
Fredrik Ljungström (16 June 1875 – 18 February 1964) 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, and
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 ...
.
Considered one of the foremost
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 ...
s of
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
, Fredrik Ljungström accounted for hundreds of technical
patent
A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an sufficiency of disclosure, enabling discl ...
s alone and in collaboration with his brother
Birger Ljungström (1872–1948): from early
bicycling free wheeling hubs techniques and mechanical
automatic transmission
An automatic transmission (AT) or automatic gearbox is a multi-speed transmission (mechanics), transmission used in motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving conditions.
The 1904 ...
s for
vehicle
A vehicle () is a machine designed for self-propulsion, usually to transport people, cargo, or both. The term "vehicle" typically refers to land vehicles such as human-powered land vehicle, human-powered vehicles (e.g. bicycles, tricycles, velo ...
s, to
steam turbine
A steam turbine or steam turbine engine is a machine or heat engine that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam and uses it to do mechanical work utilising a rotating output shaft. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Par ...
s,
air preheater
An air preheater is any device designed to heat air before another process (for example, combustion in a boiler), with the primary objective of increasing the thermal efficiency of the process. They may be used alone or to replace a recuperati ...
s, and
circular arc hulls for
sailing boat
A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails and is smaller than a sailing ship. Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture.
Types
Although sailboat terminology ...
s. He co-founded companies such as
The New Cycle Company,
Ljungström Steam Turbine Co. and
Ljungström Swedish Turbine Manufacturing Co. (STAL), and associated with other industrialists such as
Alfred Nobel
Alfred Bernhard Nobel ( ; ; 21 October 1833 – 10 December 1896) was a Swedish chemist, inventor, engineer, and businessman. He is known for inventing dynamite, as well as having bequeathed his fortune to establish the Nobel Prizes. He also m ...
,
Helge Palmcrantz,
Gustaf de Laval
Karl Gustaf Patrik de Laval (; 9 May 1845 – 2 February 1913) was a Swedish engineer and inventor who made important contributions to the design of steam turbines and centrifugal separation machinery for dairy.
Life
Gustaf de Laval was born at ...
,
Curt Nicolin and
Gustaf Dalén
Nils Gustaf Dalén (; 30 November 1869 – 9 December 1937) was a Swedish engineer and inventor who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1912 "for his invention of Sun valve, automatic regulators for use in conjunction with gas accumulators fo ...
. As innovative as his ideas were in function, they also often turned out in terms of unconventional external
design
A design is the concept or proposal for an object, process, or system. The word ''design'' refers to something that is or has been intentionally created by a thinking agent, and is sometimes used to refer to the inherent nature of something ...
, such as his
steam turbine locomotive
A steam turbine locomotive was a steam locomotive which transmitted steam power to the wheels via a steam turbine. Numerous attempts at this type of locomotive were made, mostly without success. In the 1930s this type of locomotive was seen as a ...
s and
sailboat
A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails and is smaller than a sailing ship. Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture.
Types
Although sailboat terminology ...
s.
During the resource scarcity of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Fredrik Ljungström's innovative technology for
oil shale
Oil shale is an organic-rich Granularity, fine-grained sedimentary rock containing kerogen (a solid mixture of Organic compound, organic chemical compounds) from which liquid hydrocarbons can be produced. In addition to kerogen, general compos ...
underground
gasification
Gasification is a process that converts biomass- or fossil fuel-based carbonaceous materials into gases, including as the largest fractions: nitrogen (N2), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), and carbon dioxide (). This is achieved by reacting ...
by
electrical energy
Electrical energy is the energy transferred as electric charges move between points with different electric potential, that is, as they move across a voltage, potential difference. As electric potential is lost or gained, work is done changing the ...
, called the ''Ljungström method'', provided a strategical impact for the
Swedish Armed Forces
The Swedish Armed Forces (, literally ''Defence Force'') are the Military, armed forces of the Kingdom of Sweden. It consists of four separate military branches, the Swedish Army, the Swedish Navy, the Swedish Air Force and the Home Guard (Swed ...
.
In addition, Ljungström's technology contributed to the first Swedish
jet engine
A jet engine is a type of reaction engine, discharging a fast-moving jet (fluid), jet of heated gas (usually air) that generates thrust by jet propulsion. While this broad definition may include Rocket engine, rocket, Pump-jet, water jet, and ...
,
torpedo
A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, such ...
es, and more.
With Fredrik Ljungström's air preheater implemented in a large number of modern
power station
A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the electricity generation, generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electr ...
s around the world until this day with total attributed worldwide
fuel savings
Fuel efficiency (or fuel economy) is a form of thermal efficiency, meaning the ratio of effort to result of a process that converts chemical potential energy contained in a carrier (fuel) into kinetic energy or work. Overall fuel efficiency may ...
estimated to 4,960,000,000
ton
Ton is any of several units of measure of mass, volume or force. It has a long history and has acquired several meanings and uses.
As a unit of mass, ''ton'' can mean:
* the '' long ton'', which is
* the ''tonne'', also called the ''metric ...
s of
oil, "few inventions have been as successful in saving fuel as the Ljungström Air Preheater". In 1995, the
Ljungström air preheater was distinguished as the 44th
International Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing edu ...
. His works are represented by the
Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology, the
Nordic Museum
The Nordic Museum () is a museum located on Djurgården, an island in central Stockholm, Sweden, dedicated to the cultural history and ethnography of Sweden from the early modern period (in Swedish history, it is said to begin in 1520) to the ...
, and the
Swedish Railway Museum, as well as internationally such as by the
Science Museum, London
The Science Museum is a major museum on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, London. It was founded in 1857 and is one of the city's major tourist attractions, attracting 3.3 million visitors annually in 2019.
