The Electrician : the oldest weekly illustrated journal of electrical engineering, industry, science and finance, Vol. 139, No. 5 (3607)

J O W T l ^ G V E S lS t S O X

S O U T H C H I N G r O R D , L O N D O N , S . 4 (A ssocia ted witft Flexo Plyw ood Ind u stries Ltd.) C O R K M A N U F A C T U R I N G C O . , L T D

T elephone : SILverthorn 2 6 6 6 (7 lines).

1 A U G U S T 1947 S I X P E N C E

THE ELECTRICIAN i AUGUST i<)

4

j

3 0 1

BILL SWITCHGEAR LTD ASTON LANE. PERRY BARR

BIRMINGHAM • 20

BIRMINGHAM t DI5TRICT CJUKER HEAD OFFICE

LONOOM. GLASGOW.

BELFAST.

BURTON * ON - TRENT

PHONE:8IRCHFIEL0S 501!. _.CRAMS:"BILSWITCH'. BHAM.

i AUGUST

1947

3 0 2

THE ELECTRICIAN

to c o v e r A L L y o u r

OFFICE MACHINES • SYSTEMS • EQUIPMENT"

A ccounting M achines • A d d in g M achines • C alculating M achines - Filing E qu ip m en t ■ P roduction C ontrol C h arts • K ard ex V isible R eco rd s • C ertified Safe E q u ip m en t • R em ington T y p e w rite rs a n d Supplies.

REMINGTON RAND LTD., COMMONWEALTH HOUSE,

1, N ew Oxford St., London, W .C .l. Phone: CHAncery 8888

S A L E S O F F IC E S A N D S E R Y I C E D E P O T S T H R O U G H O U T G R E A T B R I T A I N

i AUGUST

1947

W O R L D ’S L A R G E S T P U M P L E S S

’ R E C T IF IE R S T A T IO N

16 BTH Pumpless Rectifiers totalling 8,000 KW., 630 volts, in a railway substation of the London Passenger Transport Board.

B T H ^{R U G B Y}

T H Ł B R I T I S H . T H O M S O N - H O U S T O N C O M P A N Y L I M I T E D . R U G B Y . E N G L A N D . / A 3 3 8 6

P U M P L E S S S T E E L T A N K

R E C T I F I E R S

N o o t h e r m a n u f a c t u r e r

.

,

co/nine veriod o f

h a s s u c h a w i d e e x p e r i e n c e

In tne coming penoa or

i n t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f M e r c u r y

general reconstruction Arc

R e c t i f i e r s o f A L L T Y P E S

S P E C I F Y B T H

R E C T I F I E R S

j AUGUST

1947

THE ELECTRICIAN

NEW 6 INCH DIA M OVING IRON

INSTRUMENTS FOR A.C. SWITCHBOARDS

C ^u S ^{r e n t} I n d ic a t io n

s m a l l e r ' i n s t r u m e n t s

o n a L A R G E S C A L E

R E Y R O L L E

HEBBURN-QN-TYNE ENGLAND

THE ELECTRICIAN i AUGUST

1947

3 0 5

/

AUGUST

1947

THE ELECTRICIAN

3 0 6

M E M p r o d u c tio n h as alread y g o n e ah ea d by leap s a n d b o u n d s. T a k e the 124K sp litter, fo r in sta n ce. D u r in g the

last six m o n th s p r o d u c tio n h a s in creased fivefold . W ith o th er lin es, to o , w e are g o in g all o u t to ca tch up w ith th e h ea v y d em a n d b o th fo r h o u sin g and for in d u s­

trial p u rp o ses. B u t d em a n d is still greater th a n su p p ly , s o th a t M E M g o o d s are still h ard to c o m e by. T o m a k e sure y o u g et a fair sh are o f a v a ila b le su p ­ p lies, it is still th e b est plan to keep in to u c h w ith y o u r w h o lesa ler.

Midland Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Birmingham, II • Branches in London & Manchester

THE ELECTRICIAN i AUGUST

1947

3 0 7

600 K V A 3$ 50 ~ 11000/400 Volt*.

P A R T O F A G O V E R N M E N T C O N T R A C T F O R IN D IA

Designed to give

TROUBLE-FREE SERVICE under DAMP and HUMID CONDITIONS.

T h is typ e o f u n it is o p e r a tin g p erfectly in

INDIA , EA ST & W EST AFRICA, MALAYA, EA ST INDIA , ETC.

A P P L Y F O R B R O C H U R E T O

S T . M A R Y ' S R O A D , M I D D L E G R E E N , S L O U G H , B U C K S .

T e l e p h o n e . L A N G L E Y (b u c k s) 2 0 0 / 2 0 /

T h e LIN D LEY THOMPSON TRA N SFO RM ER & S E R V IC E CO., LTD.

D iap h ragm and Cover T em p era tu re

F illin g P ip O ff Load T ap p in g

NO M O I S T U R E NO S L U D G I N G

OF OI L NO S E R V I C E

C O S T S

i AUGUST

1947

THE ELECTRICIAN

Copper Strip of soft, hard and medium quali­

ties, are finished in either straight lengths, wound on drums, in coils and pads, or to any other x T s p e c i f i c a t i o n

^ required.

r h s y m o n d i

47 V ic t o r ia S tr e e t, W e s t m i n ­ s t e r , L O N D O N , S . W . I

T e le p h o n e ; A B B e y 27 71 (Pte . B r. E x .) W o r k s ; E n fie ld , M id d le s e x .

O S»

THE ELECTRICIAN i AUGUST

1947

P l e a s e a l l o w a s t o » e n d y o n a c o p y o f o u r d e s c r i p t i v e c a t a l o g u e

T h e

ZENITH ELECTRIC GO.

^{L td .}

Z e n it h W o r k » , Y i lli e r i R oad , W ille s d e n G re e n , Lo n d on , N . W J

Phone : W iU e id w t 4 0 8 7 S - ? C r a m s : “ Voltaohm , Phone, L o n d o n ”

f f l H

(R tsd . T ra d e -M a rk )

Improved Type

C E R A M IC

E M B E D D E D R E S IS T O R S

of the highest quality, complying

with all Government Specifications

X

AUGUST 1947 THE ELECTRICIAN

ÀMACOS

▼ R E G D .

F R E D E R I C K S M I T H & C O M P A N Y

(Inc orp o ra te d in The London Electric W ir e C o m p a n y a n d Sm iths, Lim ite d)

A N A C O N D A W O R K S • S A L F O R D 3 • L A N C S

Special sections for Rotor Bars, Damper Bars, W elding Electrode Tips, C ontroller Fingers, Bridge Contacts for H.T. Switch-

gear and many other purposes.

Full information gladly supplied on request

©Or IUva'

O p o n m a r ln e - ty p e s w itc h b o a r d c o n tro llin g t h re e 200 k W g e n e ra to rs a n d c ir c u it s a n d in c o r p o r a t in g D o rm a n X L a lr - b r e a k c ir c u it b r e a k e r s a n d D o r m a n " F " ty p e s w it c h e s a s in s t a lle d o n th e L .N .E .H a l l w a y ' s n e w c a rg o li n e r S .S . A r n h e m

(Jo h n B r o w n

&

C o ., L t d .)

