Clemens Herschel
| Clemens Herschel | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
March 23, 1842 Boston, Massachusetts |
| Died | March 1, 1930 (aged 87) Glen Ridge, New Jersey |
| Education | BS, Harvard University, 1860. |
| Occupation | Consulting hydraulic engineer and superintendent of the East Jersey Water Company |
| Known for | Measurement of water flow and development of the Venturi meter |
| Awards | Water Industry Hall of Fame, American Water Works Association, 1971; Elliott Cresson Medal from the Franklin Institute, 1889. |
Clemens Herschel (March 23, 1842 – March 1, 1930) was an American hydraulic engineer. His career extended from about 1860 to 1930, and he is best known for developing the Venturi meter, which was the first large-scale, accurate device for measuring water flow.
Clemens was born in Vienna in 1842. His family immigrated to Davenport, Iowa in 1850. He spent most of his life practicing his profession in Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey. He attended Harvard University, where he received his bachelor of science degree in 1860 from the Lawrence Scientific School. After Harvard, he completed post-graduate studies in France and Germany.
The first part of Herschel's career was devoted to bridge design, including the design of cast-iron bridges. For a time, he was employed on the sewerage system of Boston. Herschel was influenced by James B. Francis, who was the agent and engineer of the Proprietors of Locks and Canals on the Merrimack River at Lowell, Massachusetts, to switch his career path to hydraulic engineering. About 1880, he started working for the Holyoke Water Power Company in Massachusetts. He remained with the company until 1889. While he was there, Herschel designed the Holyoke testing flume, which has been said to mark the beginning of the scientific design of water-power wheels. Herschel first tested his Venturi meter concept in 1886 while working for the company. The original purpose of the Venturi meter was to measure the amount of water used by the individual water mills in the Holyoke area.
Water supply development in northern New Jersey was an active area of investment in the late 19th century. In 1889, Herschel was hired as the manager and superintendent of the East Jersey Water Company, where he worked until 1900. He was responsible for the development of the Pequannock River water supply for Newark. He also installed two of his largest Venturi meters at Little Falls, New Jersey, on the main stem of the Rockaway River to serve Paterson, Clifton and Jersey City.
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