The smallest steam engine in the world

German scientists have created the world's smallest steam engine, measuring only 3/1 millimeters.

A team of scientists from the University of Stuttgart and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems Research (Germany) recently collaborated on developing the world's smallest steam engine.

The smallest steam engine in the world looks through the microscope

This engine is a resin floating on a 3 micrometer (μm) diameter - equivalent to 3 / 1000mm. This resin can move on the water surface by the action of the laser. Since the particle is only about 10,000 times larger than the atomic size, the displacement of the motor can only be observed through the microscope.

The team has also replaced the piston in the cylinder with a laser. The optical power of the laser helps to control the movement of the plastic particles as it swells or shrinks like the compression of the piston in the cylinder.

To work, the smallest motor in the world needs to be warmed up during expansion, similar to the steam engine steam. Scientists do not use coal to provide heat as traditional steam engines but replace it with laser energy to heat or cool water as desired.

The team analyzed the velocity of the plastic particles on the water surface and found that its performance was much higher than that of conventional steam engines.