The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-12-11
VISIT
POWER HOUSE
Examine Latest Thing In Steam
Turbines and Hear Expert
Description.

: The Hawaiian Engineering Associa
ton held their regular monthly meeting
at their rooms in the Kapolani build
ing last evening, the subject for dis
eussion being the Westinghouse-Pa Par
sons steam turbine W. c. Hair, who
wrote the paper and was to have read
the same. was unfortunately called to
return To pittsburg on the Alameda and
the paper was presented for him by
4. Gartley.
The paper itself was very interesting
and valuable contribution to the pa
pers of the engineering association,
combining popular description of the
Westinghouse-Pa Parsons turbine with a
scientific comparison of the results OBJ
tanned under different conditions of
operation. Altogether it was timely
subject well presented
After the reading of the paper and
limited discussion, the members of
| the association went to the powerhouse
of the Hawaiian Electric Company,
$50 K. W, 22O0 volt, alternating cur
rent turbo electric generator, built by
the Westinghouse Machine Company
and the Westinghouse Electric and
Manufacturing Company. This machine
was shown IN active operation carrying
the entire load of the Hawaiian Elec-
tric Company.
In view of the recent large increase
in the business of the electric company
and the prospective increase that will |
come from the increased population |
drawn to Honolulu by the Federal i'm /
provements, the company in April OF |
this year placed orders for this machine,
which has now been in operation about
one month and represents an increase
practically equal to the original capa-
city of their plant. The rated capacity
of the new turbogenerator is $4,000
16-candle power lamps, but the real
capacity, counting overload, is about
"a 900 16-candle power lamps.
This turbine is of type similar to
those installed in the Mauritania and
the other large transatlantic steamers
which have recently operated SO sue
cessfully in reducing the records pre-
viously established. Very little can be
seen on the outside, as the turbine it
self looks like a large horizontal cylin- I
der through which a shaft runs, and
On top~of this cylinder there are two {
valves which open and close, admitting
the steam in puffs to the turbine. At
one end there is a vertical governor to
regulate the speed and on the other end {
On an extension of the shaft is placed '
he electric generator, which is of the |
evolving field type entirely enclosed.
The machine operates at 1900 rev0lu-
ions per minute, the turbine fanges
evolving at the rate of four miles a 4
minute, and when both steam valves
ire open has an ultimate capacity of I
1000 horsepower. 1t occupies space
# about six feet by twenty-four feet,
hus clearly demonstrating one of the
trong claims of the turbine builders
hat much less floor space is occupied
'er horsepower than with reciprocating
ngines. =
The machine operates with no vibra- :
ion and very little noise, the only per L
eptible sounds being the opening and Ii
losing of the valves admitting steam n
nd the suction of the air drawn in !,
rom outside the building and forced
trough the generator to keep it cool. IL
In conjunction with the turbine a Of
cry complete condensing and vacuum J
ystem has been installed, the very low :,
aeuum of twenty-nine pounds being ,
lslly maintained. This system is 81
nown as the wet and dry system, the pl
II pump simply handling the air from II
ne condenser and a small reciprocal til
~ pump the condensed water. This an
cry high vacuum is essential to the ad
economical operation of the turbine.
he uniformity in the rotation of the pr
rhine itself makes it possible to pro- / b
Ice lights with absolutely no Kicker ey
variation in voltage. nj
This turbine is the first to be in IA
allied in the Territory and the engi- in
,ers, after inspection, were unanimous qo
the opinion that the makers of this he
,paratus are to be congratulated upon we
e perfection of their output. RI
The electric company within the past M
ar has added several other improve p,
ents, including the doubling of their
e tank capacity and the building of III
new boiler room, all of which were IF
rown open for the inspection of the an
gineers. ev
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