Gas Turbine Handbook : Principles and Practices

Evolution of the Gas Turbine 3
(Figure 1-1) did workable hardware emerge. 1,3 In the 1895/1896 time
frame variations in the impulse turbine designs were developed by
August C. Rateau, Charles Curtis, and Dr. Zoelly. The experience
gained in the development of hardware for steam turbines was directly
transferable to gas turbines. At the end of the 19th Century
the ideas of the previous centuries were finally being transformed
into working hardware.
In 1903, Rene Armengaud and Charles Lemale built and successfully
tested a gas turbine using a Rateau rotary compressor and
a Curtis velocity compounded steam turbine. Armengaud and Lemale
went on to build and test several experimental gas turbines. Originally
they used a 25 HP de Laval steam turbine driven by compressed
Figure 1-1. Courtesy of DEMAG DELAVAL Turbomachinery Corp.
This graphic, the first trademark of De Laval Steam Turbine Company,
illustrates the impulse-type turbine wheel with expanding
nozzles. This single-wheel, high-speed, impulse turbine operated at
the then incredible speed of 30,000 rpm.