DORMAN & SMITH LTD. • MANCHESTER - LONDON • GLASGOW

E 2 I 4 7

THE ELECTRICIAN z AUGUST i

947

W . T . H E N L E Y ' S T E L E G R A P H W O R K S C O . L T D .

(E n g in e e rin g Dept.) 51-53 H a t t o n G a r d e n , L o n d o n . E .C .I

y o u all ab ou t th e co m p lete range o f H e n le y S O L O N E lectric S old erin g Iron s, fo r the standard v o lta g e ranges o f

200/220

and

230

/

250

:

65

w att and

125

w a tt m o d els fitted w ith oval-tap ered bits or p en cil bits and

240

w att m o d els fitted w ith o val-tap ered bits are available.

Write to-day for the new folder ref. Y.io describing

HENLEY

- S O L O N - LECTRIC SOLDERING

IR O N S

Ä S T O R H O U S E , A L D W Y C K

on A u g u s t ⁴ tn

^{F r o m} A u g u s t 5 th C r o m p to n Parkinson Ltd., will be operating from their new offices at A stor House, Aldwych, W .C.2, with the exception o f the Electric Vehicle D ivision which will remain at Electra House.

N E W P H O N E : C H A N C E R Y 3 3 3 3 ( 3 0 L I N E S ) • T E L E G R A M S : C R O M P A R K E S T R A N D , L O N D O N

V

Mo B a n k H o l i d a y f o r u s

fro m p t o n w D a rk in s o n

^{B K S} L I M I T E D

a r e m o v i n g to

j

AUGUST 1947 THE ELECTRICIAN

3 1 2

S3I.'

Angle iron and sheet steel construction, designed for door mounting or wall fixing. The cabinet con­

sists o f a main battery compartment enclosed by steel doors with three shelves and a trickle charge rectifier compartment located at the top. Wood cabinets can be supplied if preferred.

Trouble develops somewhere on the network : the fault-finding relay locales the trouble: a battery trips the switch. That is the system. An infallible system — if battery and equipment are infallibly reliable.

Exidc Switch Tripping equipment achieves com­

plete reliability. Each self-contained unit comprises a battery of lead-acid cells, a trickle-charger, a load- test device and instruments from which test-readings can be taken under load. With this equipment in­

stalled, you know the switch will trip.

S W I T C H T H I P P I N G

E Q U I P M E N T

THE CHLORIDE ELECTRICAL STORAGE COMPANY LIMITED Stationary Battery D e p t 77 King Street, Manchester* 2

T el. Blackfriars 4731

I E 1r w A \ / m B a a a a a i

R egistered T rad e M a r k .

P O S I T I V E E A R T H I N G

Trouble-free Earthing is secured by using this highly efficient, heavy electro-tinned Bonding Clip for clamping Earth Wiring in direct contact with Conduit Tube.

This Bonding Clip ensures positive and vibration proof earthing.

FOR C O N D U IT TUBES

S i z e s : i ’ , J ', I ' , I f " , I J ”, V C a n a l s o b e u s e d o n G a s a nd W a t e r P ip e s.

i F o r G a s T u b e s - S iz e s : 3 "

F o r Lea d P ip e s - S iz e : 15/16"

D e ta ils o f ‘M e t w a y ’ full ra n g e o f Ea rth C lip s is g iv e n in L IS T N o .: 0 E . 3 I / E .

M E T W A Y IS P S L T D .

K I N G S T R E E T , B R I G H T O N , I. S U S S E X . Phone : B righ ton 83 6 6 . G ra m s : ‘M e t w a y ,’ Phone, Brighton,

FOR IL L U M IN A T E D M ODELS A D V E R T IS IN G S IG N S > F L A S H E R S

Unidirectional or reversing, with or without self­

switching, i o o / i i o or 200/250 volts A.C.

FINAL SHAFT SPEEDS:

Reversing Max 600 R.P.M. 27 min. per rev.

Unidirectional Max 280 R.P.M. 60 min. per rev.

TORQUE: Reversing 60 lbs. in. max.

Unidirectional 37 lbs. in. max.

For : Operating valves, dampers or rheostats, cinema projectors, rotating screens, illuminated signs, small working models, Geneva movements for drum- type switches, rocking baths, work movement, soldering and welding fixtures, continuous turning, feed o f light strip under process.

(R.Q.

3

^.) S e n d f o r List N o .

302

^-

1

^. D

DRAYTON REGULATOR & INSTRUMENT CO. LTD.

WEST DRAYTON W e s t D r a y t o n

2611

MIDDLESEX

THE ELECTRICIAN i AUGUST

1947

3 1 3

Constructed in one of the most up-to-date and well-equipped plants engaged solely in the m anufacture of this vital link between Power. Station and Consum er.

A l l “ F E R G U S O N , P A I L I N ” d e s ig n s are the r e s u lt o f e x t e n s iv e r e s e a r c h an d m a n u f a c t u r in g exp erience extending over

33

years.

Metalclad Substation Sw ltchgear.

A i r insulated. U p to 1 ik V .

i AUGUST 1947 THE ELECTRICIAN

314

| i r E N G IN E E R IN G CO., ( N O T T IN G H A M ) LTD.

H A S L A M ST., C A S T L E B O U L E V A R D , life. N O T T IN G H A M

V H O N E : N O T T IN G H A M <««068 (3 Line») 'G R A M S : C A P S T A N . N O T T IN G H A M

O N A I R M IN IS T R Y . A D M I R A L T Y A N D W A R O F F IC E L IS T S

R E P E T I T I O N W O R K I N A L L M E T A L S

T H E M O D E R N T D C U n

I I l i a 1 1 mM in domestic elec­

trical equipment is a vital factor in the competitive market of today. N o dealer can afford to display or attempt to sell, an appliance which is not completely up- to-date in design and wholly reliable in performance . . . . as, in turn, no house­

wife can resist the clean modern lines and labour-saving efficiency of DIAMIX products.

BRITISH

T H E A U T O M A T I C T O A S T E R is but one example from the DIAMIX range, which also includes the

“ Junior ’’ and “ Push button '■

Cookers, Thermostatic Irons, Fires and Boilingi Rings. Please write or

’phone for New Season’s Catalogues

l a m i x

L IM IT E D

METRUM WORKS, BEATTY ST., CAMDEN TOW N, LONDON, N .W .I . EUS. 5951-2-3

THE ELECTRICIAN z AUGUST

1947

3 1 5

D e t a il s t h a t

C L A S S

96522/1

DYNAM IC RELAY

In the product of the Specialist there are details of design that distinguish it from its contemporaries.

