The New York herald., 1922-10-22
new TUBE STEPS UP
POWER OF 1000 XIV.
Lightweight MagnetrOn Is
Described by General
Electric Scientists.
USED In RADIO TESTS
Perfected in Researches for
Apparatus to Simplify
Transmission Lines.
MAY BE REVOLUTIONARY
Would Make Possible Sending
of Energy Longer Distances
Than at Present.
MAY BE REVOLUTIONARY

speciai Dispatch TO TIE NEW York HERALD.
SCHENECTADY, oct. 21.-A 900 kilo-
watt vacuum tube. fifty times more
powerful than any now in use. has
been developed in the research labo-
ratory of the General Electric Com
pany.
II is called the magnetron. and. al
though still experimental, represents
an important step in the effort to pro-
duce tubes not only for radio. but also
for the long distance transmission of
tremendous electric power by means
Of the direct current. Its creation
grew out of a desire to fashion tubes
for general power purposes new
field for them.
The existence OF the 1000 kilowatt
tube has been kept secret heretofore,
but is reported by DR.. Irving Lang
muir of the research laboratory in an
article published to-day in the Elec-
tI9cal World.
This new wonder was constructed
by j. II. Payne, Jr, of the laboratory
staff, and involves principle of mag
netic control proposed by DR.. A. w.
Bull. 1t would light 10000 twenty five
watt incandescent lamps or supply
energy to almost 1900 average homes,
but it weighs only sixty pounds.
For Power Transmf mfssiOn.
Engineers mad found" the company
says, "tha. the major problem Of tube
development for wireless had been
solved in SO far as the larger sizes of
tobes were concerned. They had dem
orstrated inat almost any size tube
could be made for radio work and OPP
Grated successfully. But there was a
wonderful field for tubes in general en-
sireering. especially where very high
frequency generators or high voltage
rectifie-s might pe required.
Thus attention was directed to the
development of super-power tubes for
use in the generation and transmission
os high voltage direct current and for
other engineering work.
The ma xinium TO winch electricity
can economically b transmitted is sew
e-al Tires greater with direct tI.sn with
alternating current. The diff Guilty has
been In the generation and distrib ition .
OF very high voltage direct cui1 ent. 1t
is such difficulties that may he solved
b. vacuum tubes, of which this one is
~. example.
THE output OF this tube is approxi-
rlately 10 amperes at $500 volts: /. e.,
about 1000 Kilowats. The tube serves
as a rectifer 10 change alternating TO
direct current and is also adapted as
AZ. inverte, to change direct to alter
hating current of any trequencs or TO
convert low frequency alternating cur
rclt to high frequency.
1,SOO Amperc Current Needed.
DR.. Langmuir is the Electrical World
says:
"Thls tube consists essentially of q
water cooled cylindrical anode 30 inches
long and la. inches diameter. In the
sxis OF the anode g tungsten fila
nent four-tenths of IN inch in diameter
ard - inches loas. This filamnnt Is
excited by curren; Of $50 ampervs at
100o cycles. the fgsaent excitatioa re.
earring about % k.lowatts.
THE magnetic fell produced by this
large heating current Is sufficient to
cut off the electric current from the
cathode TO the anode during a portion
Of each half cycle Of the current pass
ing through the cathode. this action
taking the place of that OF the grid in
the three elcctrode tube. The electron
current to the cathode Is thus inter-
ruptcd co.00 times per second. BY tho
use Of properly tuned circuits this can
be used for the production OF high fire.
qucncy power radio or any other pur-
lcscs.
This type Of tube win supply i.GDl