The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-12-11
ENGINEERS VISIT
POWER HOUSE.

The Hawaiian Engineering Assoeia-
ton held their regular monthly meeting
at their rooms in the Kap olant build
ing last evening, the subject for dis
eussion being the Westinghouse.Par-
sons steam turbine. W. O. Hair, whS
wrote the paper and was to have read
the same, was unfortunately called to
return to Pittsburg on the Aiameda and
the paper was presented for him kF
A. Gartley.
The paper itself was very interesting
and valuable contribution to the pa
pcrs of the engineering association,
combining popular description of the
Westinghouse Parsons turbine with a
scientific comparison of the results OBJ
tanned under different conditions OF
operation. Altogether it was a timely
subject well presented.
After the reading of the paper and
limited discussion, the members of
the association went to the powcrhouse
of the Hawaiian Electric Company,
where Mr.. Hair had recently installed
$50 X. W., 2200 volt, alternating cur-
rent turboelectric generator, built by
the Westinghouse Machine Company
and the Westinghouse Electric and
Manufacturing Company. This machine
was shown in active operation carrying
tho entire load Of the Hawaiian Elec
trio 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 or
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 turbo-generator is $4,000
16-eandle power lamps, but the real
capacity, counting overload, is about
$4,000 1b-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-
der through which 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 vertical governor TO
regulate the speed and on the other end
on an extension of the shaft is placed
the electric generator, which is of the
revolving field type entirely enclosed
The machine operates at 1900 revolu
tions per minute, the turbine hanges
revolving at the rate of four miles q
minute, and when both steam valves
are open has an ultimate capacity of
1000 horsepower. 1t occupies a space
of about six feet by twenty-four feet,
thus clearly demonstrating one of the
strong claims of the turbine builders
that much less floor space is occupied
per horsepower than with reciprocating
engines.
The machine operates with mo vibra-
tion and very little noise, the only per.
ceptible sounds being the opening and
! closing of the valves admitting steam
and the suction of the air drawn in
from outside the building and forced
through the generator to keep it cool.
In conjunction with the turbine n
very complete condensing and vacuum
system has been installed, the very low
vacuum of twenty-nine pounds being
easily maintained. This system is
known as the wet and dry system, the
air pump simply handling the air from
the condenser and small reciprocal
ing pump the condensed water This
very high vacuum is essential to the
economical operation of the turbine
The uniformity in the rotation of the
| turbine itself makes it possible to pro
duce lights with absolutely no flicker
or variation in voltage.
This turbine is the first to be in
stalled in the Territory and the engi-
neers, after inspection, were unanimous
in the opinion that the makers of this
apparatus are to be congratulated upon
tho perfection of their output.
The electric company within the past
year has added several other improve
ments, including the doubling of their
ice tank capacity and the building Of
new boiler room, all of which were
thrown open for the inspection of the
engineers