Kaplan, Viktor#

b. Muerzzuschlag (Styria), Nov. 27, 1876, d. Unterach am Attersee (Upper Austria), Aug. 23, 1934, mechanical engineer, invented the K. turbine named after him. 1903 constructor and 1913-1932 professor at the University of Technology in Bruenn/Brno. Work on improving combustion engines, then concentrated on the construction of high-speed water turbines (modification of the Francis turbine). After 1912 K. designed a new water turbine with variable pitch runner blades, which could also be used for low heads in river power stations with changing water throw. The first K. turbine was put into operation in Velm (Lower Austria) in 1919 (today exhibited in the Technical Museum in Vienna). After some initial problems the K. turbine became widely used throughout the whole world after the 1920s.

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