Like other publicly funded ...
, England and by
Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci in
Milan
Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
, Italy.
Early life and background
Fredrik
Ljungström was born in 1875 in
Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
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,
Birger Ljungström, and among his brothers-in-law,
George Spaak. Fredrik Ljungström was married twice, first to Elizabeth (née Waesterberg), daughter of
Amanda Sandborg Waesterberg, from whom he was
widow
A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has Death, died and has usually not remarried. The male form, "widower", is first attested in the 14th century, by the 19th century supplanting "widow" with reference to men. The adjecti ...
ed, and secondly to Signe (née Söderberg), daughter of
Wilhelm Theodor Söderberg. Among his issue was
Gunnar Ljungström, and among his sons-in-law,
Arthur Lundblom and
Torsten Cassel.
Educated at
Östra Real, he attended the
Royal Institute of Technology
KTH Royal Institute of Technology (), abbreviated KTH, is a public research university in Stockholm, Sweden. KTH conducts research and education in engineering and technology and is Sweden's largest technical university. Since 2018, KTH consist ...
from where he was subsequently conferred an
Honorary Doctorate
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad hon ...
in 1944. Technical innovativity was notably initiated in the ateliers of his father in
Östermalm
Östermalm (; "Eastern city-borough") is a 2.56 km2 large district in central Stockholm, Sweden. With 71,802 inhabitants, it is one of Sweden's most populous and exclusive districts. It is an extremely expensive area, having the highest ho ...
in Stockholm, that cooperated among others with the early manufactory of
L. M. Ericsson. Of importance to his significant
autodidact
Autodidacticism (also autodidactism) or self-education (also self-learning, self-study and self-teaching) is the practice of education without the guidance of schoolmasters (i.e., teachers, professors, institutions).
Overview
Autodi ...
studies was also the
tutor
Tutoring is private academic help, usually provided by an expert teacher; someone with deep knowledge or defined expertise in a particular subject or set of subjects.
A tutor, formally also called an academic tutor, is a person who provides assis ...
ship in
physics
Physics is the scientific study of matter, its Elementary particle, fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge whi ...
by
Salomon August Andrée, as was the early mentorship of
Alfred Nobel
Alfred Bernhard Nobel ( ; ; 21 October 1833 – 10 December 1896) was a Swedish chemist, inventor, engineer, and businessman. He is known for inventing dynamite, as well as having bequeathed his fortune to establish the Nobel Prizes. He also m ...
. Later, Fredrik Ljungström would in turn offer mentorship to junior industrialists such as
Curt Nicolin.
Alfred Nobel was aged 61 when he met Fredrik and Birger Ljungström, who were 19 and 22 years old respectively. Nobel, who didn't have any children of his own, would enthusiastically collaborate in the brothers' early endeavours. Nobel and the brothers soon became good friends, discussing the world's problems and existential questions of the time, as a certain "father-and-son-like relation" emerged. 60 years later, when recalling their talks and time spent together, Fredrik Ljungström commended Nobel's capacity to "discuss the most complex questions with the unexperienced youngsters yet on equal terms", and that "his critical eye to the contemporary issues was extraordinarily bright"; concluding that "the blood runs warm in my old veins when I think of him."
Fredrik Ljungström died in 1964 on
Lidingö
Lidingö (), also known in its definite form Lidingön and as Lidingölandet, is an island in the inner Stockholm archipelago, northeast of Stockholm, Sweden. In 2023, the population of the Lidingö urban area on the island was 48,162. It is the ...
, and was buried at
Norra begravningsplatsen
Norra begravningsplatsen, literally "The Northern Burial Place" in Swedish, is a major cemetery of the Stockholm urban area, located in Solna Municipality. Inaugurated on 9 June 1827, it is the burial site for a number of Swedish notables.
Th ...
, Stockholm.
Svea Velocipede

The Svea Velocipede was an early invention by Fredrik Ljungström in collaboration with his brothers
Birger, Axel and
Oscar Ljungström.
Helge Palmcrantz was also part of the project. An early example in the
history of the bicycle, the
pedals mechanism of the Svea Velocipede was straight vertical, driven by
free wheeling hubs, which was patented by the brothers in 1892, with the
shift patented in 1895.
Attended and supported by
Alfred Nobel
Alfred Bernhard Nobel ( ; ; 21 October 1833 – 10 December 1896) was a Swedish chemist, inventor, engineer, and businessman. He is known for inventing dynamite, as well as having bequeathed his fortune to establish the Nobel Prizes. He also m ...
, the project was further developed stretching also to
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, where the Ljungström brothers relocated in 1895 upon recommendation by Nobel. Under the company name The New Cycle Company, to which also
George Spaak was connected, the product sold about 2,000 units in
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
, and 150 units in Great Britain. Production remained until 1898. Although the general preference for circular pedal mechanisms became clear with time, later bicycle models on the market would adopt its foot-operated
bicycle brake
A bicycle brake reduces the speed of a bicycle or prevents the wheels from moving. The two main types are: #Rim brakes, rim brakes and #Disc brakes, disc brakes. Drum brakes are less common on bicycles.
Most bicycle brake systems consist of thre ...
s while also employing its free wheeling hubs.
The Svea Velocipede is exhibited inter alia at the
Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology and the
Nordic Museum
The Nordic Museum () is a museum located on Djurgården, an island in central Stockholm, Sweden, dedicated to the cultural history and ethnography of Sweden from the early modern period (in Swedish history, it is said to begin in 1520) to the ...
in
Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
, Sweden.
