Energy, Environment, and
Industrial Development
Frederick H. Abernathy
Michael B. McElroy
Lecture 10
March 9, 2005
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Estimate for carbon incorporated globally
in trees  3x109 tons C yr-1
How many people could this support at
utilization rate in 1800 New England?
About 0.7 billion (3x109/4.1)
Current global consumption of carbon in
fossil fuel is about 6x109 ton C/yr, roughly
twice the carbon potentially available from
trees
But, large amount of energy required to
harvest the trees. Plus transportation and
seasoning
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What is the better economic choice, to
grow food or timber?
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Timber is sold in units of board feet
1 board foot = 1 foot x 12 inches x 1 inch
Assuming a density of 1 g cm-3, the mass of a
board food is about 0.25 kg
Price for softwood: $35~$305/1000 board feet;
price for hardwood: $230~$580/1000 board feet
Take $300/1000 board feet as average 
timber worth $1200/metric ton
Rice costs $0.48/lb  $1.10/kg  $1100/metric
ton
It would appear that wood and food are
comparable as investments!
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Wood in English History
A Forest Journey, John Perlin, Harvard Univ. Press, 1991
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England was industrially relatively backward
in early 1500s. Henry VII built only four ships
for the Royal Navy during his reign (14851509)
Imported salt, iron, dyes, glass and arms
from continent
Change in 1530s. Concern about
Spanish/French intention to depose Henry
VIII (1509- 1547)
Development of arms industry in Sussex.
England is forefront of arms race to 1550
To produce 1 ton of bar iron required 48
cords of wood. Beginning of English
deforestation
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Wood in English History
A Forest Journey, John Perlin, Harvard Univ. Press, 1991
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Prior to Elizabeth I, England’s ships were
mostly made elsewhere or were hired.
Elizabeth took steps to promote domestic
industry. Subsidies for large ships, fishing,
policies on wine importation
To build a large warship took 2000 oaks
which had to be more than 100 years old.
Increased wood demands for iron, copper,
glass, construction. Wood becomes scarce.
James I prescribes permissible uses of
timber (houses, glass etc)
English reach to Ireland for new sources of
wood
Great fire of London, 1666
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Wood in English History
A Forest Journey, John Perlin, Harvard Univ. Press, 1991
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John Houghton proposed a strategic timber
reserve: “in times of peace, enough might be
laid up for war and I believe that once a tenyear store was gotten, we never need fear
the want of timber…when we are so
prepared, we need care for nobody”
Growth in use of wood for rail carriages,
mining, canal building, mills, water wheels
Abraham Darby develops method to use
coked coal rather than charcoal for metal
smelting. First coal-fired iron furnace in 1754
England moves from wood to coal age
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Diamond’s view of factors that can lead
to the collapse of a society
Collapse, Jared Diamond, 2005, Viking Penguin, member of
Penguin Group
1. Damage people inadvertently inflict
on their environment
2. Climate change
3. Hostile neighbors
4. Decreased support by friendly
neighbors
5. Society’s response to problems
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http://www.efunda.com/Materials/water/steamtable_sat.cfm
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http://www.keveney.com/newcommen.html
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What was the maximum possible efficiency of
the Newcomen engine (or more properly that
of the Watt modification)?
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Consider a cylinder of length L, cross-section S
Suppose that the cylinder must be filled with steam
to a pressure of 1 atm
 First calculate the mass of H2O corresponding to
this steam
The Perfect Gas Law: P = NRT
 N = P/RT = 1atm / (8.31 J mol-1K-1 * 373K)
= 1.013x105 Pa / (8.31 J mol-1K-1 * 373K)
= 32.68 mol/m3
Mass of H2O = N * L* S * 18g/mol = 588.23LS (gram) 16
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What was the maximum possible efficiency of
the Newcomen engine (or more properly that
of the Watt modification)?
 Then calculate heat required to produce this steam
Heat required = heat to raise water from 293K to 373K
+ latent heat of evaporation
Q = (558.23LS)g * 4.8 J K-1g-1 * (373-293)K +
(588.23LS)g * 2500J/g
= 1.56x106 LS (Joule)
 Work done in one stroke of engine
W = 1atm * S * L = 1.013x105 LS (Joule)
 Efficiency = 1.013x105 LS / (1.56x106 LS) = 6.5%
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Calculate the energy required to raise 100 gallons
of water by 100 ft.
E = mgh
m = density * volume
= 1 g/cm3 * 100 gallons * 3785 cm3/gallon
= 3.785x105 gram = 3.785x102 kg
h = 100 ft = 100 ft * 0.305m/ft = 30.5 m
E = 3.785x102 kg * 9.8 m/s2 * 30.5m
= 1.13x105 J
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Calculate the power required to raise 100
gallons of water by 100 ft per minute
E = mgh = 1.13x105 J
power = 1.13x105 J / min
= 1.13x105 J / 60 sec
= 1.89 x 103 W
= 2.53 horse power
(1 hp = 746 Watts)
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Major Players in the Steam Revolution
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Thomas Savery (1650-1715) awarded a patent in
1698 for “ the sole exercise of a new invention by
him invented, for raising water, and occasioning
motion to all sorts of mill works, by the important
force of fire, which will be of great use for draining
mines, serving towns with water, and for the
working of all sorts of mills, when they have not
the benefit of water nor constant winds; to hold for
14 years; with usual clauses”.