L O N D O N • B I R M I N G H A M • B R I S T O L • C A R D I F F • G L A S G O W • L E E D S • M A N C H E S T E R • N E W C A S T L E • S H E F F I E L D G 34

EXTERNAL VIEW — OVERALL SIZE:

4 \" día. X 5-fa" long

i l l

M U M

O

S L O T F O R

F L E X I B L E C O U P L I N G T O D R I V E A N D S P I G O T

M O U N T I N G F O R C O N C E N T R I C I T Y

R O B U S T S E L F C L E A N I N G C O N T A C T S E A S I L Y A C C E S S I B L E

F O R I N S P E C T I O N

S E L F L O C K I N G A D J U S T I N G N U T S

T A P P E D F O R S C R E W E D

C O N D U I T

L O W I N E R T I A R O T O R R U N N I N G O N B A L L

B E A R I N G S

L O N G L IF E , O N E P I E C E M U L T I P O L E S P E C I A L

A L L O Y M A G N E T

P E D E S T A L M O U N T I N G A T T A C H M E N T W I T H E X T E N D E D S H A F T A V A I L A B L E

F O R I N D I R E C T D R I V E

F O R P L U G G I N G A N D U N D E R O R O V E R S P E E D C O N T R O L

RELAY WITH COVER REMOVED

i AUGUST

1947

THE ELECTRICIAN

3 1 6

( Patent a pp lied for)

Every

R a d i o , E l e c t r i c a l , M o t o r a n d M o d e l E n g i n e e r h a t e s t h o s e f i d d l i n g s m a l l s c r e w s i n a w k w a r d c o r n e r s ! H e r e ’ s t h e p e r f e c t s o l u t i o n — f i t s a n y s c r e w d r i v e r

5

^/

32

^"

d i a . , a p p r o x . , h o l d s t h e s c r e w s n u g a n d s t r a i g h t , s l i ps

u p t h e s h a n k w h e n n o t

6

^{d . E A C H}

r e q u i r e d . f r o m H a r d w a r e S h o p s

e v e r y w h e r e

T H E A C R U E L E C T R IC T O O L M A N U F A C T U R I N G CO ., L T D .

123

, H Y D E R O A D , M A N C H E S T E R ,

12

^.

TEL:

A R D w i c k

4284

^.

THE ELECTRICIAN i AUGUST

1047

M o u l d i n g p o w d e r s , s h e e t s , r o d s a n d t u b e s .

P r e s s e d a n d C a l e n d e r e d s h e e t i n g , e x t r u d e d s e c t i o n s .

M o u l d i n g p o w d e r s a n d f i l m s .

f o r t h e p a i n t a n d v a r n i s h i n d u s t r i e s .

E R I N O I D L I M I T E D

L I G H T P I L L M I L L S . S T R O U D .

Telephone : Stroud 8 1 0 ( 5 line s)

S a le s Offices, London : 2 0 8 A R e ge nt Street, W . l Telephone : R egent 0 4 1 8

B irm in g h a m : 3 C oleshill Street, B irm in g h a m , 4 T ele ph o ne : B irm in g h a m C entral 18 86

i AVGUST 1947 THE ELECTRICIAN

R E S I S T A N C E

W I R E

80/20

^{o r}

65/15

N I C K E L C H R O M E

• D R A W N T O R E S I S T ­ A N C E , N O T T O S I Z E

• B R I G H T A N N E A L E D — O X I D I S E D O R H A R D D R A W N S T A T E

• S I Z E S 2 0 T O 4 7 S . W . G . O R T O B & S G A U G E S

C ontractors • E V E N S P O O L I N G

a d m i r a l t y « G O O D D E L I V E R I E S

W A R O F F IC E G I V E N A/A M I N IS T R Y

S T A I N L E S S S T E E L W I R E C o . L t d .

T h e B a r r a c k s . L a n g s e t t R o a d S h e f f i e l d , 6 ---

Telephone: 442-41-2 T e le g ra m s: F y n e w lr e , S h e ffie ld

W A L T E R C R A N E

R E P A IR S AND REW INDS

W e s p e c i a l i s e i n t h e r e - w i n d i n g o f a l l t y p e s o f e l e c t r i c a l e q u i p m e n t i n c l u d i n g p o r t a b l e t o o l s , v a c u u m c l e a n e r s , e t c .

Trade List on application.

W A L T E R C R A N E , G re e n c o a t W o r k s , W a k e fie ld .

INSTRUMENT WIRES INSULATING MATERIALS

W E S T INSULATING CO MPAN Y

L T D . ,

2 , A b b e y O r c h a r d S t r e e t , W e s t m i n s t e r , L o n d o n , S . W . 1

THE ELECTRICIAN i AUGUST

1947

Te,egr° mTe!cphone

H IG H CHA°cerY Telep'1°ne

i A U G U S T

1947

T H E E L E C T R I C I A N

3 2 0

A n n o u n c e m e n t o f D S P lu g s L t d ., M a n c h e ste r . L o n d o n - G lasgow . EIM47 T h e r a t h e r ru m m y lo o k in g o b je c t

a b o v e is o n e s e c tio n o i th e n e w D S s k ir t io r s u r f a c e m o u n tin g th e D S c o n d u it b o x ty p e B o c k e t. T h e o th e r s e c t io n is a n a b s o lu te t w in , a n d t h e y g e t to­

g e th e r aB s h o w n b e lo w .

T h is e n a b le s th e s k ir t to b e iix e d a lt e r th e w ir in g h a s b e e n c o m p le te d a n d m e a n s g r e a t e r e a s e io r th e w lr e m a n .

Ju st a n o th e r in g e n io u s a d d itio n to th e D S F u s e d

P lu g a n d S o c k e t r a n g e .

proud to offer to the trade, refractories of the highest quality at strictly competitive prices.

If you require insulators of guaranteed reliability and efficiency, let us quote you.

W IL L IA M K E N T ( P O R C E L A IN S ) LTD.

Wellington Street, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent

T elep hone Sto k e -o n -T re n t 84237/8

THE ELECTRICIAN

ⁱ

AUGUST

1947

3 2 1

W E M A K E T H E S IM L O N * W IR E

— ■ W E M A K E T H E S IC O V A * W IR E

E N Q U I R I E S F .D .S IM S LTD.HAZELHURST W O R K S• RAMSBOTTOM- LANCS.

--- PHONE RAMSBOTTOM 2213-4.

' <g) S3

i A U G U S T

1947

T H E E L E C T R I C I A N

D R A W E N A M E L

C O T T O N C O V E R . S I L K C O V E R G L A S S C O V E R A S B E S T O S C O V E R E N A M E L A N D

P A P E R CO VER

S C O T T I S H C A B L E S L I M I T E D

D E A N S I D E

R E N F R E W

S C O T L A N D

L O N D O N O F F I C E : M A N F I E L D H O U S E , 3 7 6 / 3 7 9 S T R A N D . W .C.2.