Steam generator
By 1895, Fredrik Ljungström had developed and patented a steam generator, an invention in which Alfred Nobel put particular interest, especially its
surface condenser
A surface condenser is a water-cooled shell and tube heat exchanger installed to condense exhaust steam from a steam turbine in thermal power stations. These Condenser (heat transfer), condensers are heat exchangers which convert steam from its g ...
invention. Applied to a
sloop, with speed reaching 12
knot
A knot is an intentional complication in Rope, cordage which may be practical or decorative, or both. Practical knots are classified by function, including List of hitch knots, hitches, List of bend knots, bends, List of loop knots, loop knots, ...
, it became the fastest
steamboat
A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. The term ''steamboat'' is used to refer to small steam-powered vessels worki ...
around
Stockholm archipelago
The Stockholm Archipelago () is the largest archipelago in Sweden, and the second-largest archipelago in the Baltic Sea (the largest being the Archipelago Sea across the Baltic in Finland). Part of the archipelago has been designated as a Rams ...
.
Also this invention was exported to England in 1896 along with Fredrik, first catching the interest of the early
Dunford & Elliot in
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne, or simply Newcastle ( , Received Pronunciation, RP: ), is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is England's northernmost metropolitan borough, located o ...
. Although the project's initial supporter Alfred Nobel died in 1896, in 1900 The Ljungström Engine Syndicate Limited was founded for the purposes in Newcastle, to which the brothers relocated along with their families, with
George Spaak designated as
CEO
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization.
CEOs find roles in variou ...
. Despite production being halted again in 1902, several principles of the construction would prove important to the subsequent Ljungström steam engine.
After The Ljungström Engine Syndicate Limited, Fredrik and Birger went on to work out the first
automatic milking
Automatic milking is the milking of dairy animals, especially of dairy cattle, without human labour. Automatic milking systems (AMS), also called voluntary milking systems (VMS), were developed in the late 20th century. They have been commerciall ...
device in Sweden, Beta (1901), which caught the interest of Alfred Nobel's nephew
Ludvig Nobel
Ludvig Immanuel Nobel ( ; ; ; 27 July 1831 – 12 April 1888) was a Swedish-Russian engineer, a noted businessman and a humanitarian. One of the most prominent members of the Nobel family, he was the son of Immanuel Nobel (also an engineering pi ...
(1868–1946) as well as
Gustaf Laval at
Laval AB Separator. Fredrik would remain leading engineer in this venture, Mjölkningsmaskin AB in
Kungsholmen, Stockholm, until 1908. At the same time, the brothers also developed methods for
paraffin Paraffin may refer to:
Substances
* Paraffin wax, a white or colorless soft solid (also in liquid form) that is used as a lubricant and for other applications
* Liquid paraffin (drug), a very highly refined mineral oil used in cosmetics and for med ...
of
mineral oil
Mineral oil is any of various colorless, odorless, light mixtures of higher alkanes from a mineral source, particularly a distillate of petroleum, as distinct from usually edible vegetable oils.
The name 'mineral oil' by itself is imprecise, ...
, i.e.
die casting
Die casting is a casting (metalworking), metal casting process that is characterized by forcing molten metal under high pressure into a mold cavity. The mold cavity is created using two hardened tool steel die (manufacturing), dies which have been ...
of
brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, in proportions which can be varied to achieve different colours and mechanical, electrical, acoustic and chemical properties, but copper typically has the larger proportion, generally copper and zinc. I ...
,
zinc
Zinc is a chemical element; it has symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodic tabl ...
and
aluminium
Aluminium (or aluminum in North American English) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Al and atomic number 13. It has a density lower than that of other common metals, about one-third that of steel. Aluminium has ...
that would become well received. The technology would however only prove successful for the market in 1922.
Soon enough, however, it was evident that steam turbines would be the main focus for the brothers' ventures.
Steam turbines
It has been said that Fredrik Ljungström's insights in the steam power came to him already as a child at home, observing how cuisine was prepared in the kitchen. While late Alfred Nobel had continuously paid interest in the development of the steam turbines, this invention were also endorsed figures such as Professor
Aurel Stodola in 1907.
Ljungström Steam Turbine Co.
The new steam turbine technology became the base for the company Ljungström steam turbine Co. (AB Ljungströms Ångturbin, ALÅ), founded in 1908 in Sweden, that owned all the patents on this revolutionising turbine construction. A
workshop
Beginning with the Industrial Revolution era, a workshop may be a room, rooms or building which provides both the area and tools (or machinery) that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods. Workshops were the only ...
was first established on
Kungsholmen, in premises where a predecessor of
Electrolux
Electrolux AB () is a Swedish Multinational corporation, multinational home appliance manufacturer, headquartered in Stockholm. It is consistently ranked the world's second largest appliance maker by units sold, after Whirlpool Corporation, Whi ...
had recently been founded. Next year the workshop was relocated to
Liljeholmen, Stockholm (future ), where the first turbine was finished in 1910. Already the first unit indicated world records performance. By 1911, a significantly larger unit was produced and successfully tested, with improvements attributed solely to Fredrik Ljungström's hand. With also a new
generator construction added by Fredrik, the Ljungström turbine's defining features were now ready for the market. The first turbine was sold to
North Metropolitan Electric Power Supply Company for energy supply of the
London County Council Tramways
The London County Council Tramways was an extensive network of public street tramways operated by the London County Council, council throughout the County of London, UK, from 1899 to 1933, when they were taken over by the London Passenger Trans ...
