Denis Papin

Formation in France

Born in the surroundings from Blois, in the small village of Chitenay, and resulting from a family Middle-class E, Denis Papin follows the courses of a school of Jésuite S, before studying with the Université Angers and taking down a Diplôme Médecine while showing provisions and an interest pronounced for the Physique. Receipt Doctor towards 1669, one finds it later two years like Curateur near Christiaan Huygens, which then directs the Academy of Science, with the Louvre. In 1673, it works near Gottfried Leibniz, of the same age as him, which will remain his/her friend and his correspondent. Its experiments relate to the Vide. At 27 years, its first Memory, the new experiments on the vacuum, with the description of the machines which are used to do them, makes the description of a first Machine make the vacuum not very expensive, because it does not use “quicksilver” (mercury). One discovers there a scientist marked by the method Cartésien, and a Inventeur clever, which easily applies its Théorie S by building machines.

Departure for London

From 1675, Papin which is calvinist, precedes the effective revocation of the Édit of Nantes, and leaves for London, with a recommendation of Christiaan Huygens. It joined rather quickly work of Robert Boyle, which reaches by the drop, finds in Papin an ideal assistant there to resume the study of the properties of the air. Papin builds a new machine to make the vacuum, then an air gun.

The " Digesteur"

In 1679, Papin makes the event, with the Digesteur . It is a very strong cast iron cylinder, in which one can make assemble the steam pressure, without fearing an explosion, thanks to the relief valve. This machine, now named hermetically-sealed, or pressure cooker, according to the application that one gives him, makes it possible Papin to very lead a whole series of experiments to high pressures for the time (between 8 and 20 bars). The digester has the principal attributes of the boiler, even if, for the moment, Papin does not intend the Digester for the production of vapor in great quantity. Papin sees in its invention a tool to fight against the hunger. Indeed, the Digester makes edible the low pieces of meat, including the bones which it transforms into frost. Papin, little related to the trade, will fail to draw a significant income from its invention. The report has new Digester gold Engine for softning bones, containing the description off its make and uses in thesis particulars, &c makes however the notoriety of Denis Papin in London. Boyle feels authorized to propose the French scientist like regular member of the Royal Society of London, which it accepts in December 1680. In spite of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1681, the report appears in French in Paris in 1682 pennies the title the manner of softening the bones & of making cook all kinds of meats in very little of time & with few expenses; with a description of the machine of which it is necessary to be useful for this effect, &c.

The " Machine to be transported to far the force from the rivières"

Between 1682 and 1684, one does not keep a trace of work of Papin with Venice where, on the invitation of the Sarroti diplomat, it was invited to come to found an Academy of Science in Venice, certainly difficult thing in the city of the Doges, where it reigned then a great political instability. Papin is of return to London in 1684, and it finds its station and its salaries in Royal Society. Its work continues to turn around the same topics of water, and the air, the conservation of food, the cleaning of the linen at sea. The principal invention of Papin at that time names " Machine to be transported to far the force from the rivières".

It applies the principle of the " way atmosphérique" (transmission of the vacuum, to use it remotely), and it includes a device of distribution of the vacuum, named " tap with four voies" . This device, extraordinary of simplicity, will be included later on in the first steam engines, to distribute the vapor. The idea to distribute the energy of the vacuum will be taken up later on, and will allow the development downtown of the small craft industry.

Stay in Germany

In 1688, after several excursions in Germany, Papin joined Marbourg definitively, where the intervention of the Landgrave of Hesse enabled him to find a pulpit of mathematics professor. In spite of its hopes of the beginning, it fails to interest its pupils in mathematics and the tire. Little by little, the pupils forsake its courses. But its fame is large, and nothing slows down it, not even the money, in the continuation of its experiments.

In 1690, Papin makes appear an article in the “Acts of the scholars of Leipzig”, heading “News manner of producing with few expenses of the extremely large moving forces”. Papin had the idea to condense water, to create a perfect vacuum. The experimental apparatus is a simple cylinder/piston of two finger S of diameter (4cm), in which it puts water before placing it on the fire, and which ends up raising a weight of 60 books (30kg). A notch of stop having maintained the piston in high position after the expansion of the vapor, it is enough to slacken it after cooling to start all the force of the atmospheric pressure, systematically and continues, on all the travel of the piston. With this not very spectacular invention but nevertheless capital, Papin reaches a new stage in the way which leads to the modern steam engine. It is this principle which Thomas Newcomen will begin again to work out the first genuine industrial steam engine in 1712. But in 1690, only Papin has a presentiment of the prolongations of its invention, conscious of the forces which it can start, while using of the tubes of larger, because, he says, “the pressure will so on increase because of triple of the diameters”. He consequently claims “a manufacture to manufacture light tubes easily, and of a regular diameter”, because, he says, his machine shows that “tubes thus made can very conveniently get busy with several important uses”. The continuation and end of the article, described the first paddle boat with paddles motorized, such as the scientist imagines it: four pneumatic cylinders, acting one after the other, on the transverse axis of two paddle wheels, placed each side of the hull.