UNDER ALL CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

THE ELECTRICIAN i AUGUST i

947

T H E

E L E C T R IC I

E S T A B L I S H E D 1 8 6 1

Bouverie House - 154 Fleet Street - L ondon E C 4 Telegrams : "b e n b ro tric f l e e t London” Telephone : c e n tr a l 3212 (12 lines') Ed ito r: S ta n le y G. R a tte e , A.M.I.E.B. Publisher and M anager: Jo h n Vestey N um ber 3607 1 A U G U S T 1947 Vol C X X X IX N o . 5

C O N T E N T S

Views on Current Affairs ... 323 Po rtrait—M r. Percy Good ... 326 E le ctricity and Agriculture... 327 St. Helens Ju bilee ... 328 Modern Supertension Cables ... 329 Stourport “ B ” Pow er Station ... 332 Progress in E ire ... 333 Electrical Personalities ... 334 M r. A . P . Trotter ... 336 Generation of Ele ctricity ... 337 Electrical Benevolence ... 33S Electricity Supply ... 339 In Parliam ent ... 340 Mains Extensions at York ... 341 Institution of Electrical Engineers ... 342 Industrial Inform ation ... 343 Company News ... 345 Commercial Inform ation ... 348

SCOTTISH OFFICB:

116, Hop« Street, Glasgow, C.2 Telephone: Central 3970

The offices o f The Electrician are dosed on S a tu r d a y s in accordance w ith the “ F ive-day W e e k “ p la n adopted by B enn Brothers, L td .

SINGLE COPY (FRIDAY) - - 6d.

(BY POST) . . . - 8d.

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION

HOME AND OVERSEAS - 30s.

Load Staggering

T

HOUGH it has, in engineering circles, been understood for a long timo that the electricity load would have to be staggered next winter in order to reduce the national peaks and to permit indus­

try to proceed without serious power cuts, schemes designed to bring about those conditions have so far received a certain amount of opposition.

This has, no doubt, been based on a misunderstanding of the position, and various statements by Government de­

partments with respect to power station buildings and coal stocks have added to the confusion. These official pronounce­

ments may be said to have failed to make clear to non-electrically minded industry that the necessity for load spreading next winter has nothing to do with coal, nor has it anything to do with buildings—but is solely due to the fact that the indus­

trial demands for power at certain times of the day are greater than the national generating capacity can meet. If the demands are spread over a longer work­

ing day by staggering, however, their individual values are reduced to well within the capacity of the national plant, though their aggregate value may be the same or even greater.

With these conditions properly and ade­

quately explained, industry generally might have better appreciated the neces­

sity for some change in working arrange­

ments, and by co-operation and goodwill have developed new agreements as be­

tween employers and workers. As it is, both the employer and employee sides of industry are now antagonised by the methods of the Ministry of Labour and MIDLANDS OFFICE:

Daimler House, Paradise Street, Birmingham Telephone : Midlands 0784—5

324

t h e th r e a t s of fin es a n d p e n a ltie s , a n d th o u g h a ll w ill o b ey t h e law , th e r e a re b o u n d to b e so m e w ho w ill do so w ith a c e r ta in a m o u n t o f r e s e n tm e n t.

“ G ive a D og a B ad N a m e . . C O M P U L S IO N is a n u g ly w o rd in a n y la n g u a g e a n d r a r e ly r e s u lts in t h a t all- o u t e ffo rt fo r w h ic h t h e G o v e rn m e n t is a p p e a lin g a n d w h ic h t h e c o u n tr y so b a d ly n e e d s. W o a r e n o w in A u g u st, h o w e v e r, a n d f o r a ll a n y o n e k n o w s i t m a y n o t b e lo n g e r th a n six o r so w eeks b e fo re a co ld s n a p th r o w s u p o n th e n a tio n a l g e n e ra tin g p l a n t a lo a d w h ich m a y t a x i t to t h e full. T h e re s p o n se to t h e w o rk c a r r ie d o u t b y th e re g io n a l b o a r d s to m e e t th e s e c o n d itio n s h a s b een p o o r, a n d th e fa ilu re o f th e ir a t t e m p t s to m a k o c e r ta in s e c tio n s • o f e m p lo y ers a n d em p lo y e e s se e re a s o n w ith re s p e c t to lo a d s p r e a d in g m u s t b e h e ld re s p o n s i­

b le fo r t h e in tr o d u c tio n of co m p u lsio n in t h i s in s ta n c e , a n d th e r e ’s th e r u b . T h e re d u c tio n o f th e in d u s tr i a l p o w er lo a d to d im e n sio n s g o v e rn e d b y c o m p u lso ry m e a ­ s u r e s w ill d o so m e good, n o d o u b t, b u t th e a p p lic a tio n of a p sy c h o lo g y e q u a lly d e m a n d in g b u t less d ic ta to r ia l, sh o u ld b o a f a c t o r in t h e sc h e m e s to b e d ra w n u p b y t h e re g io n a l b o a r d s a n d th e ir c o n s u lta tiv e c o m m itte e s , so t h a t th e i n ­ co n v e n ie n c e s w h ic h e le c tric ity u s e r s h a v e in r e c e n t y e a r s b e e n co m p elled to su ffer m a y n o t u ltim a te ly r e a c t a g a in s t th e good n a m e o f th e in d u s tr y .

R egion al Load S ch em es

I T is u n d e r s to o d t h a t p la n s fo r s ta g g e r­

in g w o rk in g h o u rs in th e n o rth -w e s te r n a r e a a r e to b e s u b m it te d to t h e local e le c tric ity u n d e r ta k in g s b y S e p te m b e r 1, fo r la t e r a p p r o v a l b y t h e re g io n a l B o a rd T h e sch em es a r e to bo d e sig n e d to b rin g a b o u t a g ro s s s a v in g o f o n e - th ir d o f th e p e a k lo a d a n d so f a r a s t h e n o rth -w e s t is c o n c e rn e d w ill b e la rg e ly fr a m e d a r o u n d t h e s p e c ia l re q u ire m e n ts o f th e c o tto n in d u s tr y . I n t h e c a se o f B irm in g ­ h a m , s ta g g e rin g a r r a n g e m e n ts w ero to so m e e x te n t a lr e a d y d ra w n u p w h e n th e fu el c risis b ro k o in F e b r u a r y la s t, a n d i t is e x p e c te d t h a t a d ju s tm e n t of th e s e to p r e s e n t-d a y c o n d itio n s w ill n o t b e diffi­

c u lt. I t is y e t to o e a r ly to g iv e a n y p o si­

tiv e p ro n o u n c e m e n t u p o n th e sch em es, b u t sin c e i t is u n d e rs to o d t h a t lo c a l elec­

tr ic i ty u n d e r ta k in g s w ill in a ll c a se s h a v e a n o p p o r tu n ity of re v ie w in g th e ir p r a c tic a l v a lu e a n d , w h e re n e c e ss a ry ,

a m e n d in g th e m , th e r e is n o te c h n ic a l re a s o n w h y th e y s h o u ld n o t s u b s ta n tia lly re d u c e lo a d sh e d d in g th is w in te r, w ith ­ o u t s e rio u s in c o n v e n ie n c e to th e in d u s ­ tr ie s to w h ic h th e y w ill a p p ly . A n y diffi­

c u lty in t h e m a t t e r is m o ro lik e ly to a ris e fro m th e h u m a n e le m e n t r a t h e r th a n fr o m te c h n ic a l c o n s id e ra tio n s , fo r i t is th is w h ich lia s d e la y e d e a rlie r a g re e ­ m e n ts , a n d in d e e d b r o u g h t a b o u t th e c o m p u lso ry m e a s u re .

