Везде
Invention of the vacuum pump and defeat of the “horror of emptiness”
Table of contents
Annotation Estimate Publication content
References Comments
Share
QR
Metrics
Invention of the vacuum pump and defeat of the “horror of emptiness”
Annotation
PII
S0205-96060000622-1-
Publication type
Article
Status
Published
Authors
Vasily Borisov 
Edition
Volume 23 Issue 4
Pages
650-671
Abstract

From the technological viewpoint, it seems surprising that the air pump, similar as it was in construction to the water pump, was invented two thousand years later than its predecessor. This lag is even more amazing, provided that the Hellenic technicians were already close to developing an air pump, as is evident from the description of devices based on air compression and rarefaction, provided by Heronis Alexandrini in his treatise “Pneumatics.” The paper argues that the medieval artisans were, indeed, aware of some properties of the rarified air and took them into account when constructing devices for pumping water. According to the author, it is the power of such dogmas as “Natura abhorret vacuum” and “Emptiness can be created only by the almighty God” that hampered the invention of the vacuum pump for so long. As is shown in the paper, the work of Otto von Guerike resulting in this invention was influenced primarily by G. Berti and E. Maniano, whose experiments with a water barometric pipe became widely known in Europe. Using present-day methods of vacuum evaluation, the author has concluded that the ultimate vacuum of the first mechanical pumps was about 25 mm Hg. The development of mercurial piston pumps in the 19th century made it possible to attain pressures lower than 10^-2mm Hg.

Date of publication
01.12.2002
Number of purchasers
0
Views
82
Readers community rating
0.0 (0 votes)
Previous versions
S0205-96060000622-1-1 Дата внесения правок в статью - 31.10.2022
Cite   Download pdf

References



Additional sources and materials

  1. Makovel'skij A. O. Drevnegrecheskie atomisty. Baku, 1946.
  2. Zubov V. P. Razvitie atomisticheskih predstavlenij do nachala XIX v. M., 1965.
  3. Lukrecij. O prirode veshhej. T. 2. L., 1947.
  4. Zeller E. Philosophic der Griechen. Bd. 2. Leipzig, 1862.
  5. Rozenberger F. Istorija fiziki. Ch. 2. M.-L., 1937.
  6. Heronis Alexandrini. Opera quae supersunt omnia. Voi. 1. Pneumatica et automatica. Leipzig, 1899.
  7. Stoletov A. G. Ocherki razvitija nashih svedenij o gazah // Sobr. soch. T. 2. M.-L., 1941.
  8. Bernal Dzh. Nauka v istorii obshhestva. M., 1956.
  9. Zubov V. P. Iz perepiski mezhdu Je. Torrichelli i M. Richchi // VIET. 1959. Vyp. 8.
  10. Berzherak S. Inoj svet, ili Gosudarstva i imperii Luny. M.-L., 1931.
  11. Guericke O. Neue, «Magdeburgische» Versuche uber den leeren Raum (1672), Leipzig, 1894.
  12. Agricola G. Zwolf Bucher vom Berg-und Hiittenwesen (1556). Berlin, 1953.
  13. Galilej G. Izbrannye trudy. T. 2. M., 1964.
  14. Schotti H. G. Technica Curiosa. 1664.
  15. Waard C.de. L’experience barometrique. Ses antecedents ct ses explication. Thouars, 1936.
  16. Kudrjavcev P. C. Jevandzhelista Torrichelli. M., 1958.
  17. Rozhanskij I. D. Antichnaja nauka. M., 1980.
  18. Podol'nyj R.G. Nechto po imeni nichto. M., 1983.
  19. Boyle R. Works. Vol. I, III. London, 1772.
  20. Robert Boyle’s Experiments in Pneumatics. Cambridge, 1950.
  21. Newton I. De Gravitatione et Aequipondio Fluidorum // Unpublished scientific papers of Isaac Newton. Cambridge, 1962.
  22. Newton I. Correspondence. Cambridge, 1959.
  23. Isaac Newton’s Papers and letters on natural philosophy. Cambridge (Mass.), 1958.
  24. Kudrjavcev P. C. Istorija fiziki. M., 1956.
  25. N'juton I. Optika. M.-L., 1927.
  26. Koyre. A. Etudes newtoniennes. Gallimard, 1968.
  27. Gjujgens X. Traktat o svete. M.-L., 1935.
  28. Lomonosov M. V. Slovo o proishozhdenii sveta (1756) // Poli. sobr. soch. T. 3, 1952.
  29. Guericke O. Experimenta Nova (ut vocantur) Magdeburgicade Vacuo Spatio. Amsterdam, 1672.
  30. Hawksbee F. Physico-mechanical experiments on various subjects touching light and electricity etc. London, 1709.
  31. Vakuumnaja tehnika. Spravochnik. M., 1992.
  32. Magalolti. Saggi di naturali esperienze fatte ncl Academia del Cimento (1667). Milano, 1806.
  33. Thompson S. P. Development of the mercurial air pump. London, 1888.
  34. Toepler. Dingler’s Journal. Vol. 163. 1862.
  35. Mendeleev D. I. Sobr. soch. T. 6. M.-L., 1936.
  36. Sprengel. Journal of Chemical Soc. № 3. 1865.
  37. Smiles S. Industrial Biography: Iron Workers and Tool Makers. London, 1863.
  38. Ostal'skij Bs. O. Atmosfericheskie zheleznye dorogi 40-x gg. XIX v. i problema pnevmaticheskogo transporta gruzov // Trudy In-ta istorii estestvoznanija i tehniki. T. 38. 1972.
  39. Francis J. A. A History of the English railway (1820-1845). Vol. 2. London, 1851.
  40. Clegg S., Samuda J. Atmospheric Railway. London, 1840.
  41. Marshall D. Atmospheric railways; their past and possibilities// Engineer. Vol. CLIII. Xa 3983. 1932.
  42. Krojdonskaja zheleznaja doroga//Zhurnal Glavnogo upravlenija putej soobshhenija. Kn. 3.1847.
  43. Heusinger W. Handbuch fiir speciellc Eisenbahn-Technik. Bd. I. Leipzig, 1870.
  44. The Pneumatic railway in the grounds of the Crystal Palace // The Illustrated London News. Vol. XLV.Xg 1277. 1864.
  45. Podzemnaja pnevmaticheskaja zheleznaja doroga v N'ju-Jorke// Vsemirnaja illjustracija. № 67. 1870.
  46. Beach A. E. The Pneumatic Dispatch. N. Y., 1868.
  47. Pauli H.-P. Geschichtliche und technische Entwicklung der Rohrpostanlagen // Technische Rundschau. Xs 49. 1954.
  48. Novoe zdanie telegraficheskoj stancii v S. Peterburge//Russkij hudozhestvennyj listok. № 35. 1862.

Comments

No posts found

Write a review
Translate