From eCompressedair
Compressed air has evolved from its natural origins into a highly technical source of energy. Understanding where compressed air comes from can shed light on its current uses and possibly open doors to future applications.
The first air compressors weren't machines, but human lungs: Primitive people blew on cinders to create a fire. We now know that healthy lungs can exert pressure of .02 to .08 bar (1 bar = 14.5 psi). However, this pressure was inadequate with the birth of metallurgy about 3000 B.C. As people began to melt metals such as gold, copper, tin and lead, higher temperatures were needed, and a more powerful compressor was required. Egyptian and Sumerian metallurgists used the wind, then blowpipes for their work. The first mechanical compressor, the hand-operated bellows, emerged soon after, and in 1500 B.C. the more efficient foot bellows came into use.
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Topics of Interest
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