. Despite being a prototype, the unit would remain in service for 50 years until it was relocated for exhibition in the
Science Museum, London
The Science Museum is a major museum on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, London. It was founded in 1857 and is one of the city's major tourist attractions, attracting 3.3 million visitors annually in 2019.
Like other publicly funded ...
.
Ljungström Swedish Turbine Manufacturing Co.
In 1913, the brothers cofounded a new company,
STAL (Svenska Turbinfabriks Aktiebolaget Ljungström; Swedish turbine manufacturing Co.) under the aegis of ALÅ. Just some two years after the last artillery pieces ceased production in
Finspång, Östergötland – a former epicenter of the
military industry of Sweden since
Louis De Geer founded it in 1631 – STAL acquired Finspång complete with the
Finspång Castle along with surroundings territories and
real estate, erecting a new large scale
factory
A factory, manufacturing plant or production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. Th ...
complex at the site. The design studies and management facilities were installed inside the castle.
Mechanical engineer
Mechanical may refer to:
Machine
* Machine (mechanical), a system of mechanisms that shape the actuator input to achieve a specific application of output forces and movement
* Mechanical calculator, a device used to perform the basic operations o ...
Karl Gustaf Karlson, later
Professor
Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other tertiary education, post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin ...
at
Chalmers University of Technology
Chalmers University of Technology (, commonly referred to as Chalmers) is a private university, private research university located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Chalmers focuses on engineering and science, but more broadly it also conducts research ...
, was connected to the development. This company handled the manufacturing and sales of complete steam turbine driven
electric generator
In electricity generation, a generator, also called an ''electric generator'', ''electrical generator'', and ''electromagnetic generator'' is an electromechanical device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy for use in an externa ...
s. The turbine provided a 10% higher
thermodynamic
Thermodynamics is a branch of physics that deals with heat, work, and temperature, and their relation to energy, entropy, and the physical properties of matter and radiation. The behavior of these quantities is governed by the four laws of th ...
efficiency than previous constructions, in addition to being more compact, requiring less space. STAL:s solutions proved successful, and with contracts such as with
Siemens
Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational technology conglomerate. It is focused on industrial automation, building automation, rail transport and health technology. Siemens is the largest engineering company in Europe, and holds the positi ...
and
General Electric
General Electric Company (GE) was an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in 1892, incorporated in the New York (state), state of New York and headquartered in Boston.
Over the year ...
, its activities expanded into
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
and beyond, both for stationary uses as well as for marine vessels.
"Fredrik Ljungström was", writes Anders Johnson in ''Turbines from Finspång – from STAL to Siemens 1913–2013'', "not only a successful inventor but also skilled in management and leading the construction processes." His modern work methods were reflected in a checklist of 56 questions to the engineers at STAL, which also included aspects of safety and ergonomics. Most reputed of these questions was nr 14: "Is the construction unnecessarily hideous?".
STAL was acquired by
ASEA in 1916 as they wished to market complete packages with turbine driven electric generators. The deal was carried out when significant owners and representatives where away on business trips in the turbulent
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
, unable to remain in communication. The brothers then left the company but kept control over all the patents and manufacturing licenses for the Ljungström steam turbines within the company ALÅ. STAL merged with
De Laval in the 1950s under the name Stal-Laval. In the 1960s, Fredrik Ljungström returned to operations to make significant renewed contributions to the technology the years before he died in 1964. After then having been managed by
ABB, the factories would eventually be acquired by Siemens 2003 under the name Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery AB.
The technical solutions developed by the brothers at STAL remains employed all over the world with several world records throughout its history in terms of efficiency, fuel savings, size and power until present-day. In 2009, it was estimated some 328 units where equipped with Ljungström's technology, some of which has consisted of the largest vessels ever produced, from vehicles such as the
London Underground
The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or as the Tube) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent home counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in England.
The Undergro ...
or the word's largest
supertanker ''
Seawise Giant
TT ''Seawise Giant''—earlier ''Oppama''; later ''Happy Giant'', ''Jahre Viking'', ''Knock Nevis'', and ''Mont''—was a Oil tanker, ULCC supertanker and the longest self-propelled ship in history. It was built in 1974–1979 by Sumitomo Heavy ...
'' to a vast number of power plants. Only in Sweden, out of its 18 nuclear plants 16 were equipped with the turbines. Furthermore, increasingly since 2005, the technology has proved successful in
solar power
Solar power, also known as solar electricity, is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV) or indirectly using concentrated solar power. Solar panels use the photovoltaic effect to c ...
. In 2008, almost 100% of all sun power plants where equipped by the Ljungström turbines.
Steam turbine locomotives
The brothers also designed a number of steam turbine locomotives, some of which were highly successful, starting in 1917. One of the largest factories in the region was set up for the purpose in
Gåshaga, Lidingö, Stockholm, in 1918, where the Ljungström brothers also worked out the Ljungström heat exchanger for their locomotives. After successfully assembled, this locomotive proved to be the strongest to ever have been produced. On top of the increased power, since the locomotive reused much of the steam from the turbine exits, its permitted more far-reaching distances without having to fill up water.
The first successful attempt for the
Swedish Railways in March 1921, patented in July 1922, was a rather odd-looking 12 tons machine. Its three driving axles were located under the tender, and the cab and boiler sat on unpowered wheels. Tests on the designated distance
Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
-
Gothenburg
Gothenburg ( ; ) is the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, second-largest city in Sweden, after the capital Stockholm, and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated by the Kattegat on the west coast of Sweden, it is the gub ...
