Abstract
In large parts of our modern world, electric power is produced by heating water to produce steam, which is then fed to a steam turbine driving a generator. Every such energy plant contains a pressure vessel – a boiler. Uncontrolled heating may raise the steam pressure to a level high enough to cause the boiler to burst, and this may result in great damage to people and plant. Such explosions were not uncommon in the early years of high-pressure steam technology.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bednar HH (1981) Pressure vessel design handbook. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York
Gill SS (ed.) (1970) The stress analysis of pressure vessels and pressure vessel components. Pergamon Press, Oxford
Gordon JE (1978) Structures, or why things don’t fall down. Penguin Books, London
Hammond R (1956) Engineering structural failures. Odhams Press, London
Höjer EB (1910) Lokomotivlära, Statens Järnvägar, Stockholm, Sweden
Nichols RW (ed.) (1979–83) Developments in pressure vessel technology, 1–4. Applied Science Publishers, London
Nichols RW (ed) (1980) Trends in reactor pressure vessel and circuit development. Applied Science Publishers, London
Petroski H (1985) To engineer is human. St Martin’s Press, London
Petroski H (1994) Design paradigms: case histories of error and judgment in engineering. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Scanning J (ed) (1976) Great disasters: catastrophes of the twentieth century. Treasure Press, London
Spence J, Tooth AS (eds) (1980) Pressure vessel design: concepts and principles. Chapman & Hall, London
Steele LE, Stahlkopf KE (eds) (1980) Assuring structural integrity of steel reactor pressure vessels. Applied Science Publishers, London
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2010 Springer-Verlag London Limited
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Hult, J. (2010). The Dangerous Steam Engine. In: Grimvall, G., Holmgren, Å., Jacobsson, P., Thedéen, T. (eds) Risks in Technological Systems. Springer Series in Reliability Engineering. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84882-641-0_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84882-641-0_4
Publisher Name: Springer, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-84882-640-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-84882-641-0
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)