One can consider that the pneumatic cylinder is the first steam engine of the history, because it is the first system to create a shift of the atmosphere between the top and the bottom of the piston, and to transform this force into mechanical energy.

The submarine " Urinator"

Between September 1690 and May 1692, Papin has the support of the Landgrave to work on two models of Sous-marin, in order to continue the tests of plunging boat of Dutch Drebbel. The first model of Papin is a tight very reinforced iron cube, in which an air pump is installed, allowing to pressurize it before its setting with water. The demonstration before the court turns to the catastrophe: the submarine so heavy that the crane jib breaks and damages irremediably the apparatus, causing is risée of the assembly. Less than one year later, Papin finishes the construction of the second model, to which the scientist made several capital improvements. Papin makes the description of “Urinator” in the “Acts of the scholars of Leipzig”. It is an oval barrel, which resists naturally by its form the external pressure of water, when it is immersed. A centrifugal air pump, connected to two leather pipes maintained on the surface by a floating bladder, refreshes the air inside the cockpit, while a barometer measures the difference in pressure between the interior and outside. Called Haes, corresponding or spy of Leibniz, made a detailed report of the test of the submarine, one day of May 1692. Papin, accompanied by a courageous assistant, made plunge the boat, then it made it evolve/move under water of Lahn.

If a submarine is a mobile device, allowing indefinitely to ensure the breathing of the crew under water, one can consider that “Urinator” was the first submarine of the history.

Various inventions

About 1695, Papin become the personal doctor of the Landgrave of Hesse, leaves Marbourg for the castle of Cassel. The lord wants for his castle of the water jets and the mirrors, just like Louis XIV in Versailles. After some hesitations, it is in Papin that returns this challenge. Papin reports to have built a machine to raise water, on the model of that of Thomas Savery, but it was carried by the ices, at the time of a rout. Many inventions and constructions follow: a pneumatic cider press; a machine to preserve fruit juices by heating then vacuum maintenance; giant bellows for the ventilation of the mines, a compressed-air still; a furnace with air pulsated to improve the cast iron of glass; an underwater lantern to attract fish; a baker's oven using a better circulation of air; a machine improving drastiquement the evaporation of sea water and the production of salt; cushions and air mattresses; a pneumatic lance-grenade…

In 1704, Papin finishes the construction of a boat with paddle wheels. One does not know large thing of the mechanical system which equips it, if not which the Landgrave of Hesse, with which Papin tested the machine, was very impressed by it.

In 1707, Papin gives an account of a machine to pump water, by the force of the vapor in the last report, entitled new machine to raise water by the force of fire .

In a cylinder, the vapor overheated by red irons pushes a float, under which is the water to pump, which is pushed back through a retort in a higher tank, cylindrical and hermetic. When pumped water is there in sufficient quantity, the imprisoned air makes pressure, and one can open a tap in bottom of this vase to let water under pressure escape and put moving a wheel at multiple wings, whose axis is common with that of a grinding stone. Papin envisaged to install this machine below the level of water to be pumped, so that the funnel of food fills of itself: this machine is thus adapted to be installed on board a boat.

Return to London

But the enemies of Papin are then numerous in Germany, and their vindication breaks out, following a new artillery experiment during which the explosion of a gun would have made several victims. In a mail with Leibniz, Papin now says to fear for its life, and he wants to gain London, in order to continue his experiments of boat in deeper water. In September 1707, it puts all its businesses in its paddle boat at paddles, and it descends the Fulda since Cassel until the Weser, where marines force it to stop. After a few days of tergiversations, whereas Papin and its family are on the point of setting out again, the marines seize the paddle steamer and the machine, and put it in parts. Papin leaves then only for London where, twenty years after having left Royal Society, he hopes to find his place, and to continue its experiments. Cruel illusions, because died Boyle, it is now the reign of Isaac Newton, which scorns the technological advance of Papin, which however claims to work in collaboration with Thomas Savery, in order to withdraw best their experiments.

The doctor then finishes his life of inventor with small inventions. He updates the medical interest to renew the air in the apartments. He has other ideas, but he refuses to make share of it, for fear they are not stolen to him.

Its incomes do not cease decreasing. One ends up losing the trace of the scientist in London about 1712. Several biographers think that Papin died out, without fortune, in a low district of London. The date of its death is certainly between 1712 and 1714.

External bonds

Importance of the steam engine of Papin, university research with bibliography
Bibliography and correspondence of Papin, Deutsche Nationalbibliothek

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