The Westinghouse-Parsons Steam Turbine - A Description, With Suggestions and Instructions for Its Installation, Care and Operation #270942

While the turbine is simple in design and construction, and does not require constant tinkering and adjustment of valve gears, or taking up of wear in the running parts, it is like any other piece of fine machinery, in that it should receive intelligent and careful attention from the operator by inspection Of the working parts that are not at all times in plain view. Any piece of machinery, no matter how simple and durable, if neglected or abused, will in time come to grief, and the higher the class of the machine, the more is this true. The experienced engineer understands, in a general way, the principles and Operation Of almost any piece of apparatus that he may come across in the power house. At the same time there are points about any new machine that he has to learn, either from his own experience or the previous experience of others, and the latter supplemented and confirmed by the former, is perhaps apt to be the least costly. In the case Of the ordinary large size reciprocating engine, where it is almost never run and sometimes not even assembled in the shop, the operating engineer can Often tell the builders more about the care and operation of the engine than they are able to tell him; but in the case of the turbine, which is not only assembled but is thoroughly tested and operated for some time in the shop, the builders have had continued and varied experience under all sorts of conditions, and are, therefore, in a position to give advice in regard to its operation and mainte nance. The Object of this pamphlet is to cover in a general manner the principal features Of construction and methods of operation common to all Westinghouse turbines, the details occasionally met with in special types being described in a separate pamphlet covering each particular case.