加油站背后的隐藏工程：英语精读讲义

It's 1913.

现在是1913年。

You're driving along in your brand new Ford Model T.

你正开着你崭新的福特T型车兜风。

The roof is down,

车顶敞开着，

the sun is out,

阳光明媚，

life is good.

生活如此美好。

But you're running out of gas. 短語動詞

但你的汽油快用光了。

Luckily, the world's first gas station just opened up around the corner.

幸运的是，世界上第一家加油站就在转角处刚开业。

So you pull in and fill up your car in seconds. 短語動詞

于是你驶入加油站，几秒钟就给车加满了油。

This was a brand new concept at the time

在当时这是一个全新的概念，

and it planted a seed that would go on to change the world. 講解

它埋下了一颗将改变世界的种子。

The car market exploded 習語

汽车市场随后迎来了爆发，

and soon more than 150,000 gas stations had been built all across the country,

很快，全国各地建起了超过15万家加油站，

giving people the freedom to travel like never before. 短語搭配

赋予了人们前所未有的出行自由。

Since then, gas stations went from being dangerous fire hazards at the side of the street 語法

从那时起，加油站从路边危险的火灾隐患，

to ultra efficient pit stops,

变成了超高效的补给站，

pumping out 3 billion gallons of fuel around the world every day.

每天向全球输送30亿加仑的燃料。

We modeled the entire thing to show you the hidden engineering behind gas stations,

我们对整个系统进行了建模，以向你展示加油站背后隐藏的工程学，

the 100-year quest to master them,

以及人类掌握它们所经历的百年探索，

and the incredible mechanisms that make them work.

还有让它们运作的不可思议的机械原理。

In order to understand how gas stations work today,

为了理解当今加油站的运作方式，

we need to go back to a time before they even existed.

我们需要回溯到它们还未出现的时代。

Most people didn't have cars yet,

当时大多数人还没有汽车，

but kerosene was being widely used to power lamps and stoves. 語法

但煤油被广泛用于点灯和生炉子。

To get it,

要买煤油，

you'd go to a hardware store

你得去五金店，

where an employee would pour it straight into a can

员工会直接把煤油倒进一个罐子里

and sell it to you.

然后卖给你。

When cars started coming along, 短語動詞

当汽车开始普及时，

the kerosene would go from the store into a can

煤油一样会从店里装进罐子里，

and the customer would pour it into their car using a funnel.

然后顾客再用漏斗把它倒进车里。

This was slow and dangerous,

这样做既缓慢又危险，

and so there needed to be a safer and more efficient way to pour kerosene. 語法

因此需要一种更安全、更高效的方法来倾倒煤油。

That's when American inventor Sylvanus Bowser came up with the fuel pump. 講解

就在那时，美国发明家 Sylvanus Bowser 发明了燃料泵。

This was a hand-driven mechanism that squeezed kerosene

这是一个手动机械装置，可以将煤油

from its container through a one-way valve and out of a nozzle on top.

从容器中通过单向阀挤压，然后从顶部的喷嘴流出。

One full crank would dispense exactly 1 gallon of fuel.

摇满一圈刚好能排出1加仑的燃料。

Soon, these pumps started being placed on city streets,

很快，这些泵开始被安置在城市街道上，

allowing cars to be filled up conveniently by an attendant.

让工作人员可以方便地给汽车加油。

But customers had no idea if they were actually getting all of the fuel they paid for. 短語搭配

但顾客完全不知道他们是否真的得到了自己花钱买的所有燃料。

And so, a few years later,

于是，几年后，

the visible fuel pump was invented.

可视燃料泵被发明了出来。

The attendant would first pump the fuel into a glass tank on top of the pump,

工作人员会首先将燃料泵入位于泵顶部的玻璃罐中，

measuring it to an exact amount.

测量出精确的数量。

Then, by opening a valve,

然后，通过打开一个阀门，

gravity would drain all of the fuel into the customer's car.

重力会将所有的燃料排入顾客的车里。

These small curbside gas pumps worked well in the early days,

这些路边的小型加油泵在早期非常实用，

when in 1900,

当时是1900年，

there were only 8,000 cars in the whole US.

整个美国只有8000辆汽车。

But just 12 years later,

但仅仅12年后，

that number increased to 1.2 million,

这个数字就增加到了120万，

and suddenly cars were everywhere.

