Hydrological Science and the Development of Waterpower for Manufacturing
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4018938 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Robert B Gordon (0000-0002-9674-3700, corresponding author) |
| Year | 1985 |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 204 |
| Publication date | 1985-04-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Technology and Culture (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0040-165X • E-ISSN: 1097-3729 |
| Publisher | JSTOR (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.2307/3104341 |
| OpenAlex | W2323093433 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
In the 18th century power from the fall of water best met the economic and technical requirements for prime movers of machinery in factories. It provided reliable, steady motion; was both widely available and accessible; and remained a competitive source of industrial power until well into the 19th century in both Great Britain and America.' Throughout this time the application of the thendeveloping science of fluid mechanics helped designers make waterwheels and, later, turbines more efficient and less costly.2 However, the successful design of a waterpower system also depends on knowledge of the geology and hydrology of the drainage basin from which the supply of water is drawn. Although some 19th-century manufacturers succeeded in sustaining the growth of their enterprises through the full development of the power potentials of watersheds, more often entrepreneurs made poor decisions and experienced disappointments for want of an adequate understanding of the way drainage basins yield water to rivers and streams. In this article I shall use three case histories to show the problems encountered, and the solutions found, by New England manufacturers
American Environmental and Regional History · Environmental Science
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,11 |
| Citation span | 1988 - 2017 (30) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 4 |