De Laval Steam Turbine Company, headquartered in Trenton, New Jersey, was a major manufacturer of auxiliary steam turbines, turbine-driven pump units, and turbine-driven blower assemblies for industrial and naval steam power plant applications throughout the mid-twentieth century. De Laval auxiliary turbines were installed in United States Navy steam propulsion plants as turbine-driven feed booster pumps, turbine-driven main feed pump units, turbine-driven forced draft blowers, and turbine-driven lube oil pump units in the main machinery spaces of steam-powered naval vessels. De Laval auxiliary turbine-driven equipment served as the prime movers for critical auxiliary functions in the steam propulsion plants of destroyers, cruisers, and carriers. According to asbestos litigation records, De Laval auxiliary steam turbine casings incorporated asbestos-containing insulation on the turbine casing outer surfaces and steam chest assemblies, and De Laval turbine steam joints incorporated asbestos-containing compressed gasket materials at turbine casing flange faces, creating exposure for Machinist’s Mates who maintained De Laval auxiliary turbine-driven equipment in naval vessel engine rooms and auxiliary machinery spaces.
De Laval Auxiliary Turbine Asbestos
De Laval auxiliary turbine assemblies incorporated asbestos in thermal insulation and sealing:
- Auxiliary turbine casing insulation — De Laval auxiliary steam turbines installed in Navy engineering spaces incorporated asbestos-containing insulation on the turbine casing outer surfaces and turbine steam chest surfaces to minimize heat loss and thermal gradients in the turbine casing structure. Machinist’s Mates performing auxiliary turbine maintenance and inspection in naval vessel engineering spaces worked in direct proximity to the asbestos-containing turbine casing insulation during each turbine maintenance evolution
- Turbine steam chest and nozzle block gaskets — De Laval auxiliary turbine steam chest assemblies and nozzle block connections incorporated asbestos-containing compressed gasket materials at the steam chest cover and nozzle block joint faces. Machinist’s Mates removing De Laval turbine steam chests or nozzle blocks for turbine inspection or nozzle maintenance encountered and replaced the asbestos-containing steam chest gasket materials during each turbine internal access operation
- Turbine exhaust casing joint gaskets — De Laval auxiliary turbine exhaust casing connections and exhaust flange joints incorporated asbestos-containing compressed gasket materials at the turbine exhaust connection faces. Machinist’s Mates performing turbine exhaust system maintenance on De Laval auxiliary turbines encountered asbestos-containing exhaust joint gasket materials during exhaust system work
- Turbine-driven pump casing gaskets — De Laval turbine-driven pump units — where the De Laval turbine served as the prime mover for a direct-connected pump — incorporated asbestos-containing compressed gasket materials at the pump casing cover and pump flange connections on the pump end of the turbine-pump unit. Machinist’s Mates servicing the pump end of De Laval turbine-pump units encountered pump casing gasket materials consistent with the pump construction specifications
VA Claims for Veterans Exposed to De Laval Products
VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy auxiliary turbine maintenance. Machinist’s Mates who performed auxiliary turbine maintenance on De Laval steam turbine installations in naval vessel engineering spaces and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.