Ægidius Elling
Encyclopedia
Jens William Ægidius Elling (also Aegidus or Aegidius) (July 26, 1861 – 1949) was a Norwegian
researcher, inventor and pioneer of gas turbine who is considered to be the father of the gas turbine
. He built the first gas turbine that was able to produce more power than needed to run its own components.
Elling was born in and grew up in Oslo
, Norway. He studied mechanical engineering at Kristiania Technical College, (now part of the University of Oslo
) graduating in 1881. Between 1885-1902, he worked as an engineer and designer at a number of workshops in Sweden
and Norway
.
His first gas turbine patent was granted in 1884. In 1903 he completed the first turbine that produced excess power; his original machine used both rotary compressors and turbines to produce 11 bhp net. He further developed the concept, and by 1912 he had developed a gas turbine system with separate turbine unit and compressor
in series, a combination that is now common.
One major challenge was to find materials that could withstand the high temperatures developed in the turbine to achieve high output powers. His 1903 turbine could withstand inlet temperatures up to 400° Celsius. Elling understood that if better materials could be found, the gas turbine would be an ideal power source for airplanes. Many years later, Sir Frank Whittle
, building on the early work of Elling, managed to build a practical gas turbine engine for an airplane, the jet engine
. Ellings gas turbine prototypes from 1903 and 1912 are exhibited at Norsk Teknisk Museum in Oslo
.
Elling also did significant development work in other areas, such as steam engine controls, pumps, compressors, vacuum drying et cetera.
In 1914 Elling produced a book called Billig opvarmning: veiledning i at behandle magasinovner økonomisk og letvint. (Cheap Heating: Guidance for the simple and economical treatment of base burners), which was published by Aschehoug
. Books written by Elling are now rare, and are mostly found in museums and libraries.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
researcher, inventor and pioneer of gas turbine who is considered to be the father of the gas turbine
Gas turbine
A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of internal combustion engine. It has an upstream rotating compressor coupled to a downstream turbine, and a combustion chamber in-between....
. He built the first gas turbine that was able to produce more power than needed to run its own components.
Elling was born in and grew up in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway. He studied mechanical engineering at Kristiania Technical College, (now part of the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
) graduating in 1881. Between 1885-1902, he worked as an engineer and designer at a number of workshops in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
His first gas turbine patent was granted in 1884. In 1903 he completed the first turbine that produced excess power; his original machine used both rotary compressors and turbines to produce 11 bhp net. He further developed the concept, and by 1912 he had developed a gas turbine system with separate turbine unit and compressor
Gas compressor
A gas compressor is a mechanical device that increases the pressure of a gas by reducing its volume.Compressors are similar to pumps: both increase the pressure on a fluid and both can transport the fluid through a pipe. As gases are compressible, the compressor also reduces the volume of a gas...
in series, a combination that is now common.
One major challenge was to find materials that could withstand the high temperatures developed in the turbine to achieve high output powers. His 1903 turbine could withstand inlet temperatures up to 400° Celsius. Elling understood that if better materials could be found, the gas turbine would be an ideal power source for airplanes. Many years later, Sir Frank Whittle
Frank Whittle
Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS was a British Royal Air Force engineer officer. He is credited with independently inventing the turbojet engine Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS (1 June 1907 – 9 August 1996) was a British Royal Air...
, building on the early work of Elling, managed to build a practical gas turbine engine for an airplane, the jet engine
Jet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
. Ellings gas turbine prototypes from 1903 and 1912 are exhibited at Norsk Teknisk Museum in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
.
Elling also did significant development work in other areas, such as steam engine controls, pumps, compressors, vacuum drying et cetera.
In 1914 Elling produced a book called Billig opvarmning: veiledning i at behandle magasinovner økonomisk og letvint. (Cheap Heating: Guidance for the simple and economical treatment of base burners), which was published by Aschehoug
Aschehoug
H. Aschehoug & Co , commonly known as Aschehoug, is one of the largest independent publishing companies in Norway. -History:...
. Books written by Elling are now rare, and are mostly found in museums and libraries.
External links
- Norwegian Technical Museum's biography of Elling (Norwegian)