G en eration E fficiency and Coal SO M E in d ic a tio n of th e e ffe c t w h ic h t h e q u a lity of p r e s e n t c o a l d e liv e rie s is m a k in g u p o n p o w e r s ta tio n th e r m a l effi­

ciency, is g iv e n in th e l a t e s t p u b lic a tio n of th e E le c tr ic ity C o m m issio n g iv in g a n a ly s e s a n d s u m m a rie s o f t h e r e t u r n s of fu e l c o n s u m p tio n a n d u n it s g e n e ra te d b y 344 s t a ti o n s d u rin g 1946. O f th e lo w e st a v e ra g e fu el c o n s u m p tio n a n d h ig h e s t th e r m a l efficiency s ta tio n s in e a c h g ro u p , B a tt e r s e a c o n su m e d 0.96 lb. o f coal p e r u n i t s e n t o u t, w h ile s im ila r c o n ­ s u m p tio n a t W ic k w a s 2.84 lb . T h e th e r m a l efficiency a t t a in e d a t B a tt e r s e a b a s e d o n u n it s s e n t o u t w a s 26.49 p e r c e n t., w h ile t h a t a t W ic k w a s 10.72 p e r ce n t., th e s e tw o s t a ti o n s re p r e s e n tin g e a c h e n d of t h e g ro u p c lassificatio n s.

N e x t to B a tt e r s e a in low co a l c o n ­ s u m p tio n p e r u n i t s e n t o u t w a s t h e L ly n fi s t a t i o n a t 1.05 lb., follow ed b y K e a rs le y a n d T r a f io r d a t 1.23 lb . T h e s e fig u res h a v e , o f co u rse, littlo sig n ific a n c e w h e n d is a s s o c ia te d fro m o th e r d a ta , b u t fro m o u r a b s t r a c t o n a n o th e r p a g e of t h e C om ­ m iss io n e rs ’ s ta tis tic s , i t w ill b e se e n h ow m o re e c o n o m ic a l in co al c o n su m p tio n w o u ld b e a sy s te m o f d e liv e ry to power- s ta tio n s w h ic h p e r m itte d a b e t t e r c o n ­ s is te n c y o f fuol, good o r b a d . A s tilin g s no w s ta n d , t h e co al c o n su m e d p e r u n i t s e n t o u t v a r ie s a p p re c ia b ly fro m d a y to d a y , a n d s e v e ra l s t a ti o n s re c o rd e d l a s t y e a r a n a v e ra g e c o n s u m p tio n o f o v e r 2 lb. o f c o a l p e r u n i t tr a n s m i tt e d — a fig u re w h ich , in r e la tio n to th e q u a lity of th e fu e l c o n su m e d , d o es th e in d u s try ' th e h ig h e s t c re d it, h o w ev er.

E lectrica l B en ev olen ce

S O M E u n d e r s ta n d in g o f th e w o rk b e in g u n d e r ta k e n b y th e E le c tr ic a l I n d u s tr ie s B e n e v o le n t A sso c ia tio n w a s g iv en a t th e a n n u a l m e e tin g o f th e a s s o c ia tio n la s t w eek, a n d fro m t h e g r a p h re p r o d u c e d on a n o th e r p a g e o f th e a m o u n t of g r a n t s p a id to b e n e fic ia rie s, i t w ill b e a p p r e ­

THE ELECTRICIAN i AUGUST

1947

3 2 5

c ia te d h o w v a lu a b le t h a t w o rk h a s grow n. T lio d e m a n d ^ m a d e u p o n th e a s s o c ia tio n h a v e b ec o m e c o n sid e ra b ly h e a v ie r d u rin g th e l a s t tw o y e a rs , a n d th o u g h m u c h h a s b e e n a n d is s till b ein g d o n e to a s s is t th o s e in th e e le c tric a l in ­ d u s t r y w ho h a v e fa lle n b y t h e w ay sid e th r o u g h n o f a u l t o f th e ir ow n, th e r e is m u c h m o r e th e a s s o c ia tio n 'w o u ld like to d o . S u c h a s s is ta n c e , w h e th e r g iv en in m o n e y g r a n t s o r in se rv ic e , c a n , h o w ev er, o n ly b e o ffered if th e a s s o c ia tio n h a s a d e q u a t e fu n d s , a n d w ith b e n e v o le n c e of th e ty p e u p o n w h ic h t h e E .I.B .A . is b a s e d , th e r e is n o re a s o n a b le lim it to w h a t c a n b e d o n e. T h e d o n a tio n s a n d c o n tr ib u tio n s w h ic h re a c h th e a ss o c ia ­ tio n a re , in r e la tio n t o t h e size of th e in d u s tr y , a ll to o few a n d a ll to o sm all.

F o r th e a s s o c ia tio n to c a rr y o u t it s p r e ­ s e n t w o rk th e s t r i c t e s t e c o n o m y h a s to b e o b se rv e d , w h e re a s in so la rg e a n d im ­ p o r t a n t a n i n d u s tr y a s th e e le c tric a l, i t s h o u ld b o m a d e fr e e of fin a n c ia l co n ­ s id e ra tio n s . T h e in d u s tr y c a n b e c e rta in t h a t n o n e b u t th e m o s t d e s e rv in g cases re c e iv e b e n e v o le n c e , a n d a r m e d w ith th is k n o w le d g e i t sh o u ld se e th a t H h e a p p e a l fo r fu n d s does n o t go u n n o tic e d . T h e E .I.B .A . is d o in g r e m a r k a b le w o rk ; w ith m o re h e lp fro m th e in d u s tr y i t w ill do ev e n g r e a te r th in g s.

P u b lic Works E q u ip m en t

T H E P u b lic W o rk s C o n g re ss a n d E x h ib i­

tio n w h ic h co n c lu d e d l a s t S a tu r d a y a t O ly m p ia is g e n e ra lly r e g a r d e d a s h a v in g b e e n o n e o f th o m o s t su ccessfu l y o t held, a n d a r r a n g e m e n ts h a v e a lr e a d y b e e n m a d e t o s ta g e a s im ila r co n g re ss a n d e x h ib itio n a t O ly m p ia in N o v e m b e r, 1948. T h e e x h ib itio n , th o u g h d esig n ed m a in ly fo r m u n ic ip a l in te r e s ts , a t t r a c t e d a re c o r d n u m b e r of v is ito rs , w h ile som e o f th e c o n g re s s d is c u ssio n s w e re a tt e n d e d b y n o few er th a n 750 deleg a tes. W ith so m u c h w e a r - a n d - te a r to b e m a d e good b y p u b lic w o rk s d e p a r tm e n ts a n d w ith so m u c h r e p la c e m e n t of w a r d a m a g e d e q u ip m e n t a t a tim e w h e n m a te r ia ls a n d p l a n t a r e s h o r t, th e co n g re ss a n d e x h ib i­

tio n h a s a s s u m e d a n im p o rta n c e ev e n g r e a te r th a n w a s e n jo y e d b e fo re th e w a r, a n d th i s y e a r ’s d is p la y w a s v is ite d b y m a n y in th e h o p e t h a t a t le a s t so m e of th e p ro b le m s m ig h t b e so lv ed . J u d g in g fro m t h e r e a c tio n s of m a n y o f t h e e x h ib i­

to r s , t h a t h o p e w a s in m a n y c a se s r e a ­ lised, a n d t h e f a c t t h a t th e O ly m p ia h a s a lr e a d y b e e n b o o k e d fo r n e x t y e a r s u g ­

g e s ts t h a t th e 1948 e x h ib itio n w ill b e e v e n la r g e r a n d m o re e m b r a c in g of m u n ic ip a l in t e r e s t s th a n w a s t h a t w h ic h clo sed l a s t w eek.

