Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-10-28
ELECTRIC POWER
BEST FOR SUGAR
MILLS SAYS VOTE
Engineers Unanimously Favor
Doing Away With Steam at
Bio Plants on Islands

ID
With the adjournment at noon to-
day OF the third annual convention OF
sugar mill engineers, ended one OF
the most instructive meetings Of the
body, two papers read this morning
proving Of exceptional interest A
banquet tonight at the Commercial
Club at 1870 will be the last gathering
OF the members until next year. T. C.
Plankinton and s. T. Carr read the
papers, and followed them with brief
discussion.
One OF the most important steps
taken by the convention was the APP
proyal by an almost unanimous vote
OF the proposal to gradually replace
steam as the power for sugar mills,
by electricity. The plan OF the en-
gineers Is to do away with the system
of using large steam engines, and in
their place to use individual motors
Al resume OF all the papers read
during the convention followed the
discussion Of the use .. electricity in
place Of steam. J. Wyllie, during
this period, called to the attention OF
the engineers new displacement
pump Tor handling milk Of lime solu-
ton, which was generally agreed to
be the best plan for pump which
was shown during the convention.
Oil Separating Device.
During the discussion at the latter
end OF the session today, Engineers
Meinecke OF Paia. Bechert of kukaiau
and H. Johnson, consulting chemist
with &C. Brewer & Company, made In
teresting short talks on problems
which are OF interest to sugar mill
men. II. r. Menaugh, chief engineer
of the Rapid Transit Company's pow
er station, gave q description of an
oil separating device used in his
plant TO separate lubricating OIL from
steam from the engine.
In his remarks at the opening Of
the session j. G.. Plankinton said that |
the electrification of sugar mills had |
passed the experimental stage and |
compared mill with no electric pow
er with one equipped with electricity |
wherever possible.
"Thefe Is not much that can be said |
on the s,Abject OF better steam ecoho-
my from prime movers when pounds
of steam per horse power are consid. |
cred, because the B. T. Us required |
for heating and eyaporating In the av-
erage min are in excess OF the heat |
available from the exhaust steam, Mr.. |
Plankintoh said. But much can be
said on this subject when it is consid-
cred that better economy by central
izing the steam gives higher thermal
efficiency. The question of thermal
efficiency in extracting the mechani-
cal energy out of the steam is irnpor-
tant. II a prime mover could be de-
signed and insulated SO as to have no
radiation and condensation losses
from the steam during expansion, 1t
would have 100 per cent thermal eff
cheney Expansion under these condi-
tions Is termed adiabatic expansion. i
upkeep Hard 10 Estimate.
1T Is very hard to estimate the mp
keel, on the different systems. but it
Is usrite safe to say that the centrifu-
cal pump and motor installation would
show goodly saving over the steam
pumps and engines when the simple
squirrel cage motor and centrifugal
pump with no rubbing parts and very
little fabrication required Is compared
10 the steam pumps with numerous
parts with consequent wear from con-
tinuous rubbing and reciprocating mo-
ton and heavy upkeep on valves, re-
newing asbestos covering on steam /,
pine, etc. The item Of fabrication is
no less than $50 per pump per season,
and IL Is necessary to repack every
steam pump at least once year and Ii
some of them several times during one
season. which is quite an expense and
loss of time. The question Of contin-
nous service Is in favor of the electric.
driven pump"
. Mr.. Plankint0n gave long list Of
figures. showing costs and |
efficiency under the two .power-sys-
.ems.
S. T. Carr in his paper dealt also
With the problem of electrifying sugar
mills. He voiced decided objection to
1sing electricity for the rollers, how
sver. stating his belief that steam en-
zines were more satisfactory for roll
er power.
~In regard to the use of motors for ,
driving mill rollers" he said in dis.
,ussing rollers, 1T is evident that a
bird reduction gearing must be intro
iuced over the present double ,
reduction gearing as an cleo
.ric motor will run at a much !
higher speed than any Corliss
sngine. II woulG be possible to build
i slow-speed motor, but its cost would !
,e prohibitive. This condition is cas- !
" met by the use of herring bone /,
orm of gear. From the writer's OBJ J
,ervation of mill onerstion he would