Frederick Kirsten

Frederick Kurt Kirsten (born Kurt Friederich Johannes Kirsten, March 13, 1885 - November 19, 1952) was an American professor, engineer and inventor.

Kirsten was born in Germany and immigrated to the United States in 1902. He graduated from University of Washington in 1909 and later taught there as a professor of aeronautical engineering. During his life he was granted numerous patents on a wide variety of subjects. Among his inventions were the Kirsten pipe (a tobacco pipe), and the Kirsten-Boeing propeller (a cycloidal propeller ). The Kirsten Wind Tunnel at University of Washington was promoted by and named after him.

Inventions

Kirsten Pipe

The Kirsten pipe is a tobacco pipe with an aluminium body combined with a bowl and stem piece from more traditional materials. The metallic stem with its large inner diameter cools off the smoke while condensing moisture and supposedly removing harmful particles. Kirsten developed it after being told by his physician to stop smoking. To manufacture and sell these pipes he created the Kirsten Pipe Company that is still run by his descendants.