Ægidius Elling facts for kids
Jens William Ægidius Elling (born July 26, 1861 – died May 27, 1949) was a smart Norwegian inventor. He was a pioneer in creating gas turbines. Many people call him the "father of the gas turbine." He built the very first gas turbine that could make more power than it used. This was a huge step forward!
Contents
Who Was Ægidius Elling?
Early Life and Education
Ægidius Elling was born and grew up in Oslo, Norway. He loved to learn about how things work. He studied mechanical engineering at Kristiania Technical College. This school is now part of Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences. He finished his studies in 1881.
After college, Elling worked as an engineer. He was also a designer. From 1885 to 1902, he worked in different workshops. These workshops were in both Sweden and Norway.
The Amazing Gas Turbine
What is a Gas Turbine?
A gas turbine is like a powerful engine. It uses hot, fast-moving gas to spin a turbine. This spinning creates power. Think of it like a windmill, but instead of wind, it uses hot gas. Gas turbines are used in many things. They power airplanes, generate electricity, and even move ships.
Elling's First Steps
Elling was very interested in gas turbines. He received his first patent for a gas turbine in 1884. A patent is like an official document. It says that you are the first person to invent something.
A Breakthrough in 1903
In 1903, Elling made a huge discovery. He completed the first gas turbine that produced excess power. This means it made more power than it needed to run itself. This was a big deal! His machine used spinning parts called rotary compressors. It also used turbines. Together, they made 11 horsepower of net power.
Improving the Design
Elling kept working on his invention. By 1912, he had made it even better. He developed a system with separate parts. It had a turbine unit and a gas compressor. These parts worked together in a line, or "series." This design is still common in gas turbines today.
The Challenge of Heat
One big problem for Elling was heat. Gas turbines get very, very hot inside. He needed materials that could handle these high temperatures. His 1903 turbine could work with temperatures up to 400 degrees Celsius (752 degrees Fahrenheit).
Elling knew something important. If engineers could find stronger materials, gas turbines would be perfect. They could power airplanes! Many years later, a British inventor named Sir Frank Whittle built on Elling's ideas. Whittle created a practical gas turbine engine for planes. We know this as the jet engine.
Where to See His Work
You can see Elling's original gas turbine machines. His prototypes from 1903 and 1912 are on display. They are at the Norsk Teknisk Museum in Oslo.
Other Inventions
Elling also worked on other cool inventions. He helped improve steam engine controls. He also worked on pumps, compressors, and vacuum drying machines. He was a very busy and creative inventor!
His Book
In 1914, Elling wrote a book. It was called Billig opvarmning: veiledning i at behandle magasinovner økonomisk og letvint. This means "Cheap Heating: Guidance for the simple and economical treatment of base burners." The book was published by Aschehoug. Today, books written by Elling are quite rare. You can mostly find them in museums and libraries.
