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When did James Watt patent his method for reducing steam and fuel consumption?
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James Watt
James Watt, oil painting by H. Howard; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
James Watt patented his method for reducing steam and fuel consumption in 1769.12
The patent, titled "A New Invented Method of Lessening the Consumption of Steam and Fuel in Fire Engines," centered on his invention of a separate condenser. By allowing condensation to occur in a chamber distinct from the cylinder, Watt addressed the significant energy waste inherent in the design of the earlier Newcomen steam engine. This innovation was a pivotal development in the history of the Industrial Revolution, as it transformed the steam engine into a far more efficient and practical power source.21