Excerpt from Steam Turbines: Their Development, Styles of Build, Construction and Uses

The rapid progress made in the introduction of the Steam Turbine and its increasing commercial importance have created an interest in this invention far beyond the specialistic circles immediately affected by it, which aim at the perfection of its construction and the extension of its use. On the other hand, the knowledge existing as to the new domain created by it, which, until recently so scantily appreciated, has now grown to such dimensions, is comparatively slender. The author has accordingly approached the present task with the determination to treat it in a popular manner, and, as far as possible, to cover all the ground. The discussion of the various methods which in practice have been adopted in the construction of the Steam Turbine proved to be insufficient, and it became necessary to refer, as far as possible, to all the varieties of the different systems.

The development of the Steam Turbine may be divided into two periods of time, the first of which, extending over, two thousand years, shows only a desultory searching for successes, while the second, covering the last decade, begins with results of practical value, which again have given the spur to systematic scientific research. By virtue of the latter, as also of the principles of thermodynamics and of the construction of water turbines, it has been possible to evolve theories for the steam turbine systems in use, thus sparing designers the trouble of experimenting, and to these theories we shall, on occasion, refer. As to the manner in which the scientific treatment of the subject-matter provides a basis for the calculations, a knowledge of the earlier attempts - however awkward these may sometimes appear - must exert an inspiring influence on the searcher; for even in the earliest times attempts were made to solve definite problems, to remove defects, and to achieve successes.

The author has further endeavoured to divide the systems of construction hitherto known into groups, for which two new designations have been made use of - those of the Velocity Turbine and the Pressure Turbine. The grouping has indeed been the more difficult, that the experience of to-day has in many cases provided, for the modes of working of the motors, explanations differing from those which their designers had in view. It may here be observed that the researches on the domain of steam turbine construction are by no means to be looked upon as completed, and that it is not impossible that opinions now prevailing, as to the mode of working of the steam in this or that turbine, may so change that removals from the one group to the other become necessary.

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