Vízügyi Közlemények, 1959 (41. évfolyam)
4. füzet - V. Kisebb közlemények-Ismertetések
PE3IOME — SUMMARIES — RÉSUMÉS — INHALTSAUSZÜGE DONÁT BÁNKI, THE HYDRAULICIAN By Dr. E. Mosonyi Corresponding Member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (For figures see pp 141—148 of the Hungarian text) Hungary is celebrating this year the birth centennary of the world-famous Hungarian engineer and scientist, Donát Bánki. The greater part of Bánki's extensive activity pertains to the field of machine design which the paper does not deal with in detail since it is intended to stress the results attained by the prominent scientist in the field of theoretical and applied hydraulics for the readers of the Hydraulic Proceedings. D. Bánki distinguished himself at the very beginning of his career as engineer already both by his inventions and theoretical 'studies. His most important results in machine design are: special conveyors, cranes of new design, a dynamometer operating on new principles, and last but not least his carburator constructed in collaboration with his friend J. Csonka, denoting one of the most important stages in petrol engine development. By way of his inventions and scientific papers he achieved world fame already, when he was appointed professor to the Chair on Machinery at the Technical University, Budapest, in 1899. His experiments on the improvement of the thermodynamical efficiency of steam turbines, carried out at the Laboratory of the University, contributed basically to the further development of steam turbine theory and construction. An outstanding work of great scientific value in the field of hydrodynamics is his book on Energy conversion in fluids, which, besides summarizing the views of contemporary science on the subject, gives also an account of Bánki's own investigation results. The most important of his original investigations are the following: the compulation of head losses due to sudden changes in the direction of flow; explanations on impact effects in fluids; analysis of the energy dissipation theorem of Borda and Carnot as well as the computation of labirinth packing; fluid flow in curved passages. His paradox experiment on the verification of the Bernoulli theorem is most interesting from the pedagogical point of view. An other important stage of D. Bánki's work in the field of hydraulics is the design and construcion of a double flow water wheel. This invention published in 1917, is known as the Bánki-type water turbine all over the world (Fig. 1 ). Many of his studies in hydrodynamics and hydraulic machines have been published both in Hungary and abroad. Bánki's excellent practical engineering sense is demonstrated by the preparation of the Iron Gate hydroelectric project on the Danube River. For the sake of historical accuracy a previous plan prepared by H. Luther should be mentioned also, which Luther submitted to the Hungarian government in 1897. This plan, however, had been a proposal, suggesting the utilization of the natural falls only by means of a low capacity (about 15 000 HP) powerhouse. Thus it can be stated that the first high-capacity (410 000 HP) up-to-date plan for utilizing the water power resources of the Iron Gate is closely linked with D. Bánki's name (Figs. 2 — 5). Besides discussing the main data of the pi'oject in question, the study reviews in conslusion the more important projects on the utilization of the hydraulic power resources of the Iron Gate which have been subsequently prepared.