Thomas Newcomen (1663-1729) had to work with
Savery
Newcomen’s first full scale engine delivered to Earl
of Dudley’s colliery in 1712
James Watt (1736-1819). Met John Robison (17391805) in 1756. Important relationship with Joseph
Black – “ pneumatic chemist”
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Major Players in the Steam Revolution
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Began experimenting with Newcomen model in
1764. Hit on idea for separate condenser in
1765
Met Matthew Boulton (1728-1809) and had a
tour of the Soho works in Birmingham in 1767
Watt obtained patent for his “fine engine” with
separate condenser, 5 January 1769. “New
method of lessening the consumption of steam
and fuel in fire engines”
1773, Boulton acquires 2/3 share of patent from
Roebuck
1774 Watt moved to Birmingham
Boulton and Watt go into business in 1775
Patent extended to 1800 by act of Parliament in
1775
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Major Players in the Steam Revolution
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John Fitch (1743 – 1798)
Frontiersman – escapes death from Delaware
Indians
Held captive by British in Detroit
Heard about steam engine in New Jersey and had
the idea to use steam to drive boat
Partnership with German born clockmaker Henry
Voight – the steamboat company funded in
Philadelphia with $300
Made working model with 3” cylinder with piston
driven by steam on both sides (1786)
Monopoly licenses for Delaware (Feb. 3, 1787), New
York (March 9, 1787), Pennsylvania (March 28,
1787)
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Major Players in the Steam Revolution
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Demonstrated boat during Constitutional Convention
in Philadelphia (August, 1787)
Difficulty raising money
Built 60’ boat with 8’ beam. Original arrangement of
tubes in 18” cylinder. Propelled by paddleboards in
rear
Successful launch, April 16, 1790 – 76 stroke a
minute
Began ferry service. Traveled Philadelphia to
Trenton (38 miles) in 1 ½ hours
Service economically unsuccessful
John Stevens (1749 – 1838), Aaron Vail
French patent. Travels to France, spring 1793.
Unable to buy engine from Boulton / Watt
Returned to US. Suicide at age 55 by ingesting
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opium pills prescribed for insomnia
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Major Players in the Steam Revolution
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John Stevens (1749 – 1838) – Mr. Stevens
Robert Livingston (1749 – 1813), brother-inlaw of Stevens – congressman, judge,
diplomat
Livingston had Fitch’s 20 year license for the
Hudson transferred to him
Livingston – Stevens – Nicholas I. Roosevelt
alliance. Polacca made 3 miles before boiler
sprung a leak (March 1799)
Alliance between Livingston and Fulton
forged at dinner party in Paris, March 1802
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Robert Fulton (1765 – 1815)
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Born in Lancaster, Pa
Shady early years. Moved to London, summer
1786
Accepted patronage of Viscount Courtenay, later
Earl of Devon. Began his career at inventor
developing a mechanical saw
Work on canals
Moved to Paris, 1797. Invented a submarine and
a torpedo
Meeting with Livingston at Barlow’s house
Fulton studies plans of everyone who had tried
previously to make steam boat (Rumsey,
Stevens). Ambition to design a large boat that
would be profitable on the Hudson and
Mississippi.
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Robert Fulton (1765 – 1815)
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Thought of using board-like oars on chain running
from bow to stern. Switched to wheels
Partnership with Livingston signed October 10, 1802.
Commitment to build 120’x8’ boat to carry
passengers from Albany to New York
Prototype built in France. Successful demonstration
August 9, 1803
Livingston negotiated the Louisiana purchase with
Napoleon (565x106 acres) and returned to New York
Fulton went to London May 1804. Working with
Royal Navy.
To New York, December 1806
Demonstration voyage of the Clermont to Albany,
August 17, 1807
Five years later, Fulton operated services on the
Hudson, Delaware, Potomac, James, Chesapeake,
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Mississippi, and Ohio
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Robert Fulton (1765 – 1815)
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Set up Nicholas Roosevelt to build
steamboat to travel all the way from Pittsburg
to New Orleans. The New Orleans left
Pittsburg, October 1811. Overcame New
Madrid earthquake, Indian Raid. Arrived in
New Orleans, January 12, 1812 – 259 hours
at 8 mph.
January 1815. Fulton defended his
precedence in use of side wheels by
producing a letter he said he wrote to Lord
Stanhope in 1793. Watermark showed 1796!
Saved by his Irish lawyer, Thomas Addis
Emmet.
Died of pneumonia, February 23, 1815
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