- #1
Xyius
- 508
- 4
I am very fascinated by steam engines. When I took my thermodynamics course a few years back, I remember learning that the steam is recirculated after it does work. I am confused on how this happens.
After the steam is used to do work, it is expelled at a lower pressure than it started with. If this steam were to be pumped back into the boiler via a one way valve, shouldn't it need to be at a higher pressure to be able to open the valve and move back into the boiler? How can low pressure steam be pumped into a boiler of higher pressure?
Is there some external source that provides the extra energy to pump back into the boiler?
After the steam is used to do work, it is expelled at a lower pressure than it started with. If this steam were to be pumped back into the boiler via a one way valve, shouldn't it need to be at a higher pressure to be able to open the valve and move back into the boiler? How can low pressure steam be pumped into a boiler of higher pressure?
Is there some external source that provides the extra energy to pump back into the boiler?