Birger Ljungström (4 June 1872 – 17 November 1948) was a Swedish

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, build, maintain and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials. They aim to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while ...

, technical designer,

industrialist A business magnate, also known as an industrialist or tycoon, is a person who is a powerful entrepreneur and investor who controls, through personal enterprise ownership or a dominant shareholding position, a firm or industry whose goods or ser ...

, and

inventor An invention is a unique or novel device, method, composition, idea, or process. An invention may be an improvement upon a machine, product, or process for increasing efficiency or lowering cost. It may also be an entirely new concept. If an ...

Biography

Birger Ljungström was born in

Uddevalla Uddevalla is a Stad (Sweden), town in Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It’s the seat of Uddevalla Municipality. In 2015, it had a population of 34,781, making it the largest town fully in Bohuslän. Uddevalla is located where the river Bäveån ...

, Sweden to

cartographer Cartography (; from , 'papyrus, sheet of paper, map'; and , 'write') is the study and practice of making and using maps. Combining science, aesthetics and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality (or an imagined reality) can ...

Jonas Patrik Ljungström and Amalia (née Falck). His second great uncle was Johan Börjesson, and his third great uncle Bishop Johan Wingård. Among his siblings were Georg Ljungström, Oscar Ljungström,

Fredrik Ljungström Fredrik Ljungström (16 June 1875 – 18 February 1964) was a Swedes, Swedish engineer, Industrial design, technical designer, and industrialist. Considered one of the foremost inventors of Sweden, Fredrik Ljungström accounted for hundreds ...

, among his brothers-in-law George Spaak and his nephew Olof Ljungström. He attended classes at

KTH Royal Institute of Technology KTH Royal Institute of Technology (), abbreviated KTH, is a Public university, public research university in Stockholm, Sweden. KTH conducts research and education in Institute of technology, engineering and technology and is Sweden's largest te ...

. Ljungström registered his first patent in 1892. He moved to England where they stayed until 1903, in order to study the field of mechanics. During the years 1906-1907, Ljungström was employed by AB Separator. Together with his brother

, he patented the Ljungström turbine around 1908. The same year, they founded the development company AB Ljungströms Ångturbin and in 1913 the separate company Svenska Turbinfabriks AB Ljungström ( STAL), which would be responsible for the production of Ljungström turbines.

Distinctions

* Honorary doctorate of the Dresden University of Technology (1928) * Gold medal of the

Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (, IVA), founded on 24 October 1919 by King Gustaf V, is one of the royal academies in Sweden. The academy is an independent organisation, which promotes contact and exchange between business, ...

(1945) * Adelsköld medal of the

Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences () is one of the Swedish Royal Academies, royal academies of Sweden. Founded on 2 June 1739, it is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization that takes special responsibility for promoting nat ...

(1914) * Honorary Fellowship of the

(1937) (Fellowship since 1922)

Eponyms

* Ljungström Prize of the Swedish National Mechanics' Association (1971) * Birger and Fredrik Ljungström Commemorative Medal of the

(1976) * Rotor Medal of Svenska Rotor Maskiner (1957) * Birger and Fredrik Ljungström room at the Finspång CastleBirger and Fredrik Ljungström
Finspångs Slott

References

20th-century Swedish inventors 1872 births 1948 deaths Steam turbines Swedish yacht designers Swedish industrialists 19th-century Swedish businesspeople Swedish company founders Steam turbine locomotives Swedish industrial designers Swedish mechanical engineers KTH Royal Institute of Technology alumni

Birger Birger is a Scandinavian name from Old Norse, ''bjarga'', meaning "to help, to save, to protect". It is widely used in Norway as Birger but also as Børge. The Swedish variant of ''Birger'' would soon evolve into ''Börje'', however, the prior for ...

20th-century Swedish engineers 19th-century Swedish engineers 19th-century Swedish inventors People from Uddevalla {{Sweden-engineer-stub