-powered catamaran. The tests took place on Lake Dalswinston-Loch, in a ten-kilometer zone from Dumfries. Now we know the name of the first ship.
A year later, they tested a catamaran of a similar design with a length of 18 meters. The steam engine used as an engine was able to produce a speed of 7 knots. After this project, Miller refused further development.
The first steamboat in the world such as the "Charlotte Dantes" was made by designer Saymington in 1802. The ship was built of wood with a thickness of 170 millimeters. The strength of the steam engine was 10 horsepower. The ship was effectively used to transport barges in the Fort Clyde Canal. The owners of the lake feared that the steam jet emitted by the steamer could damage the coastline. In this regard, they banned the use of such ships in their waters. As a result, the innovative vessel was abandoned by the owner in 1802, after which it became completely unusable, and then it was disassembled into spare parts.
Real models
The first steamboat, which was used for its intended purpose, was built by Robert Fulton in 1807. Initially, the model was called North River Steamboat, and later - "Clermont". It was driven by the presence of propeller wheels, and was tested on flights along the Hudson from New York to Albany. The movement distance of the specimen is quite decent, considering the speed of 5 knots or 9 kilometers per hour.
Fulton joyfully appreciated such a trip in the sense that he was able to get ahead of all the schooners and other boats, although few believed that the ship was capable of at least one mile per hour. Despite sarcastic remarks, the designer put the improved design of the unit into operation, which he did not regret a bit. It is believed that he was the first to build a construction of the Charlotte Dantes fixture type.
Nuances
An American ship with paddle wheels called the Savannah crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 1819. In this case, the ship most of the way was sailing. Steam engines in this case served as additional engines. Already in 1838, the Sirius steamer from Britain crossed the Atlantic completely without the use of sails.
In 1838, the Archimedes screw ship was built. It was created by the English farmer Francis Smith. The vessel was a design with paddle wheels and screw counterparts. At the same time, a significant improvement in performance was planned compared to competitors. In a certain period, such ships displaced sailboats and other wheeled analogues from service.
Interesting Facts
In the Navy, the introduction of steam power plants began during the development of the Demologos self-propelled battery, led by Fulton (1816). At first, this design did not find wide application due to the imperfection of the wheel type propeller, which was bulky and vulnerable to the enemy.
In addition, the difficulty was with the placement of the warhead of the equipment. There was no question of a normal on-board battery. For armament there were only small gaps of free space at the stern and bow of the vessel. With a decrease in the number of guns, the idea arose of increasing their power, which was realized in equipping ships with large-caliber guns. For this reason, it was necessary to make the ends heavier and more massive from the sides. These problems were partially solved with the advent of the propeller, which allows to expand the scope of the steam engine not only in the passenger, but also in the navy.
Modernization
Steam frigates - this is the name given to medium and large combat units on a steam run. It is more logical to rank such machines more as classic steamboats than frigates. Large ships could not be successfully equipped with such a mechanism. Attempts at this design were undertaken by the British and French. As a result, combat power was not comparable with its counterparts. The first combat frigate with a steam power unit is Homer, which was created in France (1841). It was equipped with two dozen guns.
In conclusion
The middle of the 19th century is famous for the complex conversion of sailboats into steam-powered vessels. Improvement of ships was carried out in wheel or screw modifications. The wooden body was cut in half, after which a similar insert was made with a mechanical device, the power of which ranged from 400 to 800 horsepower.
Since the arrangement of heavy boilers and machines was moved to a part of the hull under the waterline, the need to receive ballast disappeared, and it was also possible to achieve a displacement of several tens of tons.
The screw is located in a separate socket located in the aft. This design did not always contribute to the improvement of movement, creating additional resistance. So that the exhaust pipe does not impede the arrangement of the deck with sails, it was made of a telescopic (folding) type. Charles Parson in 1894 created the experimental ship Turbinia, tests of which proved that steam ships can be distinguished by high speed and can be used in passenger transportation and military equipment. This "flying Dutchman" showed a record speed at that time - 60 km / h.