Power from Steam is the first comprehensive history of the steam engine in 50 years, following the development of the reciprocating steam engine. Hills covers its history from its earliest form to the beginning of the twentieth century when it was replaced by the steam turbine. Although the first steam engine was used to pump water, its development really started with the mechanisation of the textile industry. This development is studied closely and the theoretical understanding of its operation is covered. The background of thermodynamics is introduced to show how science and design coupled...

Since the inception of windpower around 1000 AD, technology has been deployed to obtain the most economical power from wind. The author traces its technical evolution, concentrating on the growth in understanding of wind and charting crucial developments in windmill design. The history of the windmill focuses on North Western Europe, but Hills indicates the origins of the first horizontal windmills in Persia, Tibet and China. He also examines industrial applications such as in textiles, papermaking and mining. The book concludes with a look at the recent reemergence of windpower as a viable...