突然间汽车无处不在。

Traffic jams started building up around every pump, 短語動詞

每一个加油泵周围都开始出现交通拥堵，

and the small 50-gallon tanks couldn't cope with the demand. 短語搭配

那些50加仑的小储油罐根本无法满足需求。

Worst of all, 表達脈絡

最糟糕的是，

having all of the fuel stored above ground 語法

将所有的燃料储存在地面上

meant that things could go catastrophically wrong.

意味着一旦发生意外将是灾难性的。

And so, in 1913,

于是，在1913年，

the Gulf Oil Company opened up the first dedicated fueling station in Pittsburgh.

海湾石油公司（Gulf Oil Company）在匹兹堡开设了第一家专门的加油站。

Instead of a single pump, they placed a much larger storage tank underground 語法

他们没有使用单个加油泵，而是在地下放置了一个大得多的储油罐，

and connected it to six pumps, allowing multiple cars to fill up at the same time.

并将其连接到六个加油泵上，允许多辆汽车同时加油。

On its first day,

在开业的第一天，

it sold just 30 gallons of kerosene.

它仅仅售出了30加仑的煤油。

But the word quickly spread, 習語

但消息迅速传开，

and by the end of the week,

到周末时，

it was already selling 350 gallons per day for around 27 cents per gallon.

它已经每天售出350加仑，价格约为每加仑27美分。

Similar gas stations started opening up all over the country,

类似的加油站开始在全国各地涌现，

and the car became the ultimate key to freedom. 習語

而汽车也成了通向自由的终极钥匙。

But by the 1920s,

但到了20世纪20年代，

most cars had switched from kerosene to gasoline,

大多数汽车已经从使用煤油改用汽油，

since it burned more easily and was more efficient.

因为它更容易燃烧且效率更高。

But this caused a new problem:

但这引发了一个新问题：

vapor.

蒸汽。

Kerosene had a flash point of 38 degrees,

煤油的闪点是38度（摄氏度），

meaning that it wouldn't emit flammable vapor until it reached that temperature. 表達脈絡

意味着只有达到那个温度，它才会散发出易燃蒸汽。

But for gasoline,

但对于汽油来说，

the flash point was -40 degrees,

闪点是零下40度，

and so it was constantly emitting flammable vapor into the air.

因此它会不断向空气中散发易燃蒸汽。

This vapor would build up inside the tanks

这些蒸汽会在储油罐内积聚，

and pollute the air whenever someone filled up their car.

并在有人给汽车加油时污染空气。

All it took was one small spark, 語法

只需要一点小小的火花，

and the customer would quickly become history. 習語

顾客就会瞬间成为历史。

To learn about your own history,

想要了解你自己的历史，

you can use MyHeritage,

你可以使用 MyHeritage，

an online genealogy service that allows you to test your DNA,

这是一个在线的家谱服务，允许你测试自己的DNA，

discover your family origins,

发现你的家族起源，

and build your own family tree.

并建立你自己的家谱。

With their instant discoveries feature and over 33 billion historical records,

借助他们的即时发现功能和超过330亿份的历史记录，

you can uncover incredible stories

你可以揭开令人难以置信的故事，

and piece together your own family tree.

拼凑出你自己的家谱。

We came across James Higgins Lang,

我们偶然发现了 James Higgins Lang，

born in the late 1800s.

出生于19世纪末。

He was a professional footballer,

他是一名职业足球运动员，

and like so many young men of his time,

和当时许多年轻人一样，

enlisted to fight in World War I.

应征入伍参加了第一次世界大战。

He tragically died in France during the Battle of Arras in 1917,

1917年，他在法国的阿拉斯战役中不幸阵亡，

just shy of his 20th birthday. 短語搭配

离他的20岁生日只差一点点。

Amazingly,

令人惊讶的是，

both of his two older brothers also served.

他的两个哥哥也都参军了。

They came from a family of coal miners.

他们来自一个煤矿工人家庭。

Andrew, who was wounded in action,

在行动中受伤的 Andrew，

served with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders,

曾在阿盖尔和萨瑟兰高地兵团（Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders）服役，

7th Battalion,

属于第7营，

a regiment known for its courage and sacrifice.

