Aware that power plants were replacing piston-based reciprocating steam engines with more efficient rotary steam turbines, he began investigating a radical bladeless turbine design.

• 他注意到，发电厂正以较有效率的旋转式蒸气涡轮，取代运用活塞原理的往复式蒸气引擎，所以他开始研究先进的无扇叶式涡轮设计。