Western Main Line indicated 35% coal savings in comparison with the conventional solutions. The design with driving wheels on both the boiler carriage and the tender with separate turbines would eventually change. The second design was a
2-8-0 similar to a successful freight design. The locomotive was equipped with two wagons for the engine functions. Several patents followed suit the next following years, with
Nydqvist & Holm AB
NOHAB (Nydqvist & Holm AB) was a manufacturing company based in the city of Trollhättan, Sweden.
History
The company was founded by Antenor Nydqvist, Johan Magnus Lidström and Carl Olof Holm in 1847 as ''Trollhättans Mekaniska Verkstad'' as ...
selected as licensed manufacturer. Ljungström locomotives where employed for the distances Stockholm-
Krylbo and Stockholm-
Bollnäs
Bollnäs () is a Swedish locality and the seat of Bollnäs Municipality, in Gävleborg County, Sweden. It has about 14,000 inhabitants.https://bollnas.se/kommun-och-politik/kommunfakta
History
The first recording of Bollnäs in writing is fro ...
. The turbine effect of this locomotive reached 1,470 kW (1 997 hp) at 10,000 rpm, with a maximum speed of 90 km/h. In 1930, the 2000th Ljungström locomotive was rolled out of the factory of Nydqvist & Holm AB:
''TGOJ M3 47, M3t 71''. This locomotive remained in use until 1931 when it was replaced along the
electrification
Electrification is the process of powering by electricity and, in many contexts, the introduction of such power by changing over from an earlier power source. In the context of history of technology and economic development, electrification refe ...
of the Swedish railways in addition to diesel-electric-engined locomotives. Yet, built from 1930 to 1936 by Nydqvist & Holm, Ljungström locomotives continued to replace conventional ones on the
Grängesberg-Oxelösund Railway. No condenser was fitted, as its complexity outweighed its
thermodynamic
Thermodynamics is a branch of physics that deals with heat, work, and temperature, and their relation to energy, entropy, and the physical properties of matter and radiation. The behavior of these quantities is governed by the four laws of th ...
advantages. The wheels were driven by a
jackshaft. These engines were in use until 1953 when the line was electrified.

The "enormous amount of experimental work" made into the Ljungström locomotives also gained international attention. One locomotive was delivered to the
Argentine State Railway, designated for the 800 km long distance between
Tucumán and
Santa Fe, largely through
desert
A desert is a landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions create unique biomes and ecosystems. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About one-third of the la ...
with limited water access, needs to which the Ljungström system was especially fitted. This locomotives was equipped with a larger water tank and increased
condenser capacity, with turbine power reaching an effect of 1,290 kW (1,753 hp) at 10,000 rpm, decreasing the fuel savings up to 40%. The locomotive remained in service until its disappearance during the
Argentine Revolution (1966–1973). From England,
Beyer, Peacock & Company
Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English general engineering company and railway locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Openshaw, Manchester. Charles Beyer, Richard Peacock and Henry Robertson founded the company in 1854. The company close ...
sent two engineers to participate and supervise the progress in Stockholm. The company eventually ordered license construction at Gorton Foundry of a copy of the
Swedish Railways turbine locomotive ''SJ Littera Ã…'', employed in
London, Midland & Scottish Railway. Its design power was 2,000 hp at 10,500 rpm, corresponding to a speed on the rails of 78 mph. Design steam conditions were 300 lb/sqin at 200 °C superheat. It was employed for regular passenger service in lines from
Derby
Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...
to
Manchester
Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...
,
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
and
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
with "very considerable economies in coal and water consumption."
Deutsche Reichsbahn
The ''Deutsche Reichsbahn'' (), also known as the German National Railway, the German State Railway, German Reich Railway, and the German Imperial Railway, was the Weimar Republic, German national Rail transport, railway system created after th ...
had use for the technology especially in
Bavaria
Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...
.
The old locomotive factory on Lidingö was demolished with dynamite in 1972.
Three engines of the Ljungström type have been preserved in Sweden. Two units (71 and 73) are exhibited by the
Railway Museum of Grängesberg, and the third (72) by the
Swedish Railway Museum. The one in
Grängesberg
Grängesberg () is a locality situated in Ludvika Municipality, Dalarna County, Sweden, with 3,481 inhabitants in 2010.
The town was dominated by iron-ore extraction at Grängesberg ore field (Grängesbergs malmfält) from the 16th century to 19 ...
is the world's only remaining
steam turbine locomotive
A steam turbine locomotive was a steam locomotive which transmitted steam power to the wheels via a steam turbine. Numerous attempts at this type of locomotive were made, mostly without success. In the 1930s this type of locomotive was seen as a ...
in function, Ljungström ''M3t nr 71'', manufactured in 1930 by Nydqvist & Holm AB and renovated by the Locomotive Museum for the 125th anniversary of the Swedish Railways in June 1981, and again in 2014, financed by the
Swedish National Heritage Board
The Swedish National Heritage Board (; RAÄ) is a Swedish government agency responsible for World Heritage Sites and other national heritage monuments and historical environments. It is governed by the Ministry of Culture.
The goals of the agen ...
. Still "world unique" steam turbine locomotives, with a power of 22 tons, it is still Sweden's most powerful
steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, Fuel oil, oil or, rarely, Wood fuel, wood) to heat ...
in function: practical tests showed that it was able to transport 2,000 tons in 17 per mille elevation. Digital emulations has also been created for the 3D train simulator video game ''
Trainz''.
Air preheaters

Fredrik Lindström also invented an efficient
air preheater
An air preheater is any device designed to heat air before another process (for example, combustion in a boiler), with the primary objective of increasing the thermal efficiency of the process. They may be used alone or to replace a recuperati ...
, which even in a modern utility boiler provides up to 20 percent of the total heat transfer in the boiler process, but only represents 2 percent of the investment.
