Rocky Ford enterprise., 1912-02-02

ease and rapidly of repairs. and small ratio OF
weight and space occupied to the power delivered
on the shaft. Mr.. Tesla maintains that In the thr-
bine which forms the subject OF this article he
has carried the steam and gas motor a long step
forward toward the maximum attanable eificien-
cy, both theoretical and mechanical. That these
claims are well founded is shown by the fact that
in the plant where Mr.. Tesla carried out his
periments. he is securing output of 200 HIP.
from single-stage steam turbine with atmos
pheric exhaust, weighing less than pounds per
HIP. which is contained within a space measuring
feet by feet. by feet in height and which
omplishes these results with thermal fall of
only 13O BTU. that is about onethird OF the to-
tai drop available. Furthermore. considered
from the mechanical standpoint the turbine is
astonishingly simple and economical in construc-
tion. and by the very nature of its construction
should prove to possess such a durability and
freedom from wear and breakdown to place It
In these respects far in advance of any type OF
steam gas motor OF the present day
Briefly stated Teslas steam motor consists OF
a set of fat steel disks mounted on shaft and
rotating within casing. the steam entering with
high velocity at the periphery OF the disks. flow
Ing between them in free spiral paths and hnaily
escaping through exhaust ports at their center.
Instead of developing the energy of the steam
by pressure. reaction. impact series of
blades vanes, Tesla depends upon the fluid
properties of adhesion and viscosity-the attrac
tion of the steam to the faces of the disks and
the resistance of its particles to molecular sepa-
ration combining in transmitting the velocity en-
ergy OF the mOI1Ve HulO 10 the plates ana tne
shaft
By reference to the accompanying photographs
1t will be seen that the turbine has rotor which
in the present case consists of % fiat steel disks
one one thirtysecond of an inch in thickness. OF
hardened and carefully tempered steel. The
rotor as assembled is BIZ inches wide the face
by IS inches in diameter and when the turbine
is running at its maximum working velocity. the
material is never under tensile stress exceeding
10000 lbs. per square inch. The rotor is mounted
in a casing which is provided with two inlet noz
zles for use in running direct and for reversing
Openings cut out at the central portion OF
the disks and these communicate directly with
exhaust ports formed in the side of the casing
In operation, the steam gas the case may
be, is directed the periphery of the disks
through the nozzes (Which may be diverging,
straight or converging) where or less of its
expansive energy is converted into velocity
ergy. When the machine is rest the radial
and tangential forces due to the pressure and veo
city of the steam IT to travel In rather
short curved path toward the central exhaust
opening but as the disks commence to rotate.
and their speed increases. the steam travels in
spiral paths the length of which increases until
in the case OF the present turbine. the particles
of the fluid complete number of turns around
the shaft before reaching the exhaust, covering
in the meantime linea path some IL to l6 feet
in length. During its progress from inlet to ex-
haust, the velocity and pressure OF the steam are