The Washington herald., 1908-03-01
THE MARINE TURBINE,
MARVELLOUS DEVELOPMENT IN HARVESTING
FORCE OF STEAM

II is far cry from the simple steam
engine of the Clermont the first vessel 10
be propelled by any power other than
sail, to the new American turbine steam
ers Yale, Harvard, Governor Cobb. and
Creole, az Of which have been built with
in the past year or so ana mark another
revolution in the development Of the ap-
pllcation OF steam to do the work for
mankind, says Thomas Wilson.
What do you suppose Robert Fulton
would say or think would he have the
privilege Of seeing the vast strides that
have been made in the building and
eqUipping Of vessels since his steamer
piled the bosom Of the Hudson River2 Il
is more thar likely he would be surprised,
to say the least
Despite the vast strides in the building
Of giaTs engines Of every description for
the use with steam in the reciprocating
class, the problem OF thermodynamie
energy conversion. without excessive loss.
is little nearer solution than it was in the
days Of Watt and Newcomer.
AS matter Of fact. and one that is
constantly a source Of much investigation
by marine engine builders. the reciprO-
eating engine. with all its Improvements
and increased efficiency. is not so much
OF an advance over the engine produced
by James Watt. This pioneer IN engine
building had the idea OF converting heat
energy by allowing steam to expand be-
hind a piston against a resistance cor
responding 10 the pressure IN this re-
spect he formulated a rule that has been
applied by every inventor and while the
process OF conversion of heat power is
that steam should be expanded from
maximum 70 minimum pressure and tenn
perature and further. this expansion
should be adibatic- As Is well known
however. this cannot be obtained in
practical operation for the losses In the
ordinary engine are largely due 10 the
initial condensation resulting from the
alternate heating ard cooling of the CYL
inder walls; losses are due to cIearances
IN the cylinders and valve chambers. and
70 heat rejected in the exhaust. In addi-
ton there is leakage, c0nduction, radi-
alton, and incomplete expansion all OF
which help 70 swell the total loss or from
40 20 50 per cent Of the steam used.
These figures apply 10 the better class
OF engines for with old machines the loss
Is much greater. Besides this thermal
loss there Is considerable friction 70 be
overcome in the ordinary type OF even
the very best engines that can be made.
while there is. or course much individu-
ality among engines some are more eco
nomical than others By reason OF their
] Of rr-fc -hsr-
centage Of friction viii vary from 6 70
IS. yet 10 per cent is probably a fair
average.
This being the case. the heat units
utilized as work on the piston amount
ing TO. say. 80 per cent CT those available
in the steam supplied the total effective
power delivered on the shaft would be
about 45 per cent OF that available in the
steam
In view Of these defects, and with a
full appreciation of the standard Of
excellence and efficiency of the modern
reciprocating engine. was K any wonder
that scientists have declared that there
has not been much Improvement during
the past century or mOre2
Power. mechanical and personal has
been sought I'm all ages and for the past
hundred years the development OF the
attention that Il has become generally
believed TO be the ideal power despite
the faults named above Electricity.
too, has been taken up and developed
20 a remarkeble degree. but il has re-
mained for Mr.. c. A. Parsons. of Eng
land, and Mr. Curtis. Of this country.
20 bring out new application for an
old old theory and 20 produce what
promises 70 be the coming power for
merchant and naval vessels This new
power is the marine turbine engine.
wherein one has the direct application
Of steam 20 wheels within wheels" at
tached directly to shafts for the turning
Of the propellers.
The first turbine was a land engine
that is 10 say. il was developed for land
uses. and the first inventor was Hero.
Of Alexandria. several centuries ago.
Then followed the use OF the turbine.
with water and gas as propeIIing power.
bat for a number OF years il was not
deemed suitable for vessels. and there
was but little interest shown in II By
naval architects.
In 1899 The marine nations Of the
world sat up and took notice. when il
was learned that the British govern
ment was building turbine torpedo boat
and in September OF that year the little
craft, the Viper. was launched. While
she was precisely OF Jhe same dimensions
OF other tropedO boats. the Viper demon
strated that she belong 10 a new era
for her engines, which deighed ~ per
cent less than the reciprocatinc engines
o. her sister ships. gave her horse
power OF 12.o10 and 4 speed Of 81 knots.
knots faster than her sisters. Fol-
lowing the Viper came the Cobra. but
before these craft could be given a fair
trial both were wrecked and this. TO some
extent. retarded the development Of the
turbine
Several merchant turbiners for crossing
the English Channel were built, and then
followed the Allan liners Victorian and
Nirginian. Later came the great Cunard-
lar-e t-fe e--4s.,