One of Fredrik Ljungströms first patents was a
heat exchanger
A heat exchanger is a system used to transfer heat between a source and a working fluid. Heat exchangers are used in both cooling and heating processes. The fluids may be separated by a solid wall to prevent mixing or they may be in direct contac ...
radiator
A radiator is a heat exchanger used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in cars, buildings, and electronics.
A radiator is always a ...
acquired in 1896. Several years later, the Ljungström air preheater innovation was a result of the factory in Lidingö, with patent achieved in 1930, although an anecdote traces the inception to an
air conditioning
Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C (US) or air con (UK), is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior temperature, and in some cases, also controlling the humidity of internal air. Air c ...
concern during a visit in the smoky premises of the
Royal Swedish Opera
Royal Swedish Opera () is an opera and ballet company based in Stockholm, Sweden.
Location and environment
The building is located in the centre of Sweden's capital, Stockholm, in the borough of Norrmalm (borough), Norrmalm, on the eastern si ...
in Stockholm in 1919.
The factory and workshop activities and laboratories in Lidingö would remain throughout the 1920s, with some 70 personnel. In the 1930s, it was used a film studio, and was finally demolished in the 1970s to give space for new industry premises.
ASEA acquired a majority of the company in 1916, and Erik Sundblad was designated CEO. Royalties were ceased in 1944.
In 1995, it was estimated that the Ljungström air preheater had sold tens of thousands of units for in total some 20 billion dollars.
Shale oil extraction
During the resource scarcity of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Fredrik Ljungström's innovative technology for
shale oil extraction
Shale oil extraction is an industrial process for unconventional oil production. This process converts kerogen in oil shale into shale oil by pyrolysis, hydrogenation, or thermal dissolution. The resultant shale oil is used as fuel oil or ...
underground
gasification
Gasification is a process that converts biomass- or fossil fuel-based carbonaceous materials into gases, including as the largest fractions: nitrogen (N2), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), and carbon dioxide (). This is achieved by reacting ...
by
electrical energy
Electrical energy is the energy transferred as electric charges move between points with different electric potential, that is, as they move across a voltage, potential difference. As electric potential is lost or gained, work is done changing the ...
, called the ''Ljungström method'', provided a significant strategical impact for the Royal
Swedish Navy
The Swedish Navy () is the maritime service branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. It is composed of surface and submarine naval units – the Fleet (), formally sometimes referred to as the Royal Navy () – as well as marine units, the Amph ...
and
Air Force
An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...
.
Fredrik Ljungström obtained his last patent in this industry in 1954. The Ljungström fields outside
Örebro
Örebro ( ; ) is the seventh-largest city in Sweden, the seat of Örebro Municipality, and capital of Örebro County. It is situated by the Närke Plain, near the lake Hjälmaren, a few kilometers inland along the small river Svartån, and ...
, with a war production of about 70,000 m, were inactived after the war but with a possibility of reactivation in case of renewed need of domestic oil source. While the project was initially supported by
Vattenfall
Vattenfall is a Swedish multinational corporation, multinational electrical power industry, power company owned by the List of government enterprises of Sweden, Swedish state. Beyond Sweden, the company generates power in Denmark, Finland, Germa ...
, eventually Svenska Skifferolje AB (SSAB) was employed with maintaining the Ljungström fields, which remained in active production until 1966.
Naval engineering
Fredrik Ljungström, an enthusiastic sailor and keen member of the
Royal Swedish Yacht Club, made several inventions out of new ideas related to sailing boats. The
Ljungström sailboat with the
circular arc hull and the
Ljungström rig, without a
boom and double sail that can work as a
spinnaker
A spinnaker is a sail designed specifically for sailing off the wind on courses between a Point of sail#Reaching, reach (wind at 90° to the course) to Point of sail#Running downwind, downwind (course in the same direction as the wind). Spinna ...
, is named after Fredrik Ljungström. The history of the productions are represented at the
Maritime Museum
A maritime museum (sometimes nautical museum) is a museum specializing in the display of objects relating to ships and travel on large bodies of water. A subcategory of maritime museums are naval museums, which focus on navy, navies and the m ...
in Stockholm. He also experimented with a vibrationless yacht motor.
Other ventures
The transmission technology ''Spontaneous gear 1920'', an automatic gear box developed by Fredrik Ljungström in the 1920s, attracted attention on the Swedish market, and several private cars were equipped with the system with positive results. A new company was established with this purpose and, Ljungströmsbilen (Swedish: The Ljungström Car).
Axel Wenner-Gren took interest, followed by
Chrysler
FCA US, LLC, Trade name, doing business as Stellantis North America and known historically as Chrysler ( ), is one of the "Big Three (automobile manufacturers), Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn H ...
in the United States, but both had to retreat shortly afterwards due to the
Wall Street crash of 1929 and the subsequent
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
. Still, an invention of
hydraulic gear saw success during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
with royalties paid by the United States. This gear was used for
Vabis-built
railbus
A railbus is a lightweight passenger railcar with an automotive engine. It shares many aspects of its construction with a bus, typically having a bus (original or modified) body and four wheels (2 axles) on a fixed base instead of on bogies. O ...
es, as well as the Swedish
railcar
A railcar (not to be confused with the generic term railroad car or railway car) is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coa ...
s used in
Scania
Scania ( ), also known by its native name of Skåne (), is the southernmost of the historical provinces of Sweden, provinces () of Sweden. Located in the south tip of the geographical region of Götaland, the province is roughly conterminous w ...
. Part of the other technology also moved on to the first
Saab cars.
Although initially interested in
aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is s ...
