The Cloud Engine

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!


On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.


This invention consists, briefly, in the injection of a certain amount of atmospheric air into the steam cylinder, and the admixture thereof with the steam. A saving of 33 per cent in the fuel has been claimed for the improvement. It is the invention of fm. Mt. Storm, of this city. Sundry experiments, it is said, have at times exhibited the above gain, while others have shown no advantage to arise from the improvement. P. McManus, of Troy, N. Y., a part owner of the patent, writes us that he has lately put in operation at that place a 7-horse horizontal engine, with the Cloud improvement attached, which works successfully. It is said to have run ty days at a consumption of one tun of coal. But when the air was shut off, and steam alone used, the engine only ran 2A days on the same amount of coal, and performed less work at that. Mr. McManus claims to have discovered a remedy for the irregularities that have attended former experiments. If the data is correctly stated, the above trial exhibits a nominal saving equal to 50 per cent in fuel. This seems too good to be true. We understand that the engine can be seen in operation at the Phcenix Works, 543 River street, Troy. Can't some of the scientific Trojans look into this matter, and report upon it ? Where is Professor Wells?

Scientific American Magazine Vol 13 Issue 47This article was published with the title “The Cloud Engine” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 13 No. 47 (), p. 376
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican07311858-376d

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American

Subscribe