The A .P.L .E. C onference

T H E n in e te e n th a n n u a l m e e tin g a n d co n fe re n c e o f th e A .P .L .E ., t o b e h e ld a t S o u th p o r t fro m S e p te m b e r 15 to 19, p r o ­ m ise s to b e a s b u s y a s a n y b p fo re th e w a r. A p a r t fro m th e P re s id e n tia l A d d re s s o f M r. T h o s . W i l k i e , w h o w ill su c c e e d M r. W . N . C . C l i n c h , th e r e w ill bo five te c h n ic a l p a p e r s d e a lin g w ith v a r io u s a s p e c ts o f s t r e e t lig h tin g re la tiv e to r o a d s a f e ty , tra ffic p ro b le m s, c rim e p re v e n tio n , p h o to m e tr y a n d m a in ­ te n a n c e . I t is a n tic ip a t e d t h a t a n u m ­ b e r o f m a n u f a c tu r e r s w ill e r e c t r e p r e ­ s e n ta ti v e s t r e e t lig h tin g in s ta lla tio n s in S o u th p o r t fo r th o co n feren ce, a n d a n e x p la n a tio n o f th e s e w ill fo rm p a r t of th e b u s in e ss sessio n s, to b e follow ed b y o u td o o r d e m o n s tr a tio n s d u r in g t h e e v e n ­ ing. T h o so c ia l sid e, w h ic h is a lw a y s a p r o m in e n t f e a t u r e o f th o co n feren ce, w ill in c lu d e a civ ic re c e p tio n , a co n feren ce lu n c h e o n a n d a re c e p tio n a n d d a n c e w ith th e P r e s id e n t a s h o s t. T h e l a s t d a y of th e m e e tin g w ill b o d e v o te d to a co a c h t o u r to a d e s tin a tio n n o t y e t d e te rm in e d , b u t in c lu siv e o f L iv e rp o o l a n d th e M ersey T u n n e l.

A. P. T rotter

A L I N K w ith th e p a s t w a s lo s t la s t w eek in th e d e a th of M r. A . P . T r o t t e r , w h o a s E d it o r o f T h e E l e c t r i c i a n fr o m 1890 to 1895 d id so m u c h to m a k e k n o w n t h e w o rk of O l i v e r H e a v i s i d e in e le c tro ­ m a g n e tic th e o r y a n d o n th e flow o f a lt e r n a t in g c u r r e n ts in c o n d u c to rs . M r.

T r o t t e r ’s c a r e e r w a s m o r e v a r i e d th a n m o s t a r c p riv ile g e d to e n jo y , fo r a f te r s e r v in g h is te c h n ic a l a p p r e n tic e s h ip h e be c a m e , firs t, a c o n s u ltin g e n g in ee r, a

■technical s e c r e ta r y to a C h a m b e r o f C om ­ m erce, a n E d ito r , a G o v e rn m e n t elec­

tr ic a l e n g in e e r a n d in s p e c to r, a n d th e n e le c tric a l a d v is e r to t h e B o a r d o f T ra d e . M r. T r o t t e r p o ss e sse d a p e rs o n a lity w h ic h in c lu d e d in i t s m a k e - u p a s tr o n g d e sire to h e lp a n d e n c o u ra g e , a n d th e m a n y offices h e filled, in c lu d in g t h e p r e s i­

d e n c ie s of t h e A s so c ia tio n o f S u p e rv isin g E le c tr ic a l E n g in e e rs , th e I l lu m in a tin g E n g in e e r in g S o c ie ty a n d o th e r s , d e m o n ­ s t r a t e h ow b r o a d w a s h is v is io n a n d h o w e m b r a c in g w a s h is in te r e s t.

i

AUGUST 1947 THE ELECTRICIAN

Portrait—Mr. Percy Good

3 2 6

A

FELLOW of th e City and Guilds of London In stitu te and an H onorary Fellow of th e Im perial College of Science and Technology, Mr. Percy Good is best known for his

work in connec­

tion w ith the British Standards Institution, o f which body he became director in 1912, after eleven years as deputy.

Percy Good re­

ceived his tech­

nical training at the Central Tech­

nical College and th e Thames Iron- w o r k s, subse­

quently becoming superintendent of th e Testing De­

partm ent, F a ra ­ day House. He has behind him several years’ ex­

perim ental work in connection with the production of

insulating materials, experience which; has no doubt served him well in recent de­

velopments in th a t field.

W hilst engaged for a time in consulting work, Percy Good also gave his attention to work as electrical assistant secretary to the B.E.S.A ., as it. was then called. T hat was as long ago as 1913, which indicates to some extent th e deep-set- interest which the subject of our word p o rtrait has always held w ith respect to sta n ­ dardisation.

Despite the fact that. Mr. Good is silhouetted, as it were, against an electrical background, his interests as director of the B .S .I. in­

clude standardisa­

tion in every form, and cover every industry.

He is particu­

larly interested in the problems in­

volved in the de­

velopment. of the use of certification trade m arks, th a t is, m arks placed on goods to indi­

cate conformity to a British S tan­

dard. He was

THE ELECTRICIAN

invited in 1938 b y the New Zealand Government, in association with the Australian National Standard Organisa­

tion, to visit A ustralia and New Zealand to discuss the s u b j e c t w ith them. As a re­

sult of this visit, a British Com­

monwealth Stan­

dards Conference was planned for 1940 and was held in London in 1946.

The visit took place during his ter-m of office as President of the Illum inating E n­

gineering Society and, o n h i s retu rn ju st before the outbreak of war, h e w a s asked to be chair­

m an of a lighting committee set up jointly by the Ministry of Homo Security and the Illum inating Engineering Society.

This committee was responsible for the preparation of m any w ar-time lighting de­

vices, including tho street lighting fittings w hich wore known as star-light, and for his services received th e C.B.E.

The scope of this work grew until sub­

committees dealt w ith all problems of visi­

bility from the air and investigations into the photometric properties of tho atm os­

phere, by which tim e they became a sub­

committee of th e D .S .I.R .

As Mr. Good was well acquainted with th e research resoui-ces of most of th e larger industrial organi­

sations, he was in­

structed by the Ministry to develop means of dccov’ing aircraft a t night.

After the main experimental work was done and means of im itat­

ing the various characteristics of industrial plants was solved, this work was handed over to th e Ser­

vices.

i A U G U S T

1947

T h e su b ject o f our “ portrait ” this w eek will assum e th e office o f P resident o f the In s titu tio n of E lectrical Engineers, on S ep tem b er 30 n e x t, as a nnounced on another page in th is issue. Mr. Good played an im p o rta n t part in the develop­

m e n t o f th e In tern a tio n a l E lectro­

technical Com m ission, and m ore recently in the form ation of the international organisation fo r sta n ­

dardisation.

