November i, 1903] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



47 



STEAM TURBINES IN THE RUBBER FACTORY. 



BY HERBERT S. KIMBALL, S. B. 



THE steam turbine is on the market, and the results of its 

 careful design have proved so successful that one is war- 

 ranted in making use of this machine. They are installed in va- 

 rious industrial plants, and the number of orders for such ma- 

 chines is astonishing. 



While the problem of installing turbines in a rubber factory 

 presents no special difficulties, yet a few cases may be of inter- 

 est. It might be well to describe the principal features of the 

 steam turbine, and though the writer is more familiar with the 

 " De Laval " machine, he offers the following remarks, which, 

 in general, apply to the various types. 



The construction of the machine is simple — in brief, merely 

 the turbine wheel mounted on a shaft, so constructed that the 

 wheel may rapidly revolve around an axis through its center of 

 gravity, rather than its geometric center. If an electric ma- 

 chine, the shaft is 

 connected to the gen- 

 erator by a pair of 

 gears and in case a 

 mechanical drive is 

 wished, an iron 

 sheave or a pulley is 

 substituted for the 

 electric generator. Of 

 course there is a case 

 for the turbine ; and 

 other parts of the 



apparatus that re- laval turbine alternator. 



quire protection are suitably encased. 



The small space necessary, and the need of no special foun- 

 dation for the turbine, alone are points that immediately at- 

 tract one ; and when a 300 HP. horizontal type steam turbine, 

 mounted on a frame with the generator, requires a floor space 

 of about 15X6 feet, it is readily seen how economical in floor 

 area such a machine is, and how inexpensive the necessary 

 foundation would be. 



The steam turbine is radically different from the reciprocat- 

 ing steam engine in that, instead of using the expansive power 

 of the steam behind a piston, the steam is expanded in a noz- 

 zle, converting the static energy into kinetic ; and as the steam 

 impinges against the wheel its great velocity is utilized to re- 

 volve the wheel at a tremendous speed. 



All the energy in the steam is converted into useful work in 

 the steam turbine, which is not true in a reciprocating engine ; 

 and another point in its efficiency is the fact that there is no 

 condensation and reevaporation, as upon the walls of the cylin- 



der of the reciprocating engine. It is claimed that with low 

 pressure steam and running noncondensing that the turbine 

 can compete with the reciprocating engine ; but for the very 

 best economy the turbine should be operated with high pres- 

 sure steam and a condenser. A further gain is made by super- 

 heating the steam. 



It has been proved that the turbine is more economical in its 

 consumption of steam than is the reciprocating engine; and it 

 should be noted that its consumption of steam does not increase 

 to any extent per horse power, as the load decreases. Cost of 

 fuel is an important item, and, considering that the steam 

 turbine is such an economical machine in steam consumption, 

 this fact alone is bound to attract attention. 



The speed regulation is all that could be wished, and even 

 with a sudden variation of load the speed will be maintained 

 within very small limits. Oil does not have to be introduced 

 into the machine, and consequently the steam is free from such 



LAVAL TURBINE MOTOR. 



contamination, and the condensed steam may be again used in 

 the boilers without purification. Owing to its simple construc- 

 tion, it is predicted, and with good reason, that the life of the 

 machine will be long. 



In applying the steam turbine to the rubber factory, either way 

 of furnishing power is suitable — electrically or mechanically. 

 The generator is connected directly to the turbine, and the 

 electric current transmitted to the electric motors on each ma- 

 chine, or group of machines. Should it be deemed best to 

 transmit power by shafting, the rope sheave, which is con- 

 nected to the turbine, is, by a system of rope drives, connected 

 with the main lines of shafting, which extend from the power 

 house out into the mill. Owing to its speed regulation, the 

 steam turbine is well adapted to operate the crackers and mix- 

 ers whose loads vary greatly and suddenly. Two accompanying 

 illustrations show a 300 HP. turbine, with iron sheaves, and a 

 300 HP. turbine connected to an electric generator. 



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TURBINE ROOM. 



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PLAN FOR CONNECTING TURBINE TO MAIN SHAFT LINES BY ROPE DRIVES. 



