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An illustration of thermodynamic vaporization of water in a cylinder with piston. The cylinder filled with water is heated, and gradually turns into the vapor. As the water is heated, the piston moves up the cylinder. Cylinder B is saturated vapor, system with vapor and liquid, while the cylinder C is superheated vapor, containing only gas.

Thermodynamic Vaporization Diagram using Water in Cylinder with Piston

An illustration of thermodynamic vaporization of water in a cylinder with piston. The cylinder filled…

Water heating is a thermodynamic process using an energy source to heat water above its initial temperature. Typical domestic uses of hot water are for cooking, cleaning, bathing, and space heating. In industry, both hot water and water heated to steam have many uses.

Hot Water Heater

Water heating is a thermodynamic process using an energy source to heat water above its initial temperature.…

"After thorough drying, the air to be liquefied enters through the pipe a, and in the compresor C is compressed to about 200 atmospheres. R is a water cooler, to remove the heat of compression. The air thus cooled and strongly compressed passes down through the inner tube of the helical coil H to a valve below." —Derr, 1911

Air Liquefaction Machine

"After thorough drying, the air to be liquefied enters through the pipe a, and in the compresor C is…

An absorption machine with ammonia and water mixing. The generator B heats the ammonia and water mixture with a furnace into the condenser. The mixture, traveling in coils, is cooled with running water into the refrigerator I. The cooled vapor is absorbed into cold water in absorber tank A.

Ammonia and Water Cycle Absorption Machine with Condenser and Tank

An absorption machine with ammonia and water mixing. The generator B heats the ammonia and water mixture…

An illustration of a compression machine. As piston A is pushes ammonia gas through the condenser B and vaporizer C. The condenser cools the ammonia to liquid in the coil with running water. The cooled ammonia travels through the valve D to be heated in vaporizer C.

Ammonia Cycle Compression Machine with Vaporizer and Condenser

An illustration of a compression machine. As piston A is pushes ammonia gas through the condenser B…

A piston system from a quadruple expansion engine showing the movement of steam. Steam first enters the first piston, then expanded into the first intermediate piston. This pushes the piston down, then the steam enters the second intermediate to push the piston up. The steam then enters the low piston, where the steam exits the system.

Quadruple Expansion Engine Piston

A piston system from a quadruple expansion engine showing the movement of steam. Steam first enters…

Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford (26 March 1753 – 21 August 1814) was an Anglo-American physicist and inventor whose challenges to established physical theory were part of the 19th century revolution in thermodynamics.

Count Rumford

Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford (26 March 1753 – 21 August 1814) was an Anglo-American physicist…

"The falling weights EE turned a paddle-wheel stirrer inside the cylindrical vessel G, which was filled with water and was much like the common ice-cream freezer. The friction of the stirrer heated the water; and when distance was measured through which the weights fell, it was possible to calculate the relation between the work done by the falling weights and the heat developed in the water." Louis Derr, 1911

Thermodynamics Apparatus Showing the Relationship between the First and Second Principals

"The falling weights EE turned a paddle-wheel stirrer inside the cylindrical vessel G, which was filled…