这是一个以勇气和牺牲而闻名的军团。

Using MyHeritage's Smart Matches and Record Matches,

利用 MyHeritage 的智能匹配（Smart Matches）和记录匹配（Record Matches）功能，

even more family members showed up,

更多的家庭成员浮现出来，

just waiting to be discovered.

正等待着被发现。

Once you've built your tree,

一旦你建好了你的家谱，

MyHeritage offers AI tools that can restore,

MyHeritage 还提供了AI工具，可以进行修复、

enhance,

增强、

colorize,

上色，

and even animate historical photos,

甚至让历史照片动起来，

making them feel incredibly real.

让它们感觉无比真实。

To uncover your own story,

要揭开你自己的故事，

start with MyHeritage and use the link in the description

请从 MyHeritage 开始，并使用描述里的链接

to get 14 days for free.

免费体验14天。

In order to turn gas stations from dangerous fire hazards 語法

为了把加油站从危险的火灾隐患

into efficient self-service pit stops,

变成高效的自助式补给站，

some clever engineering had to happen.

必须有一些巧妙的工程设计。

Up until this point, 表達脈絡

在此之前，

cars were always filled up by a trained attendant.

汽车总是由受过训练的工作人员加油。

But as competition started to rise,

但随着竞争开始加剧，

gas station owners were desperate to lower their prices.

加油站老板们迫切希望降低价格。

And so, in 1947,

于是，在1947年，

Frank Olrich opened the first ever self-service gas station.

Frank Olrich 开设了有史以来第一家自助加油站。

By getting rid of the need for an employee, 短語動詞

通过省去雇佣员工的需求，

he was able to lower the cost of gas from 23 cents per gallon

他能够将汽油价格从每加仑23美分

to just 18 cents per gallon,

降至每加仑仅18美分，

drastically undercutting the competition around him. 用詞

大幅击败了周围的竞争对手。

But the idea of customers handling their own gasoline seemed dangerous,

但让顾客自己处理汽油的想法似乎很危险，

and so self-service stations were banned throughout most of the country.

因此自助加油站在全国大部分地区被禁用。

The problem was,

问题在于，

customers had no clue when their tanks were full,

顾客根本不知道他们的油箱什么时候满了，

and so gasoline would often spill out all over the gas station.

所以汽油经常会溢出，洒得加油站到处都是。

That's when engineers came up with the automatic shut-off valve.

就在那时，工程师们发明了自动截流阀。

This was a simple mechanical float placed inside the nozzle

这是一个放置在喷嘴内的简单机械浮子，

that would rise and shut off the flow of fuel once the car was full. 短語動詞

一旦汽车加满油，它就会升起并切断燃料的流动。

But deep underground,

但在地下深处，

there was still one huge problem.

仍然存在一个巨大的问题。

Inside the huge storage tanks,

在巨大的储油罐内，

gasoline vapor would build up,

汽油蒸汽会积聚，

forming a layer of flammable gas.

形成一层易燃气体。

When it came time to refill the tanks, 短語搭配

到了要重新加满储油罐时，

the vapor would get pushed out into the atmosphere,

蒸汽就会被推出到大气中，

creating an almighty fire hazard.

造成极大的火灾隐患。

On top of that, 表達脈絡

此外，

the steel tanks would corrode over time,

钢制储油罐会随着时间的推移而腐蚀，

leaking gasoline into the surrounding soil.

将汽油泄漏到周围的土壤中。

Nowadays, these underground gas tanks are made from fiberglass

如今，这些地下储油罐是由玻璃纤维制成的，

and they have dozens of hidden engineering details that all go into making them safe. 短語動詞

它们拥有数十个隐藏的工程细节，这一切都是为了使其变得安全。

Here's how it all works.

这就是它运作的原理。

When a truck comes to refill the tanks every few days,

当卡车每隔几天来加满储油罐时，

it connects to a valve on the surface

它会连接到地面的一个阀门，

and gasoline starts flowing into the tanks.

汽油便开始流入储油罐。

As the level within the tank reaches around 95%,

当储油罐内的液位达到约95%时，

a flapper valve flips up and stops the flow of fuel,

一个挡板阀会向上翻转并停止燃料流动，

making sure it can never be overfilled.

