STODOLA, Aurel
* 10. 5. 1859, Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia
† 25. 12. 1942, Zürich, Switzerland
Mechanical engineer
S. attended German secondary modern school in Levoča and Hungarian secondary modern school in Košice, where he graduated with honours in 1876. After two semesters at technical college in Budapest, S. in 1880 moved to Zurich, where he studied mechanical engineering at the Swiss Polytechnical Institute. In 1883 he continued his studies at technical college Berlin-Charlottenburg and next year at the Sorbonne in Paris. In 1884 he was employed as an engineer in the engineering institution Ruston in Prague. From 1892 on S. was a professor of mechanical engineering at the Swiss Polytechnical Institute in Zurich. His scientific work focused on the theory of steam and water turbines. S’s basic calculations for the construction of turbines, which are based on theoretical breakthrough of the material, were published in the book titled Steam turbines (Die Dampfturbinen) in 1902. The same year he introduced the most important results at the meeting of the Association of German Engineers in Düsseldorf.
S. explored the steam flow at different vapor pressure in particular; he developed theoretical models and mathematical equations to calculate the size of the turbine wheel and dealt with the problem of critical speed of steam turbine shaft. Following the outcome of his book on steam turbines, S. revised and updated it several times. The book was also translated into several languages. He was awarded James Watt International medal by British Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1941 for his fundamental work in the field of steam and gas turbines.
