Steam engine

A steam engine is a heat engine that makes use of the thermal energy that exists in steam, converting it to mechanical work. Steam engines were used in pumps, locomotive trains, steam ships and steam tractors, and were essential to the Industrial Revolution. They are still used for electrical power generation using steam turbines.

Types of steam engine

Steam engines can be classified in two main ways:

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• By the technology used. Most steam engines use either piston engines or turbines.
• By the application. Steam engines are used as:
• Stationary engines. Stationary steam engines again divide into two main classes:
• Winding engines, rolling mill engines, and similar applications which need to frequently stop and reverse.
• Engines providing power, which stop rarely and do not need to reverse. These include nearly all thermal power stations, and were also used in mills, factories and to power cable railways and cable tramways before the widespread use of electric power.
• Vehicle engines:
• Steamboats and steamships.
• Land vehicles:
• Steam locomotives.
• Steam cars.
• Steam rollers.
• Steam shovels.
• Traction engines.