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Ljungström turbine

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Functional principle of the Ljungström turbine

The Ljungström turbine (Ljungströmturbinen) is a steam turbine. It is also known as the STAL turbine, from the company name STAL (Swedish: Svenska Turbinfabriks Aktiebolaget Ljungström). The technology has had numerous uses since its conception, from power plants to vehicles as large as the supertanker Seawise Giant.[1]

It was invented circa 1908 by the Swedish brothers Birger Ljungström (1872–1948) and Fredrik Ljungström (1875–1964). The Ljungström brothers were creative, versatile inventors, typical of the 19th century. They not only named the turbine type, but also an early form of a bicycle.[2][3][4]

Functionality

The machine is flowed through steam in radial direction from the inside to the outside and consists of two halves that rotate against each other. As a result, each rotor blade of the one turbine half serves simultaneously as the guide blade of the other half. The different direction of rotation of the two halves is either compensated by a gearbox connected downstream or by separate generators during the generation of electrical power. The Ljungström turbine can either be used on a condenser or else for the supply of a district heating grid and is thus flexible to use. It was therefore used in large industrial complexes, which could use both the exhaust of this engine for combined heat and power as well as its electric energy. The functionality has been employed for several power plants.[5][6]

In principle, the maximum power is about 32 MW, since the two turbine halves can not be constructed as large as desired. Coupled with a Parsons turbine, its output can be increased to 50 MW. Since the current steam power plants have a significantly higher performance, the Ljungström turbine is generally no longer applied today. The largest ship ever built, the ULCC supertanker Seawise Giant, was powered by this type of engine.[7]

  • Radial impeller for Ljungstrom turbine - Museo scienza tecnologia, Milan
    Radial impeller for Ljungstrom turbine - Museo scienza tecnologia, Milan
  • Factory in Gåshaga, Lidingö, Stockholm, for production of Ljungström locomotives, (1918)
    Factory in Gåshaga, Lidingö, Stockholm, for production of Ljungström locomotives, (1918)
  • Ljungström 50 MW electric generator unit for power station in Västerås (1932)
    Ljungström 50 MW electric generator unit for power station in Västerås (1932)
  • Turbine rotor of the same turbine (50 MW)
    Turbine rotor of the same turbine (50 MW)
  • STAL counterpressure steam turbine of steel
    STAL counterpressure steam turbine of steel
  • Rotor for a Ljungström turbine with internal radial and external axial blading
    Rotor for a Ljungström turbine with internal radial and external axial blading

See also

Bibliography

  • Sigvard Strandh: Die Maschine: Geschichte, Elemente, Funktion. Ein enzyklopädisches Sachbuch", Herder Verlag, 1980. ISBN 3-451-18873-2 (Ljungströmturbine, pp. 133–135, Svea-Bike, p. 220 and Fig. 221)

References

  1. ^ Ljungstrom Turbine Grace's Guide Ltd.
  2. ^ "Birger Ljungström". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  3. ^ "Ljungströmturbinen". Tekniska museet. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  4. ^ "Fredrik Ljungström". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  5. ^ "Swedish steam turbine technology" (PDF). Lund University / LTH / Energy Sciences / TPE / Magnus Genrup. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  6. ^ "Svenska Turbinfabriks Ab Ljungström". tekniskamuseet. Archived from the original on September 9, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  7. ^ "Seawise Giant". relevantsearchscotland.co.uk. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
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