E l e c t r i c i t y a n d A g r i c u l t u r e

D e m o n s t r a t i o n s a t t h e K e n t , S u s s e x a n d H e r t s . S h o w s

3 2 7

E

l e c t r i c i t y on the farm was dem onstrated on the largest stand at both tlio K ent and Sussex Agricultural Shows held in Maidstone, on Ju ly 0 and 10, an d in Chichester on Ju ly 16 and 17.

The exhibit was divided into sections which covered horticulture, th e home, the dairy, poultry, general farming, transport (electric vehicles), tho workshop and in­

stallations. The planning and organising were carried o u t by th e South-East and E ast England E.D .A. area staff, in con­

junction w ith co-opcrating members of tho Southern Committee in both counties.

This arrangem ent had a great advantage in th a t it enabled the exhibition to bo standardised for both shows so th a t the whole was moved from Maidstone between Ju ly 10 and .16 and set up again in Chichester, a total of 1-10 exhibits being involved.

On the first day of the K en t Show, the electrical stand was visited b y th e Duchess of K ent, and a photograph of the Royal guest being escorted round th e stand by Mr. E. E. Hoadley, was reproduced in

Th e E le c tr ic ia n of Ju ly 18.

The caterers a t the K ent Show were persuaded to undertake all-electric cook­

ing, E.D .A . equipm ent being loaned for th e purpose. A t th e Sussex Show, no cooking was carried out, cold meals only being provided, so th a t the same oppor- tu n ity did not arise.

A large m arquee containing a compre­

hensive display of modern 'electrical appliances for th e farm, dairy, m arket

P a n o f the dairy section o f the electrical exhibit at the K en t a nd Sussex Agricultural

Shows

garden, poultry farm and th e home, arranged by the N orthm et Power Com­

pany, was one of the chief attractions a t the H ertfordshire Agricultural Show held in N orth Mymms P ark on Thursday,

x

AUGUST

1947

Ju ly 24, and th e dem onstrations given throughout the day, were watehqd with interest by a constant stream of visitors.

A supply of electricity distributed from a tem porary transform er station, erected in

MR. \v. N . C. CLINCH, general manager, N orth- m et Power Co. {right), chatting w ith MR. G. E.

JONES, Hoover, L td ., a nd MR. c. R. m a r s h a l l,

Northern area superintendent, N orthm et tho park, was m ade available to exhibitors b y the company, and tho interior of the m arquee was illuminated b y fluorescent lamps.

In the horticultural section a mobile electrically operated machine, for cleaning and sterilising flower pots, claimed atten ­ tion. I t will deal w ith various sizes, and is said to be capable of handling 2 000 size 60 pots an hour. An electric m otor of 1 n .n .r. drives two spindles m ounted on a chassis, "with their ends protruding.

On each end is a chuck into which a suit­

able brush can be fitted. These brushes, revolving a t high speed, remove th e dirt from th e pots held by four operators, two on either side. The pots are then passed down a sloping runw ay into a b ath of sterilising liquid, through which they are carried by a chain conveyor. A fifth operator loads the pots on to the top of th e m achine and removes th e clean ones.

Also on view were circulating pum ps and valves, forced draught equipment, a con­

version heater, greenhouse heating equip­

m ent, a soil steriliser, soil warming equipm ent, a propagating frame contain­

ing growing plants, a hedge trimm er, and a glasshouse w ater heater to provide a supply a t a correct tem perature for w ater­

ing plants.

The barn m achinery included a recently-

THE ELECTRICIAN

3 2 8

introduced portable “ Economil,” driven b y a 1 h.p . m otor, claimed to grind a cwt.

of corn an h o u r; the Essex mill, an elec­

tric self-starting sack lifter w ith a safety device, an Adelphi mixer, an electrically- operated pneum atic grain conveyor (claime^l to be capable of dealing with 40- 45 cwt. an hour), a two-way hoist, the F erranti-Jeans seed conditioner, and an electric travelling chain block and tackle for use in farm buildings.

P oultry farmers were shown incubators and brooders, brooder conversion units, an egg tester and candling lamp (demon­

strated) and an egg grader in action.

In the dairy section were staged a milk cooler and cool room, a milking machine, sterilisers, a churn stool and an electrode steam raiser, a bottle washer, and a bottle filling and discing machine, a storage w ater heater, a pedestrian-operated electric milk delivery pram , and the “ R apid Ab­

norm ality Indicator,” an electrical apparatus for tho rapid detection of ab ­ norm ality in milk, particularly mastitis.

Dem onstrations were given of the easy operation of th e Eutalloy carbon arc torch, designed for use with tho Cytringan a.c.

metallic arc-welding machine. Among the advantages claimed for this appliance is th a t th e carbon flame is m aintained b y an electric circuit which does not pass through th e w ork; the welding h ea t is applied independently of th e filler material, and th e appliance is suitable for all the lighter welding applications of the metallic and carbon arcs and m ost of those of the oxy-acetylene flame. Also in tho genera!

farm equipm ent section were grinders and heavy d u ty electric drills, battery chargers, electric vulcanisers, a m eter for m easuring m oisture in grain, and a port­

able electric forge.

T he exhibits in th e home section, which occupied one end of th e marquee, were m uch admired by housewives whoso in­

quiries were dealt w ith by a com petent staff of dem onstrators. There were u p ­ right models of cookers designed for planned kitchens, w ater heaters, wash- boilers, washing machines, refrigerators of three different sizes, vacuum cleaners, a w ater heating conversion unit, clocks, kettles, irons and other domestic electrical appliances.

The G.P.O. provided a mobile post office, w ith a public telephone and tele­

graph service.

A list of exhibitors at- tho H erts Show was given in our issue of Ju ly IS.

Firms taking- ipart in the exhibitions a.* the Kent and Sussex shows included:

Chase Protected Cultivation. Ltd.. TTnitv Heating, Ltd., Transformer and Electrical Co., Ltd., Farm and Garden Electrifica­

tion, Ltd., Heatrae, Ltd.. W. 31. Godfrey and Partners. Ltd., Weald Electricity Sumfly Co., Ltd., A Webb and Sons. Ltd.. British Roto- therm Co., Ltd.. Mr. L. F. King, Maidstone

THE ELECTRICIAN

electricity department, Aidas, Ltd., Moffats, Ltd., Frigidaire, Ltd., Electrolux, Ltd., Burco, Ltd., Hoover, Ltd., Bendix Home Appliances, Ltd., Hot/point Eiectrio Appliance Co., Ltd., Morpliy-Richards, Ltd., J. Glover and Sons, Ltd., Retrain Thomas (Engineers), Ltd., Roll- nick and Gordon, Ltd., Belling and Co., Ltd., Jackson Bleotric Stove Co., Ltd., Moffats, Ltd., Falkirk Iron Co., Ltd., Gascoignes (Reading), G.E.C., Perkins (Clean Milk) Equipment, Ltd., Cockx and Sons, J. and E. Hall, Ltd., R. A.

