[a. F. turbine, ad. L. turbo, turbin-em: see TURBO.]
1. Originally applied to a wheel revolving on a vertical axis, and driven by a column of water falling into its interior, and escaping by pipes, channels, or apertures, so arranged as to press by reaction on the periphery of the wheel, and cause it to revolve in the direction opposite to that of the escaping water. Now applied to any kind of machine in which this principle (sometimes combined with that of direct impact) is used or developed; the modifications and developments are very numerous, many of these being of highly complicated structure, in which neither the horizontality of the wheel nor the motive power is retained.
[1824. Burdin, in Bull. Soc. Encouragem., July, 256. Machines rotatoires à grande vitesse nommées turbines hydrauliques.]
1842. Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl., V. 266/1. The mechanical construction of the Turbine is … given, and its action … described.
1861. O. W. Holmes, Voice of Loyal North, 33. ’Tis hard … To see the rusting turbines stand Before the emptied flumes.
1861. Rankine, Steam Engine, 189.
1881. W. C. Unwin, in Encycl. Brit., XII. 524/2. The Scotch turbine … differs in no essential respect from the older form of reaction wheel.
1884. Athenæum, 16 Aug., 212/2. A well-constructed water-wheel or turbine can … be worked with far greater economy than steam.
1897. Spectator, 4 Sept. There are at Niagara single turbines which produce 5000 horse-power.
b. More fully steam-turbine: A steam motor in which rotatory motion is produced by steam impinging directly upon a series of vanes upon the circumference of a revolving cylinder or disk (or, in some types, acting and reacting alternately on moving and stationary elements).
1900. Engineer, 2 Feb., 127/3. The main applications of the De Laval steam turbine are:—(1) Turbine motors, driving machinery direct by means of belts or ropes; (2) Turbine dynamos, the dynamos being placed on the second motion shafts or a prolongation of the same; (3) turbine pumps … and (4) turbine exhaust and pressure fans or ventilators.
1900. N. Brit. Daily Mail, 30 Jan., 4. That is the whole secret of the turbine. In the modern application of it the steam blows upon the shaft and the shaft turns, and by an ingenious application of blades the steam which enters the first turbine when it leaves the boiler at a pressure of 225 lbs. to the square inch is utilised till the value of the last pound is all used up.
1905. Westm. Gaz., 16 March, 10/1. The dynamo is coupled directly to a Parsons turbine, which has introduced great changes and great economies in the driving of huge electrical plants.
c. A centrifugal separator used in sugar manufacture.
1873. Besant & Rice, Little Girl, II. x. 116. The sweet, rich smell of the sugar; the huge vats of seething, foaming juice, and the whirling turbines.
2. attrib. and Comb., as turbine dynamo, dynamometer, engine, machinery, mill, motor, shaft, top, (water) wheel; turbine-driven, -engined, -like, -propelled, adjs.; driven by a steam-turbine, as turbine boat, destroyer, steamer, yacht, etc.; turbine-alternator, -generator: see TURBO-; turbine-pump, a turbine water wheel used to raise water by being driven by external power in the direction opposite to that in which it turns when used as a motor.
1904. Longm. Mag., Jan., 215. The Revolution … the first American-built *turbine boat.
1900. Engineer, 8 June, 595/3. The Elswick *turbine destroyer, which made 36·88 knots on trial. Ibid., 22 June, 645/2. This will be the largest *turbine-driven generating set ever built.
1901. Westm. Gaz., 19 June, 4/3. The adaptability of the *turbine-driven steamship for passenger traffic was tested on the Clyde yesterday.
1900. *Turbine dynamo [see 1 b].
1900. Engineer, 16 Feb., 170/1. The *turbine engines are similar to those of the Turbinia.
1901. Scotsman, 20 Sept., 4/4. The new turbine engines … were built to secure a speed of 35 knots.
1902. Daily Chron., 12 Nov., 7/2. At the present time there is only one *turbine-engined war-vessel in the world. This is H.M.S. Velox.
1904. Longm. Mag., Jan., 214. Two new cross-channel steamers … are turbine-engined.
1906. J. W. Thurso, Mod. Turbine Pract., etc., 147. Of great importance in connection with *turbine governors is the time of closing.
1907. Westm. Gaz., 11 Nov., 6/3. The many advantages of this special type of engine [six-cylinder motor] are its smooth, *turbine-like motion.
1900. Engineer, 2 Nov., 444/3. *Turbine machinery occupying less space than the present cramped-up reciprocating engines.
1904. Daily Chron., 3 June, 6/6. It has yet to be proved that turbine machinery is suitable for the propulsion of cargo vessels where speed is not a great requisite.
1900. Engineer, 2 Feb., 127/3. A steam consumption as low as 13·9 lb. of steam per brake horse-power on a 300 horse-power steam turbine motor. Ibid. (1901), 11 Jan., 45/1. The first absolute decision to adopt the *turbine principle in a large passenger vessel.
1906. Westm. Gaz., 3 May, 6/3. Only their fast vessels would be *turbine-propelled.
1901. Engineer, 11 Jan. 45/1. *Turbine propulsion for a new Clyde passenger steamer.
1900. *Turbine pump [see 1 b].
1887. D. A. Low, Machine Draw. (1892), 120. Bearing for a *turbine shaft.
1900. Engineer, 2 Feb., 127/3. The pinion on the turbine shaft gears into two wheels on opposite sides.
1904. Longm. Mag., Jan., 214. The first Transatlantic *turbine steamer.
1906. Stevens & Hobart, Steam Turbine Engin., 12. At high speeds the turbine vessels excel in economy.
1860. Emerson, Cond. Life, Worship, Wks. (Bohn), II. 396. There is faith in chemistry, in meat and wine, in … *turbine-wheels,… but not in divine causes.
Hence Turbined a., having or propelled by a turbine or turbines (Webster, 1911); Turbiner, a turbine-driven vessel.
1905. St. John (N. Brunswick) Daily Sun, 3 April, 1/1. Turbiner Victorian will dock this morning.
