Chemistry: This Day in Science History - August 22 - Denis Papin

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This Day in Science History - August 22 - Denis Papin Aug 21st 2011, 22:05 August 22nd is Denis Papin's birthday. Papin was a French physicist who invented the 'steam digester' or as we know it, pressure cooker. The principle of a pressure cooker is a sealed container that allows steam to build up pressure and raising the boiling point of the liquid in the pot. Typical pressure cooking temperatures can reach up to 266° F, well above the maximum heat available to a normal saucepan. They are extremely useful at high altitudes where the boiling point of water is lower due to the lower atmospheric pressure. While Papin was developing his pressure cooker, he noticed the lid would rise off the pot as steam built up. This gave him the idea of a steam engine where a piston would replace the lid. His basic design was impractical to build, but others would soon improve on it and produce steam engines to power the Industrial Revolution. Find out what else occurred on this day in science history. Follow Chemistry on Facebook or Twitter.

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