Gustaf de Laval
Gustaf de Laval | |
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Born | 9 May 1845 |
Died | 2 February 1913 (aged 67) Stockholm, Sweden |
Nationality | Swedish |
Alma mater | |
Known for | Steam turbines, dairy machinery, and the de Laval nozzle for rocket engines |
Signature | |
Karl Gustaf Patrik de Laval (Swedish pronunciation:
Life
Gustaf de Laval was born at
He was then employed by the Swedish mining company, Stora Kopparberg. From there he returned to Uppsala University and completed his doctorate in 1872. He was further employed in Kloster Iron works in Husby parish, Sweden.[1]
de Laval was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences from 1886. He was a successful engineer and businessman. He also held national office, being elected to Swedish parliament, from 1888 to 1890 and later became a member of the senate. De Laval died in Stockholm in 1913 at the age of 67.[1]
Contributions
de Laval nozzle
In 1882 he introduced his concept of an
Using high pressure steam in a turbine that had oil-fed bearings meant that some of the steam contaminated the lube-oil, and as a result, perfecting commercial steam-turbines required that he also develop an effective oil/water separator. After trying several methods, he concluded that a centrifugal separator was the most affordable and effective method. He developed several types, and their success established the centrifugal separator as a useful device in a variety of applications.
De Laval cream separators and Alfa Laval
De Laval also made important contributions to the dairy industry, including the first centrifugal
DeLaval
In 1991, Alfa Laval Agri, a company producing dairy and farming machinery was split from Alfa Laval when it was bought by the Tetra Pak Group. When Alfa Laval was sold, Alfa Laval Agri remained a part of the Tetra Pak group and was renamed DeLaval, after the company's founder.
Tributes
On 9 May 2013, Google celebrated Gustaf de Laval’s 168th birthday with a doodle.[4][5]
Image gallery Gustaf de Laval
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Gustaf de Laval at the age around 50.
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Impulse Turbine by Gustaf de Laval. Built in Sweden, 1888. Deutsches Museum, Munich.
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A unique submarine invented by Gustaf de Laval[6]
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The former De Laval steam turbine factory in Nacka outside Stockholm, now converted to a conference centre.
He is interred at Norra begravningsplatsen in Stockholm, Sweden.
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 0-07-124136-1.
- ^ ISBN 0-19-516874-7. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ "Gustaf de Laval, Swedish inventor". ScienceSource Archive.
- ^ "Gustaf de Laval's 168th birthday". www.google.com. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
- ^ Desk, OV Digital (2023-05-07). "9 May: Remembering Gustaf de Laval on Birthday". Observer Voice. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
- ^ "Illustrated Naval and Military Magazine: A Monthly Journal Devoted to All Subjects Connected with Her Majesty's Land and Sea Forces". 1888.
External links
- Alfa Laval - Official site
- DeLaval - Official site
- DeLaval - Unofficial site