(Fredrik drafted a flight machine project late 19th century), applied aerodynamics were never among his main subjects of interest, especially after having lost his son and pilot
Lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...
Einar Ljungström in an airplane crash in 1927. Despite this, after World War II, Ljungström's technology contributed to the first Swedish
jet engine
A jet engine is a type of reaction engine, discharging a fast-moving jet (fluid), jet of heated gas (usually air) that generates thrust by jet propulsion. While this broad definition may include Rocket engine, rocket, Pump-jet, water jet, and ...
, with
STAL Dovern based in part on his technology, developed by the company he founded.
Fredrik Ljungström become a well-reputed figure in the 20th century technical industry in Sweden. Together with his fellow at
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, ...
Gustaf Dalén
Nils Gustaf Dalén (; 30 November 1869 – 9 December 1937) was a Swedish engineer and inventor who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1912 "for his invention of Sun valve, automatic regulators for use in conjunction with gas accumulators fo ...
, the two inventors once came late to a meeting going around town in their
coach in enthusiastic discussions on new ideas.
Curt Nicolin praised the influence in an
obituary
An obituary (wikt:obit#Etymology 2, obit for short) is an Article (publishing), article about a recently death, deceased person. Newspapers often publish obituaries as Article (publishing), news articles. Although obituaries tend to focus on p ...
on Fredrik Ljungström.
The works of Fredrik Ljungström are represented in the
Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology, the
Nordic Museum
The Nordic Museum () is a museum located on Djurgården, an island in central Stockholm, Sweden, dedicated to the cultural history and ethnography of Sweden from the early modern period (in Swedish history, it is said to begin in 1520) to the ...
, the
Swedish Railway Museum, the
Maritime Museum
A maritime museum (sometimes nautical museum) is a museum specializing in the display of objects relating to ships and travel on large bodies of water. A subcategory of maritime museums are naval museums, which focus on navy, navies and the m ...
, the
Nobel Museum
The Nobel Prize Museum (formerly the Nobel Museum []) is located in the former Stockholm Stock Exchange Building, Stock Exchange Building (''Börshuset'') on the north side of the square Stortorget in Gamla Stan, the old town in central Stockholm, ...
, and the
Lidingö Museum, among others.
Image gallery
File:Ljungström steam turbine factory Gåshaga 1918.jpg, Ljungström steam turbine locomotive prototype workshop and factory at Gåshaga, Lidingö.
File:Ljungström locomotive (Wonder Book of Engineering Wonders, 1931).jpg, Ljungström locomotive from the ''Wonder Book of Engineering Wonders'' (1931).
File:Lokmuseet 2009.jpg, Ljungström locomotives stationed at Railway Museum of Grängesberg.
File:Lokmuseet_2009e.jpg, Ljungström system equipped turbine locomotive ''M3t nr 71'' at the Railway Museum of Grängesberg.
File:Lokmuseet 2009fff.jpg, Details on ''M3t nr 71''.
File:Lokmuseet_NOHAB_2009.jpg, Detail: ''Turbinlokomotiv System Ljungström''.
File:STAL_%C3%A5ngturbingenerator_50MW_1932.jpg, STAL turbine generator (1932).
File:STAL Ljungström steam turbine generator 33MW 1947.jpg, STAL turbine generator (1947).
File:Ljungström turbine principle.png, Ljungström radial turbine.
File:Ljungström Regenerative Heat Transmission Apparatus.jpg, Main patent drawings for Ljungström heat exchanger, USPTO
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is an agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce that serves as the national patent office and trademark registration authority for the United States. The USPTO's headquarters are in Ale ...
No. 1746598, 1930.
File:Ljungström Spontan Drive system 1928.jpg, Ljungström Spontan Drive system (1928).
File:Girante radiale per turbina Ljungstrom - Museo scienza tecnologia Milano 02365 dia.jpg, Radial impeller of the Ljungström turbine (1910–1957) in Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci, Milan, Italy.
File:Ljungström air preheater.jpg, Ljungström air preheater in modern application (2010).
Bibliography
* ''Studie över fartyg med formen bestämd av cirkelbågar och dess tillämpning på segelbärande motrofartyg och passagerarfartyg'', Stockholm, Sveriges standardiseringskommission, 1952
* ''Unda Maris'' 1947–48. Tema: Nordisk fiskebåtbyggarekongress 1947, Sjöfartsmuseet, 1948
* ''Cirkelbågsskrov'' (''Segel och motor''), 1939: nr. 5–8, 25 s
* ''Ljungströms luftförvärmare'': Föredrag, hållet vid Föreningens för kraft- och bränsleekonomi årsmöte i Helsingfors den 27 April 1923, Helsingfors, 1923
* ''Ljungströms turbinlokomotiv'', Stockholm, 1922
* ''The Development of the Ljungström Steam Turbine and Air Preheater'' by Dr. Fredrik Ljungström, ''
Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
In academia and librarianship, conference proceedings are a collection of academic papers published in the context of an academic conference or workshop. Conference proceedings typically contain the contributions made by researchers at the confere ...
'', volume 160, issue 1 (1 June 1949)
Distinctions
Orders
* :
Knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity.
The concept of a knighthood ...
of the
Order of the Polar Star
The Royal Order of the Polar Star (Swedish language, Swedish: ''Kungliga Nordstjärneorden''), sometimes translated as the Royal Order of the North Star, is a Swedish order of chivalry created by Frederick I of Sweden, King Frederick I on 23 F ...
(1943)
* : Knight 1st class of the
Order of Vasa
The Royal Order of Vasa () is a Swedish order of chivalry founded on 29 May 1772 by Gustav III, King Gustav III. It is awarded to Swedish citizens for service to state and society especially in the fields of agriculture, mining and commerce.
