Evening star., 1922-02-05

quicker getaway and stoppage OF
trains!
THE problem Of electric power
transmission, which, it was believed
for a time, might seriously hamper
the use of electricity at any con-
siderable distance from the places at
which the water power used in it's
generation was located, and which,
therefore, greatly limited the use OF
water power. has been solved, speak
ing generally.
X + r
et'THE distance to which electricity
economically can be transmit-
ted now is known to be In proportion
to its pressure. or, to speak cleo
trically. to its voltage. when Edison
built his first electric aszation In
New York he used 220 .so1ts This
year we are starting q transmission
line which carries 22o, 600 volts, 900
times as much. ..--
From an engineering point Of view
there is no limit to the distance to
which electricity can be transmitted.
To save wastage on long distance
lines is merely matter Of spending
money. In the early days one often
heard discussions as to whether or
not power could be transmitted
from Niagara Falls to New York city
or Chicago. Now--we know that it
might be, but will not be because all
the power Niagara can produce. all
the power which most sources can
produce. is sure to be consumed
close by. Developing industry awill
see to that There rarely will be
power for sending to the distant users
after nearby users have been salts
fed. for in most instances local users
will spring up close to the source Of
power.
"The limit to which power can be
carried is. now. the limit Of the ter
ritory in which it can be sold. It al
ways might be carried farther than
it is. Before it can be transmitted
to great distances it always will be
absorbed by industry. It's economic
range always will be shorter than
its engineering range. Very long
transmission lines now are fully pos
sible. but we find them only in such
geological situations as exist in, say.
California, where the sources Of pow
er are all away inland among tho
mountains and the demand for power
is all along the coast. '...
"The situation. Of Niagara is differ
ent. It has markets for its power
nearby on every side.
"Great voltages now are used, It
is interesting to note that In. some
new transmissions the voltage actual
ly approaches that Of lightning, ma
ture's largest demonstration Of elec-
trio power. Before this was the case
lightning troubled us continually. And
naturally, the farther power was car
riad the greater was the chance that
lightning might disturb it. But in
these days there are few disturbances
Of that sort.
X X X X E = g.
unN our present high voltage lines
~ of, say. 100000 volts or more.
strong insulations must be used.
These not only prevent the current
from escaping from the lines, but pre-
vent outside current (lightning) from
entering them. In other words, insu-
lation on high-voltage lines is strong
enough to protect them even from the
lightning. Lightning trouble now is
principally confined to low-voltage
lines, ranging, say, up, to $4,000: to
$4,000 volts. The 9rotection difficulty
solves itself as pressure increases
and insulation necessarily becomes
stronger.
''You must understand that sending
electricity through q wire or cable is
much like sending water through q
pipe. The problems are Of quantity
and pressure in both INSTANCES. A
small amount of. water: at high pres
sure exercises, as much power az .
largo amount at low.
TN, electricity quantity Is called
current. or :amperage.' ana pressure
is called voltage Large ampsrage
at low voltage means g. large oon-
duotor,.as q large quantity Of water at
low pressure means q large pipe
Largo electrical conductors, like large
water pipes. mean large expense.
Therefore, If large power is. to ! be