Mark Benson (engineer)
Encyclopedia
Mark Benson was a Bohemian German engineer, best known as the inventor of a supercritical boiler
.
Benson was born in the Sudetenland
, and his original name was Müller (he changed his name during World War I
to hide his German origin). He emigrated to the United States, then returned to Europe to work for the English Electric Company
in Rugby
. For English Electric he designed a relatively small steam generator (3 tons/hr), but with—for the time—very high pressure (supercritical) and without any drum. In 1922 Benson was granted a patent for this type of boiler.
In 1924, Siemens
acquired the right to use Benson's patent, and in 1926–27 built the first large Benson boiler in Berlin
-Gartenfeld. Siemens improved the technology and developed it as an internationally acknowledged standard for large steam generators. Since 1933 (until today) Siemens do not manufacture their own Benson boilers any more, but instead license the technology to others.
After his patent, Mark Benson did not make any further public appearances, but Siemens continued to use Benson as a registered trademark for this successful type of boiler, so the name is renowned worldwide in boiler engineering, although relatively little is known about the inventor behind it.
Supercritical steam generator
Supercritical steam generators are frequently used for the production of electric power. They operate at supercritical pressure. In contrast to a "subcritical boiler", a supercritical steam generator operates at such a high pressure that actual boiling ceases to occur, the boiler has no liquid...
.
Benson was born in the Sudetenland
Sudetenland
Sudetenland is the German name used in English in the first half of the 20th century for the northern, southwest and western regions of Czechoslovakia inhabited mostly by ethnic Germans, specifically the border areas of Bohemia, Moravia, and those parts of Silesia being within Czechoslovakia.The...
, and his original name was Müller (he changed his name during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
to hide his German origin). He emigrated to the United States, then returned to Europe to work for the English Electric Company
English Electric
English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers...
in Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
. For English Electric he designed a relatively small steam generator (3 tons/hr), but with—for the time—very high pressure (supercritical) and without any drum. In 1922 Benson was granted a patent for this type of boiler.
In 1924, Siemens
Siemens-Schuckert
Siemens-Schuckert was a German electrical engineering company headquartered in Berlin, Erlangen and Nuremberg that was incorporated into the Siemens AG in 1966....
acquired the right to use Benson's patent, and in 1926–27 built the first large Benson boiler in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
-Gartenfeld. Siemens improved the technology and developed it as an internationally acknowledged standard for large steam generators. Since 1933 (until today) Siemens do not manufacture their own Benson boilers any more, but instead license the technology to others.
After his patent, Mark Benson did not make any further public appearances, but Siemens continued to use Benson as a registered trademark for this successful type of boiler, so the name is renowned worldwide in boiler engineering, although relatively little is known about the inventor behind it.