His ...
(1927)
* :
Grand Cross
Grand Cross is the highest class in many orders, and manifested in its insignia. Exceptionally, the highest class may be referred to as Grand Cordon or equivalent. In other cases, there may exist a rank even higher than Grand Cross, e.g. Gran ...
of the
National Order of Merit (1963)
Academic
*
Honorary doctorate
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad hon ...
of the
Royal Institute of Technology
KTH Royal Institute of Technology (), abbreviated KTH, is a public research university in Stockholm, Sweden. KTH conducts research and education in engineering and technology and is Sweden's largest technical university. Since 2018, KTH consist ...
(1944)
* Honorary doctorate of the
Dresden University of Technology (1928)
Awards
* KTH Great Prize of the
Royal Institute of Technology
KTH Royal Institute of Technology (), abbreviated KTH, is a public research university in Stockholm, Sweden. KTH conducts research and education in engineering and technology and is Sweden's largest technical university. Since 2018, KTH consist ...
(1948)
*
James Watt International Gold Medal of the
Institution of Mechanical Engineers
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) is an independent professional association and learned society headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that represents mechanical engineers and the engineering profession. With over 110,000 member ...
(1949)
*
International Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark:
Ljungström Air Preheater, by the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing edu ...
(1995)
*
Clason 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, ...
(1943)
*
Arnberg Prize from the
Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences (1944)
*
Grashof Medal of the
Association of German Engineers (1956)
* Honorary Plaque of the
Swedish Inventors' Association (1955)
* Honorary Fellow of the
Swedish Inventors' Association (1961)
* Silver Medal of the
Exposition Universelle in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
for the
Svea Velocipede (1900)
* Gold Medal of the
General Art and Industrial Exposition of Stockholm for the Svea Velocipede (1897)
Fellowships
*
Honorary Fellowship 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, ...
(1940) (Fellowship since 1924)
* Fellowship 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 ...
(1945)
* Honorary Membership of the
Institution of Mechanical Engineers
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) is an independent professional association and learned society headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that represents mechanical engineers and the engineering profession. With over 110,000 member ...
(1950)
* Honorary Fellowship of the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing edu ...
(1950)
* Honorary Fellowship of the
Swedish Association of Inventors (1961)
Eponyms
* Permanent exhibition at the
Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology (1995)
* Ljungström Prize of the
Swedish National Mechanics' Association (1971)
* Birger and Fredrik Ljungström Commemorative 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, ...
(1976)
* Rotor Medal of Svenska Rotor Maskiner (1957)
* Birger and Fredrik Ljungström room at the
Finspång Castle
* The International Ljungström (Air Preheater) Conference in Japan (1962)
References
Literature
* ''Turbines from Finspång – from STAL to Siemens 1913–2013'' (2012) by Anders Johnson, Informationsförlaget and Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery,
* ''Pionjärer vid ritbordet'', Enskede: Båt & skärgård, 2000,
* ''Fredrik Ljungström 1875–1964 Uppfinnare och inspiratör ''(1999) by
Olof Ljungström, Sveriges Mekanisters Riksförening,
* ''STAL-turbin till Tekniska Museet'', Daedalus (1994) by Carl-Göran Nilson
* "När uppfinnarna var tidens hjältar" (1994), ''
Populär Historia'',
Lund
Lund (, ;["Lund"](_blank)
(US) and ) is a city in the provinces of Sweden, province of Scania, southern Swed ...
(1991), Börje Isakson, ISSN 1102-0822; 1994:5, s. 48–51
* "Ångturbinlokomotivens utveckling", '' Teknik för alla'' (1943)
* ''Svenska snilleblixtar'', Isakson, Börje, 1939– (författare) Johansson, George, Stockholm: Natur & Kultur, 1994,
* ''Birger and Fredrik Ljungström – inventors'' (1955) by Sven A. Hansson (1907–1996)
* ''Finsponga bilder: en skrift utgiven av Svenska Turbinfabriks Aktiebolaget Ljungström'' (1952) by :sv:Torsten Althin
External links
Biography at the Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology website
* ttp://www.bjorns-story.se/private/Lokmuseethtm/Lokmuseet.htm Photo collection of Ljungström steam turbine locomotives at the Railway Museum of Grängesberg
Utvecklingen av Ljungströms ångturbin och luftförvärmare, Tekn. dr Fredrik Ljungström, Fiskebäckskil
Ljungström Prize of the Swedish National Mechanics' Association
(sv)
SRM 100 year jubilee, the story about the Ljungström brothers
* ttp://ljungstrom-global.com/ LJUNGSTRÖM Corporate website
Pupulär Historia
(Swedish)
(Swedish)
Ljungström, mer än bara båtar! ("Ljungström, more than just boats", Maritime Museum of Stockholm
Videos
Swedish Railway Museum exhibition "Paramountjournalen" (October 1929)
TGOJ M3t 71 pulling heavy timber in Sweden
Model of Beyer-Ljungström steam turbine locomotive on model railway
TGOJ Litt M3t 72 Steam turbin locomotive is pulled out of the shed for the first time in a long time
LJUNGSTRÖM Air Preheater (APH) & Gas-gas Heater (GGH) Power Plant Overview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ljungstrom, Fredrik
1875 births
1964 deaths
Fredrik
Fredrik or Frederik is a masculine Germanic given name derived from the German name '' Friedrich'' or Friederich, from the Old High German ''fridu'' meaning "peace" and ''rîhhi'' meaning "ruler" or "power". It is the common form of Frederick in N ...
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