Electrical Power

The Expert Talks of Its Transmission to Buffalo.

A SMALL LOSS EXPECTED.

A Cable for Each 5,000 Horse-power Will be Laid — Many Points Are Yet to be Determined Upon as to the Apparatus to be Used.

Prof. George Forbes, the celebrated English electrical expert, is a recent arrival in this country. He is the consulting electrical engineer for the great Niagara Falls tunnel, and to a reporter for the Electrical Review he has been telling some interesting facts about the development and transmission of the power. The interview in part is here reproduced:

“What kind of generators will you use?”

“Well, for Buffalo distribution we shall undoubtedly use the alternating current system, but as regards the local plants, we have not made up our minds whether the current shall be continuous or alternating. Of course, you understand that many arguments may be advanced in favor of both, and you may rest assured that the one which has the most commercial advantages will be adopted beyond any doubt. From the central station we shall send out a current of about 20,000 volts, and for the Buffalo line we shall have a step-up transformer for the line and a step-down transformer for distribution, which distributing current will be somewhere in the neighborhood of from 1,000 to 2,000 volts.”

“Could you let me have the full particulars and figures?”

“During my voyage I calculated all these data and have obtained exact figures, which will appear later.”

“What losses are due to transformation?”

“These, of course, I have also calculated, and in the transmission of power to Buffalo, when the current is delivered to motors on the line, we expect to have 90 per cent. efficiency after one transformation. In the second transformation to other plants along the line we expect to obtain an efficiency of 78 1-2 per cent. You, therefore, see that the losses in the line would come to about 8 1-2 per cent. These are indeed very close figures, and, considering the initial cost for the production of current, there can be no doubt that this mode of distribution of energy will be most profitable.”

“What kind of motors do you expect to have used?”

“Alternating current dynamos may be used, or a rotary-field motor like Tesla’s, or motors run with two currents differing in phase by 90 degrees may be employed. These motors, of course, will have to be started gradually. There are people in Europe who have getting out commutator apparatus for changing alternating current to continuous current, and now there are over a dozen kinds of motors operated on single-phase currents in the market; there are not many of these in use, but they are practical. There seems to be some mistake about the efficiency of alternating current motors, but actual installation will show these people that they are wrong. There are firms now who manufacture different kinds of alternating-current rotary-field motors who will guarantee 92 per cent. efficiency.”

“What do you expect to use in the line equipment?”

“Subway conduits, most assuredly. They are handier for inspection, and less liable to get out of order from numerous causes, among which may be mentioned storms, etc., which will make the maintenance of an overhead system exceedingly expensive and troublesome.”

“Have any rates been arranged yet for the consumption of current?”

“Rates have been formulated and they will be made known when the plant is in operation. The consumption of power will be enormous. Large demands in Buffalo have made us anticipate the utilization of all the power that we can possibly obtain. The turbines which we are constructing are capable of generating 5,000 horse-power each. They have a vertical shaft 240 feet in length, to which will be attached directly either the armature or field magnets of the generators.”

“Is not the introduction of armatures mounted on a vertical axle an innovation?”

“No. I believe that there are several which have been constructed. The generators which we will use will have about 250 revolutions per minute, and whether the armature or the field magnet shall revolve has not been decided.”

“Do you expect to use your tunnel entirely for the production of power for your own generators?”

“No, we shall rent turbines to other companies. We expect to have about 20 turbines of our own, which will give us an aggregate power of 100,000 horse-power. The Niagara Falls Paper Company owns a turbine and has rented the right to use the tunnel.”

“You say that all the hydraulic plant is completed?”

“Yes, the tunnel is finished, the canal has been built, and we have finished three wheel pits, with which we will start operations. In the neighborhood of the plant is a company which expects to refine copper by electricity on a very large scale.”

“I suppose there will be no trouble at all in selling the power?”

“No; we have had numerous applications to lease power, and as much as we can generate will be gladly sought for by all those who have occasion to use it. These numerous applications are very flattering, and at the present moment there is a company in Buffalo which is making contracts throughout the city for power, and the distribution of the current through the city. This power will cost so much less than that obtained from steam engine plants that this will be an extra inducement to consumers. The running expenses are a mere nothing. The amount of attention will be small, and the work has been so carefully supervised that it will be almost impossible for any accidents to occur.”

“We have the right of way under the city for a parallel fall for another 100,000 horse-power, and we have obtained a concession for the Canadian side of the Falls for another tunnel. Prof. Unwin is now preparing plans, and with this tunnel we shall probably obtain an additional 200,000 horse-power.”

“From which side of the Falls will you distribute your current?”

“We have not decided as yet, but if it is distributed from the Canadian side, cables will be run over the Suspension Bridge.”

“What size cables do you expect to use for the transmission of power?”

“We expect to use one cable for each 5,000 horse-power, both wires of which will have an aggregate cross section of one square inch. These are all the points that I can give you now concerning the construction of this huge plant.”