What specific operational feature resulted in the marked fuel inefficiency of the Newcomen atmospheric engine?

Answer

The direct injection of cold water into the working cylinder to condense steam

The fundamental source of the Newcomen engine's considerable thermal inefficiency stemmed from its method of inducing the vacuum necessary for the power stroke. Cold water was injected directly into the cylinder where the steam resided. This process drastically cooled the interior walls of the cylinder during every single working cycle. When the next charge of hot steam entered the cylinder during the recovery stroke, a significant portion of that incoming thermal energy was immediately wasted simply reheating the now-cold cylinder walls, rather than being used effectively to push the piston. This cycle of heating and cooling caused substantial, unavoidable fuel consumption.

What specific operational feature resulted in the marked fuel inefficiency of the Newcomen atmospheric engine?

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