DO IT ELECTRICALLY

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 256, 28 July 1927, Page 7

DO IT ELECTRICALLY

Tests of Electric Locomotives. In a bulletin recently issued by Oertikon, Ltd., particulars are given regarding the tests carried out on the new Oerlikon electric freight locomotives of the Paris-Orleans railway. These locomotives, which are equipped with four motors, and have a one-hour rating of 1800 h.p., and a continuous taring of 1500 h.p. at 1350 V., have to deal with most varied duties, as they are not only used for hauling goods and produce trains and ordinary passenger trains, but also utilised, to a considerable extent, for express service. The maximumj speed is 28 to 31 miles per hour for freight trains, 1 and 56 miles per hour in the other cases (reports “The Electrician”). The trials were carried out with a train consisting of 58 empty goods trucks, weighing 578 tons, excluding the locomotive. The current of motors was kept at about 250 A, the average pressure being 1230 to 1250 V. The variation in current between notches was measured by means of a recording ammeter; the greatest variation took place, as could be expected tor parallel grouping, with 100 per cent, field, where it amounted, on t]ie average, to 22 A per motor, corresponding to a variation in tractive effort of 20901 b. Thp maximum variation in tractive effort recorded was 33001 b., corresponding to 35 A per motor. The starring time required to reach a speed of 2G miles per hour on a gradient of 1 in 125, for a instance, was 4min. 20sec., and to attain a speed of 23.3 miles per hour on a gradient of 1 in 143, 3min. In order to determine the acceleration obtainable with the locomotives when used for ordinary passenger service or express service, tests were carried out with a train of 290 tons. The values obtained for acceleration were as follow:—0.448 miles per hour/sec. on gradients of 1 in 834, with an average starting current of 250, A per motor; ,0.851 miles per hour/sec. on level, with an average starting current of 350 A. The average power consumption, after deduction of power consumed by auxiliaries, was only 19.3 Wh j>er tonmile for series-parallel operation of motors (normal service), with a trailing load of 578 tons, a maximum speed of about 27.9 miles per hour, and an average pressure of 1400 V. Canadian Supply Statistics.

Details obtained in connection with the Canadian Census of Industry, 1925, and just published by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, show a total output for all generating stations of 10,110,459,000 kWh., which, divided amongst the various stations, gives an average generation of 17,944,000 kWh., and an average per capita consumption of 1080 kWh.,- by an estimate total population of something over 9i millions (reports an i English paper). This extremely high consumption figure is, however, somewhat misleading, as nearly 4,705,000,000 kWh. of the total generated were exported to the United States, and the wholesale nature of the supply to many large' manufacturers, particularly the pulp and paper mills and mines operating 24 hours each day, further reduces the average. Incidentally, the generation of power for export, on which a duty of threehundredths of a cent per kilowatt-hour is now imposed, is forming an increasingly large proportion of the load of most of the exporting supply undertakings. One company exported the whole of its small output of 89,482 kWh., and, out of 7,847,205 kWh. generated ,by another company, 6,696,394 kWh. were exported. The Canadian Niagara Power Co. thus disposed of 326,000,000 kWh. out of 581,002,406 kWh. generated, and the Niagara ■ system- of the HydroElectric Power Commission of Ontario sold to America 541,711,200 kWh., out of a total output of 2,782,357,000 kWh. Growth of generating capacity was mainly on the hydro-electric side, which, it is interesting to note, now accounts for over 98 per cent, of the total output of the indusrty. Although generator capacity increased by .24 per. cent, during the year, the output only exceeded that of 1924 by 9 per cent., the smallest yearly rate of increase recorded for four years. Company undertakings were responsible for the bulk of the increases, both in equipment and output; furthermore, they produced 65 per cent, of the total output, and at the end o'f the year contained 63 per cent, of the total generator capacity. ‘ With her big water-power development—estimated at 485 h.p. per 1000 of population—Canada occupies a prominent position nr regard to availability and utilisation of her power resources. In addition, the enormous water-power reserves still untouched form a substantial basis for the progressive exploitation and development of other natural resources, especially .if properly co-ordinated with the development and utilisation of the Dominion’s fuel resources. Miscellaneous.

An electrical treadmill for exercising dogs has been introduced in America. It is reported that contracts for £43,245 for electrical plant in Australia have been awarded to German firms, whose tenders in the aggregate were 16.7 per cent, below the only British tenders. A motor-car, raised from the floor and kept running at a speed equal to 20 m.p.h., has ■ been on tour. Along the centre of the chassis was a waterpipe which played a continuous stream of water on to all the working parts of’ the car, including the battery.