Physicists Uncover Physics of 18th-Century Firefighting Technology

Research into the 'windkessel' effect in historic fire engines could inform understanding of heart function.

Physicists have examined the fluid mechanics of an 18th-century fire engine designed by Richard Newsham, providing insight into the device's innovative design which incorporated a 'windkessel' to smooth the outflow of water.
The 'windkessel' or 'wind chamber' was a critical invention in firefighting technology following the Great Fire of London in 1666, enabling a continuous stream of water despite being pumped by hand.
John Lofting's 'sucking worm' device, a predecessor to Newsham's fire engine, claimed to produce a continuous stream of water, but researchers believe this was likely an exaggeration as no regulating device is mentioned in Lofting's patent.
The researchers developed a model to understand how the Windkessel could smooth water in the fire engine and determine how fast it could produce water.
The same physicists are now investigating how the Windkessel effect works in the aorta, the largest artery which carries blood away from the heart.