Lister and Co., Ltd., Western Incubators. Ltd., H. W. Stephens, Cope and Cope, Ltd., H. W.

Stephens, Bingham Appliances, Ltd.. Preston Hail Industries. British Legion, W.E.P., Ltd., Vent Axia, Ltd., H. Morris, Ltd., G. W. King.

Ltd., Christy Norris, Ltd. (exhibit by Central Sussex Electrieity),J. Bereslord and Son, Ltd., Hoover, Ltd., Hicks Motors. Ltd., Crompton Parkinson, Ltd., Metropolitan Vickers Electric Co., Ltd., General Radiological, Ltd., Lipton Products, Ltd., Marconi Instruments, Ltd., Oliver Pell Control, Ltd., Harvest Saver and Implement Co., Ltd., Ferranti, Ltd., English Electric Co., Streamline Filters, Ltd., Eiectrio Construction Co., Ltd.. Black and Deoker, Ltd.. Dowsing Co. (Electrical Manu­

facturers), Ltd., Acraspray Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Acrne Electric Tool Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Diamond Motors, Brush Electrical Engineering Co., Ltd., Westinghouse Brake and Signal Co., Ltd., Simmons and Stokes, Ltd., B. I. Oallender’s Cables, Ltd., C.M.A.

S t . H e l e n s J u b i l e e

L

ORD C ITR IN E, chairman-designate of th e British Electricity A uthority, was one of the principal guests a t the jubilee celebrations of the St. Helens electricity undertaking, on Ju ly 21. In addition to a civic lunch -and dinner, th e programme included visits to a num ber of im portant industrial consumers in the district, in the course of which Lord Citrine toured the glass works of Pilkington Bros., L td., where he had -worked as an electrician in 1908, 'before beginning his career as a trades’ unionist.

Electricity was first generated in St.

Helens in the early nineties, when a small p la n t with a vertical steam boiler was installed in th e Towui Hall yard to light certain portions of th e building. B y 1898, th e p la n t in operation h ad a to ta l capacity of 145 kW . A t present, in addition to a considerable industrial load, 168 farm s (66 per cent, of the total num ber in the area of supply) use electricity. Tho large glass works in th e district account for 74 per cent, of industrial power units sold.

Speaking a t the dinner, Lord Citrine said it was essential th a t the transfer of the industry to complete public ownership should be as rapid as possible. The nationalised industries m ust then establish an efficiency a t least equal and superior to those which preceded them . Ultim ately, the test would be found in th e m easure of service they could render to the public.

The area boards and consultative councils, he stressed, m ust reflect- the civic spirit and pride which had formerly been th e m ainspring of the municipal undertakings.

i AUGUST

1947

3 2 9 ’

M ODERN SUPERTENSION CABLES

by C. C. B A R N ES, A .M .I.E .E ., A .I.I.A .

P art I o f th is series appeared in Th e El e c t r i c i a n o f J u ly 1 8 a n d review ed existing designs o f m ass im p reg n a ted screened ty p e pow er cables fo r voltages u p to a n d including 6ti k V . I n th is, P a rt I I of th e series, a brief review is p ro vid ed o f Oil-Filled, E x te rn a l

Gas P ressure a n d In te rn a l Gas P ressure, designs.

The Oil-Filled Cable.—The fundam ental disadvantages of voids w ithin the cable dielectric were mentioned in P a rt I. and a m ajor departure from establislied cable m anufacturing practice was the develop­

m ent of the oil-filled cable having speci­

ally provided means whereby during the life of the cable it is k e p t constantly supplied with oil.

The first complete a tte m p t to obviate ionisation under all conditions of load (or even overload) was made by Emanueli w ith his fluid oil duet cable, which is based on th e principal ot applying pres­

sure to th e liquid im prégnant so th a t any tendency to form gas pockets, or voids, is prevented.

During 1924 a t Burghero, in Italy, a short cable line operating a t 132 kV, was installed and this proved to be the first cable installation to work successfully a t th is voltage.

The oil-filled cable“' 5* differs funda­

m entally from the mass impregnated cable in the following resp e cts:— 1. The dielectric consists of insulating paper of a greater porosity th a n normally used.

2. The impregnating medium consists of low viscosity im pregnating oil. 3. Longi­

tudinal channels (ducts) aro provided in the conductor of single core cables, or in the wormings of three-core cables to m aintain free m ovem ent of th e oil along th e cable (see Fig. 1.).

F or term inations, a special desigfi of single coro oil-filled cable is available hav­

ing th e lead sheath internally fluted, thereby providing th e necessary longitu­

dinal channels directly under th e lead sheath in place of th e normal central ductway. The oil-filled design suppresses ionisation bv inhibiting void formation w ith the aid • of those longitudinal flow channels. W hen th e cable is loaded and its tem perature rises, the oil is free to flow via th e duets to th e pressure reser­

voirs situated a t intervals along the route and subsequently, when th e load is switched off and the cable cools, this oil is returned under pressure to th e cable. In this m anner the insulation is m aintained full of oil w ithin controlled limits of pressure under all possible v aria­

tions of load._

* T he third article o f this scries will contain a complete bibliography

I AUGUST 1947

As a result, the voltage/tim e break­

down curve of th e oil-filled cable becomes asym ptotic a t a high percentage of th e short tim e value and th e cable m ay be designed w ith an adequate factor of safety’

a t m axim um stresses up to 100 kV /em . Since 1924 such cable has experienced world wide success and although no funda­

m ental changes to th e original design have been effected, certain modifications have been m ade5.

Pressure tanks are now frequently m ade w ith the air cells filled to soveral atm os­

pheres pressure for use in positions where th e static head of oil prevents the full efficiency of norm al tanks being utilised.

This practice, together w ith a moderate increase in design oil pressures, enables longer oil sections to bo fed, th e num ber of stop joints on an average route being reduced by about 25 per cent.

The reduced oil dem and th u s effected, in conjunction with th e changes in ta n k an d oil pressure limits, approxim ately halves th e ta n k capacity required in com­

parison w ith earlier installations.

Tanks are now fitted into pre-cast con­

crete tubes which are buried d irec t in th e ground. Where extrem e economy h as to bo exercised tanks can bo buried even w ithout the concrete protection.

Oil ducts in large three-core cables are m ade from copper instead of steel. Such non-magnetic ducts,, b y eliminating iron losses, give a small increase in th e m axi­

m um current carrying capacity.

Oil-filled cables for 132 kV operation have been installed in various p arts of th e world, and to-date it is th e only design of supcrtension cable with an established long-time service record a t 220 kV.

T he norm al design of oil-filled eablo is reinforced over th e lead sheath for a m axi­

mum pressure of about 50 lbs. b u t in recent years oil-filled cables designed for high pressure operation have been de­

veloped.

Ojlostatic Cable.”—This cable design is an American developm ent suitable for operation a t a pressure of about 200 p.s.i.

I lie cable is insulated, im pregnated, and lead cased in accordance w ith normal technique, after which it is transported to site and draw n into a steel pipe, special arrangem ents being m ade for th e lead

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