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Gas Turbine History
The word "turbine" is
associated with spinning. It is derived from the
Latin word for a spinning top "turbines".
The turbine traces its
history back to Hero of Alexandria who in AD 62
demonstrated a device he name Aeolipile. It did
not produce useful work bit it did demonstrate the
result of accelerating a gaseous fluid thru nozzle
causing the sphere to rotate.
The development of the gas
turbine depended upon the prior development of many
devices including smoke jacks (first described by
Leonardo da Vinci), windmills, water wheels and steam
turbines. Of particular significance in the
development of the gas turbine were those technologies
associated with the development of efficient compressors
and improved materials that could withstand the high
temperatures required for gas turbines.
The first patent issued for
a gas turbine was issued in 1791 to John Barber, an
Englishman. The principle of operation of this gas
turbine required that air and fuel from a gas producer
be compressed in different cylinders and then directed
into a combustion chamber where the fuel was burned.
The products of combustion were then caused to flow
through a nozzle onto a turbine wheel. John
Barber’s concept was sound, but given the technology of
that day, it was not possible for the device to create
sufficient power to both compress the air and the gas
and to have power left over to provide useful work.
Nevertheless, the credit for the idea that leads to the
modern gas turbine can clearly be given to John Barber.
In spite of the fact that
John Barber’s 1791 patent represented all of the
important features of a successful gas turbine it wasn’t
until the early part of the 20th
century that engineers were able to produce a machine
that was useful.
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Gas Turbine History
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