Submission + - Steam Tech! (rochester.edu)
tjstork writes: "What has increased in power 10,000 times within the lifetime of its inventor. Today, you might be talking about CPUs, but, 100 years ago, one of the technological revolutions in place was the use of steam turbines!
The Parson's steam turbine was invented in 1888, but, the steam turbine transformed the world. On land, increased power output and efficiency would lead to more electrical generating stations. At sea, ships were not only more efficient and faster, but, more reliable as well...militaries in pursuit of speed, were quick to adopt the new technology. Suddenly, a steamer could make 20+ knots.
Parson's 1911 article is thus an interesting glimpse into a technical revolution that mirrors some of our own, from a leader of it. As the article points out, steam turbines gained rapidly in power in Parson's own lifetime, as much as CPUS gained in power in ours. But what's also different is an overall transformation to a science based industry. Its evident that calculus based engineering really took root with the steam turbine. Parsons, in his paper, isn't just describing the design of a steam turbine with rote examples, he's discussing the viscosity of water as steam or water, includes, early pictures of screw cavitation, and more.
Of special note is the plug about how his new steam turbine will be fitted out into a new monster ships, the Titanic."
