Chapter 133 Testing The Steam Turbine

A soft hum filled the air as the first light of dawn broke through the workshop's windows. The engineers, still in their soot-streaked clothes from the previous day's work, held their breath, their gaze fixed on the massive steam turbine before them. The room seemed to vibrate with anticipation, charged with the energy of countless hours of labor, determination, and collaboration.

Poul Nielsen, his silver hair slightly disheveled from weeks of tireless work, stood confidently before the control panel, his fingers hovering over the switches and dials. Beside him, Jonathan observed the scene with keen eyes, his arms crossed over his chest as he mentally reviewed every step of the assembly process. The workshop was silent, save for the rhythmic ticking of a nearby clock.

"Mr. Nielsen," Amelia approached from behind, carrying a tray of coffee. "Would you like some coffee?"

"Thank you, Ms. Weiss," Poul said, taking one cup of coffee off the tray and sipping it carefully.

"Do you also want one? Mr. Axelsen?" Amelia's gaze flickered to Jonathan.

"Yeah," Jonathan took one cup of coffee and returned his gaze back to the steam turbine that is being prepared by the engineers.

"So, that's the steam turbine that you two have been working on huh?" Amelia commented.

"Yeah," Poul nodded. "Once we are finished with this steam turbine, we are going to proceed with the light bulb, motorized tools, and appliances."

"Light bulbs?" Amelia tilted her head to the side, she pondered why Poul would need to build a light bulb. Suddenly, the answer came to her mind.

Poul read her expression and smiled, pleased that she realized it quickly.

"We need to be different from Mr. Russell. We know we have a system but we don't have lights of our own that we can distribute. So to avoid lawsuits, we will create a light bulb that is different from James Russell's incandescent design."

Amelia rubbed her chin and spoke. "Oh, I have read a paper about this technology called arc lighting. Is it going to be our light, Mr. Nielsen?"

Poul shook his head. "No, arc lighting is inefficient, we will compete for incandescent lighting."

Amelia's eyes widened in surprise, intrigued by Poul's ambition to compete with James Russell's incandescent lighting.

"That's quite an undertaking, Mr. Nielsen. What makes you so confident in your ability to create a different type of incandescent light bulb?"

Poul smiled, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "We've been researching alternative materials and designs that would set our light bulb apart from Mr. Russell's. And, Ms. Weiss, we believe we have discovered a viable solution."

Jonathan chimed in, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "Our preliminary tests have shown promising results. We're developing a filament made from tungsten, which is more durable and energy-efficient than the carbon filament used in Mr. Russell's bulbs. Furthermore, we're implementing a stopper design to reduce gas leakage and experimenting with various bulb shapes to enhance the light quality and lifespan of our bulbs."

As they were discussing the light bulbs, the engineers who were working on the steam turbines raised a thumbs up at them, signaling that they just finished.

"Okay stand back everyone," Jonathan began. "You don't want to be near the steam turbine once it starts running."

Upon saying that, the engineers on the ground retreated from the steam turbine assembly.

"If you want to know more about the light bulbs, we can continue discussing it with the office," Poul said.

Amelia nodded with a smile.

Once everyone was settled down, Poul began.

"Alright, team, today is a crucial day for our steam turbine project. We'll be conducting a series of tests to ensure its performance, safety, and reliability," Poul announced, his voice echoing through the workshop.

The engineers gathered around, listening intently as Poul detailed each test that would be conducted.

"First, we'll conduct a component inspection, meticulously examining each part of the steam turbine for any signs of wear, cracks, or manufacturing defects."

As Poul spoke, teams of engineers dispersed throughout the workshop, armed with clipboards and inspection tools, ready to evaluate every inch of the massive steam turbine.

"Next, we'll perform a leak test," Poul continued. "We'll pressurize the steam turbine with air or inert gas, then use soapy water or specialized equipment to detect any leaks in the seals, joints, and connections."

A few engineers nodded in understanding, already preparing the necessary equipment for the leak test.

"Following that, we'll conduct a balance and alignment test, ensuring that the rotor assembly is correctly balanced and aligned, minimizing vibrations and improving the turbine's overall efficiency."

Jonathan, who was supervising a group of engineers, carefully measured and checked the alignment of the rotor assembly, making minor adjustments as needed.

"Once we've verified the rotor assembly, we'll perform a steam flow test to evaluate the effectiveness of the steam path, validate the performance of the turbine stages, and verify that the specified pressure and temperature drops are achieved."

The engineers watched intently as steam flowed through the turbine, carefully observing its performance and noting any deviations from their calculations.

"Next up, we'll test the control systems, such as the governor and valve controls, ensuring they function correctly and respond appropriately to changes in load and operating conditions."

Poul and Jonathan worked together to simulate various operating conditions, testing the responsiveness and accuracy of the control systems.

"Subsequently, we'll conduct a vibration and noise test, monitoring the vibrations and noise generated during operation to identify any issues with the bearings, rotor assembly, or other components that could lead to premature wear or failure."

Engineers armed with monitoring equipment stood by, ready to capture and analyze data from the steam turbine as it operated under various conditions.

"Finally, we'll measure the steam turbine's performance with an efficiency test, including its power output, efficiency, and steam consumption, to confirm that it meets or exceeds our design specifications."

As the engineers carried out each test, Poul, Jonathan, and Amelia observed the results, discussing their findings and making necessary adjustments along the way.

By the end of the day, the workshop buzzed with excitement as the final test results confirmed that the steam turbine had met all its performance goals. Poul addressed the team, his voice filled with pride and satisfaction.

"Congratulations, everyone! Our steam turbine has passed all tests with flying colors. This is a testament to your hard work, dedication, and expertise. Now, we'll just have to build the deaerators, flue gas desulfurization, and electrostatic precipitators. By the time we finished building it, the power plant that will house that heavy equipment will be ready, is that right, Jonathan?"

Poul glanced at Jonathan, who was the head of the project of building the power plant in Scranton.

"The construction of the power plant will end in six months," Jonathan announced to the engineers. "So, there's still time for you guys to build those necessary and crucial engineering equipment for our coal-fired power plant."

"Six months huh?" Poul hummed in thought. "I wonder if we can build those things in time."