确保它永远不会被装得太满。

To take care of the vapor, 短語動詞

为了处理蒸汽，

the truck connects to a second valve at the top of the tank.

卡车会连接到储油罐顶部的第二个阀门。

As the gasoline is pumped from the truck into the tank,

当汽油从卡车泵入储油罐时，

the vapor exits through this secondary valve and gets pushed back into the truck.

蒸汽会通过这个二级阀门排出，并被推回卡车里。

That vapor is then returned to the processing plant,

然后这些蒸汽被送回加工厂，

cooled down,

进行冷却，

and turned back into usable fuel. 短語動詞

并重新转化为可用的燃料。

When a customer goes to fill up their car,

当顾客去给他们的汽车加油时，

a pump placed at the bottom of the tank activates

放置在储油罐底部的水泵会启动，

and starts sending gas up through a series of pipes and filters

并开始通过一系列管道和过滤器将汽油向上输送

into the fuel dispenser.

进入加油机。

From there,

从那里，

it flows into the fuel nozzle,

它流入加油枪喷嘴，

which is perhaps the most interesting piece of the puzzle. 習語

这也许是整个难题中最有趣的部分。

Back in the day, 習語

在过去，

this would have been a simple valve releasing gas into the car. 語法

这不过是一个把汽油释放到车里的简单阀门。

Now,

而现在，

it's a mechanical work of art that makes it impossible to overfill a car. 習語

它是一件机械艺术品，让汽车绝对不可能溢出燃油。

As the fuel enters the nozzle,

当燃料进入喷嘴时，

it pushes its way through a narrow opening. 短語搭配

它会挤过一个狭窄的开口。

Small holes around the opening

开口周围的小孔

lead down a thin pipe to a small opening at the tip of the nozzle.

沿着一根细管通向喷嘴尖端的一个小开口。

As the fuel flows,

当燃料流动时，

a low-pressure region forms here thanks to the Venturi effect. 文化背景

由于文丘里效应（Venturi effect），这里形成了一个低压区。

Because of this,

正因为如此，

air starts being sucked in through the narrow pipe and into the opening, 語法

空气开始通过细管被吸入开口，

where it mixes with the gasoline.

在那里与汽油混合。

Another tube,

另一根管子，

also connected to the narrow opening,

同样连接到这个狭窄的开口，

leads to a small compartment containing a sealed membrane.

通向一个包含密封薄膜的小隔间。

This is where the magic happens. 習語

这里就是奇迹发生的地方。

When the lever gets pressed,

当手柄被按下时，

it pivots around here

它会绕着这里旋转

and opens up a valve, allowing fuel to pass through.

并打开一个阀门，让燃料通过。

But the only thing holding this part in place 語法

但唯一能把这个部件固定在原位的，

is a set of ball bearings.

是一组滚珠轴承。

When your car is full,

当你的车加满油时，

the fuel covers the hole at the top of the nozzle.

燃料会盖住喷嘴顶部的小孔。

This cuts off the flow of air being sucked into the system, 短語動詞

这切断了空气被吸入系统的气流，

and so the only other path to get more air is through the other tube.

因此要获得更多空气的唯一途径就是通过另一根管子。

But it's completely sealed,

但它是完全密封的，

and so this negative pressure sucks the air out of the sealed compartment,

于是这种负压将空气从密封隔间中吸出，

creating a vacuum and lifting up the membrane.

产生真空并将薄膜向上吸起。

The ball bearings are now free to drop,

滚珠轴承现在可以自由掉落，

causing the whole lever system to fall,

导致整个杠杆系统落下，

closing the valve and cutting off the flow of fuel.

关闭阀门并切断燃料流动。

After the '70s,

70年代以后，

cars became more efficient and required less trips to fill up. 語法

汽车变得更加高效，加油的次数也减少了。

And so,

因此，

the number of gas stations started to decline.

加油站的数量开始减少。

But thanks to 100 years of engineering,

但是由于100年来的工程学发展，

gas stations became safe and mundane. 用詞

加油站变得安全且日常。

Thanks to MyHeritage for supporting this video.

感谢 MyHeritage 对本视频的支持。

Get 14 days for free using the link below.

使用下方链接免费获取14天体验。

Thank you very much for watching

非常感谢你的观看，

and I'll see you in the next video.

我们下期视频再见。