THE TURBINE.

Marlborough Express, Volume V, Issue 244, 13 August 1870, Page 6

THE TURBINE.

The Post makes the following remarks upon this invention : On several occasions we have directed 1 the attention of those interested in the economical use of water power, to the value of turbine water wheels in such a Colony as New Zealand Any one accustomed to travel in either island cannot have failed noticing mills working by steam-power in close proximity to streams of sufficient volume and fall for all the purposes of extensive factories, and in many cases where the fall and even quantity (without storing) were inadequate, the difficulty could easily have been got over by judicious damming, IuUS rinsing the head and storing at such times as the mill was silent. There is little, difficulty in accounting for this; in the first place, the undershot and breast wheels are wasteful in most cases, and the overshot wheel, though in effective results 25 per cent, better than the breast wheel, can only be applied under certain conditions, and even then loses many of its advantages by the rough manner in which it is usually built in this Colony. Again, the foundations for such wheels are somewhat troublesome and quick, direct motion impossible to get; it is probable that other reasons may be mentioned, such as the slight acquaintance would-be users of water-power have with the practical Working of the turbine, and the disfavor with which British engineers regarded it on its first introduction ; mafty who will not see and learn for themselves are considerably influenced by this last. Our attention has lately been called to a beautiful little model of a turbine in the possession of Mr G. Gwynne, Queen’s "Wharf. This wheel, small as it is (diameter of bucket-wheel measures but 7-Bths of an inch) is readly put in motion by water, and undoubtedly could.be made capable of transmitting a fair amount of power. We gave it a slighf trial, and found that, with a head of 3 feet it registered upwards of 600 revolutions per minute, the only power transmitted being what just sufficed to work an indicator. Any reasonable, test of power would demand very delicate appliances, and for such purpose it was not constructed, its chief use being to show the construction of. {urbine wheels as manufactured by Messrs'. J. and H. Gwynne; for such purpose it is admirably adapted, many persons experiencing a difficulty in comprehending clearly me chanical drawings. By those interested in hydro-dynamics, it may be seen on application to Mr G. Gwynne, the manufacturers’ Wellington agent, who will gladly furnish particulars as to the working, power, and cost of turbine wheels generally. According to the Tuapeka Times, a turbine wheel is being erected in that district, for the purpose of driving a flour mill. It says:—ln the course of three weeks the mill will be in full operation. Mr Lawson is pushing forward the work with all speed. The turbine wheel is one of the most recent achievements of science. It is a small solid brass wheel of some 27 inches diameter, and works in water in a ponderous iron casing. This wheel, when in full swing, will perform ISO revolutions every minute, and have the’ powfer of 20 horses, so that its capabilities of supplying the necessities of the district cannot be disputed. The cost of this machine has far exceeded Mr Lawson’s expectations. Landed at Dunedin it cost £284, and the carriage was something enormous.