Fredrik Ljungström
Encyclopedia
Fredrik Ljungström was a Swedish engineer, technical designer and an industrialist. Together with its older brother Birger Ljungström (1872-1948) he invented high-pressure steam boilers.
, the Ljungström radial turbine, patened by his brother Birger Ljungström in 1894. The turbine principle was the base for the company ALÅ (Ljungström steam turbine Co.) founded in 1908 that owned all the patents. In 1913 they founded the separate company STAL (Swedish turbine manufacturing Co.), and moved the small workshop from Stockholm to Finspång
. This company handled the manufacturing and sales of complete steam turbine driven electric generators. STAL was acquired in 1916 by ASEA
as they wished to market complete packages with turbine driven electric generators. The brothers then left the company but kept control over the all the patents and manufacturing licenses for the Ljungström steam turbines within the company ALÅ.
similar to a successful freight design. Built in 1930 and 1936 by Nydqvist & Holm, these locomotives replaced conventional ones on the Grängesberg-Oxelösund Railway. No condenser was fitted, as its complexity outweighed its thermodynamic advantages. The wheels were driven by a jackshaft
. These engines were not retired until the 1950s when the line was electrified. He also invented an efficient air preheater
, which even in a modern utility boiler provides up to 20% of the total heat transfer in the boiler process, but only represents 2% of the investment.
underground gasification by electrical energy (Ljungström method) and made several inventions related to sailing boats. He also worked with new ideas for sailing boats. The Ljungstrom sailboat without a boom
and double sail that can work as a spinnaker
is namned after Fredrik Ljungström.
Steam turbines
They also worked out a new type steam turbineSteam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
, the Ljungström radial turbine, patened by his brother Birger Ljungström in 1894. The turbine principle was the base for the company ALÅ (Ljungström steam turbine Co.) founded in 1908 that owned all the patents. In 1913 they founded the separate company STAL (Swedish turbine manufacturing Co.), and moved the small workshop from Stockholm to Finspång
Finspång
Finspång is a locality and the seat of Finspång Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden with 12,415 inhabitants in 2005.-Overview:Finspång is a traditional industrial town. The first industries were established in 1580 when a Royal factory for cannon and cannon balls was chartered. The industry...
. This company handled the manufacturing and sales of complete steam turbine driven electric generators. STAL was acquired in 1916 by ASEA
ASEA
Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget was a Swedish industry company. It merged with the Swiss Brown, Boveri & Cie in 1988 to form Asea Brown Boveri...
as they wished to market complete packages with turbine driven electric generators. The brothers then left the company but kept control over the all the patents and manufacturing licenses for the Ljungström steam turbines within the company ALÅ.
Turbine locomotives
They also designed a number of steam turbine locomotives, some of which were highly successful. The first attempt in 1921 was a rather odd-looking machine. Its three driving axles were located under the tender, and the cab and boiler sat on unpowered wheels. Later they changed this design with driving wheels on both the boiler carrige and the tender with separate turbines. The second design was a 2-8-02-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels...
similar to a successful freight design. Built in 1930 and 1936 by Nydqvist & Holm, these locomotives replaced conventional ones on the Grängesberg-Oxelösund Railway. No condenser was fitted, as its complexity outweighed its thermodynamic advantages. The wheels were driven by a jackshaft
Jackshaft
A jackshaft is a device for turning the wheels of a locomotive. It is essentially an axle with no wheels. Each end of the jackshaft has a crank pin and a counterweight. The driving wheels are then connected by side rods. The name may come from a combination of "jack," a slang term for a locomotive,...
. These engines were not retired until the 1950s when the line was electrified. He also invented an efficient air preheater
Air preheater
An air preheater is a general term to describe any device designed to heat air before another process with the primary objective of increasing the thermal efficiency of the process...
, which even in a modern utility boiler provides up to 20% of the total heat transfer in the boiler process, but only represents 2% of the investment.
Other inventions
Fredrik Ljungström also invented a technology for oil shaleOil shale
Oil shale, an organic-rich fine-grained sedimentary rock, contains significant amounts of kerogen from which liquid hydrocarbons called shale oil can be produced...
underground gasification by electrical energy (Ljungström method) and made several inventions related to sailing boats. He also worked with new ideas for sailing boats. The Ljungstrom sailboat without a boom
Boom (sailing)
In sailing, a boom is a spar , along the foot of a fore and aft rigged sail, that greatly improves control of the angle and shape of the sail. The primary action of the boom is to keep the foot of the sail flatter when the sail angle is away from the centerline of the boat. The boom also serves...
and double sail that can work as a spinnaker
Spinnaker
A spinnaker is a special type of sail that is designed specifically for sailing off the wind from a reaching course to a downwind, i.e. with the wind 90°–180° off the bow. The spinnaker fills with wind and balloons out in front of the boat when it is deployed, called flying. It is constructed of...
is namned after Fredrik Ljungström.
Awards
- In 1948 he was awarded KTH Prize (Swedish Royal Institute of TechnologyRoyal Institute of TechnologyThe Royal Institute of Technology is a university in Stockholm, Sweden. KTH was founded in 1827 as Sweden's first polytechnic and is one of Scandinavia's largest institutions of higher education in technology. KTH accounts for one-third of Sweden’s technical research and engineering education...
).Samtliga pristagare kth.se, retrieved on 2009-02-05 - In 1949 he was awarded James Watt International Gold Medal of the Institution of Mechanical EngineersJames Watt International MedalThe James Watt Medal is the name of two awards named after Scottish engineer James Watt, both awarded for excellence in engineering:-James Watt International Gold Medal of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers:...
.James Watt International Medal Recipients imeche.org, retrieved on 2009-02-05