By introducing the separate condenser, approximately how much fuel did Watt's improved engine require compared to the Newcomen design for the same work?
Answer
Less than one-quarter
The economic impact of the separate condenser was profound, allowing Watt's engine to operate on less than 25% of the fuel needed by the Newcomen engine to perform the same amount of work.
Related Questions
What was James Watt's initial task at the University of Glasgow involving steam technology?What was the fundamental weakness Watt initially identified in the Newcomen engine?What was Watt's major conceptual breakthrough achieved around 1765?By introducing the separate condenser, approximately how much fuel did Watt's improved engine require compared to the Newcomen design for the same work?What mechanism did Watt and Boulton develop to convert the engine’s reciprocating motion into continuous rotary motion for factory use?What calculation formed the basis for Watt's standardized unit of horsepower?What key feature defined Watt’s double-acting engine compared to earlier single-acting engines?Which refinement did Watt introduce that allowed operators to control the engine's speed?How did the Boulton & Watt firm incentivize the adoption of the new steam technology?What essential role did Matthew Boulton primarily fulfill for Watt’s technical discoveries?