PLANT TAKEN OVER

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 129, 25 February 1938, Page 13

PLANT TAKEN OVER

Ceremony At Evans Bay Power-house BOILERS AND TURBINES Though the new plant at the Evan’s Bay power-house, Wellington, has been running off and on for some little time past, a function was arranged yesterday afternoon in connection witli the formal taking-over of the two new Velox boilers and Parsons turbines and generators, which they actuate. This took place at the power-house in the presence of the mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, most of the members of the city council, the heads of departments, and some interested friends.

There was a full-dress display of the new plant—first an explanation of tlie sequential action of tlie various parts of the plant from the Diesel engine (started by compressed air), which actuates four small inotors, they, in turn, operating on the larger boilers, it lieu steam is raised its power is passed on to the turbines and generators, until electricity is generated (with the aid of these two boilers) sufficient to supply the needs of Wellington city. After Mr. R. S. Maunder had concluded his explanatory remarks, Mr. M. Cable, general manager of the Tramways and Electric Lighting Department, invited the.mayor to open the new extension of tlie power-house, which houses the modern plant. After the mayor’s address he pressed a button, the signal to start the Diesel. Then another button was pressed by the mayor; the oil flames fired the boiler, and the generation of steam began. Six or seven minutes later tlie turbine took the load, and gradually worked up speed until the shaft was doing 3000 revolutions a minute, at which speed the current began to flow. When one considers, that some forty years ago it used to take from two to three hours to get up steam on a large boiler, and that now it can be done on the Velox boilers in four or five minutes, the marvel of the new design must be recognised. It certainly impressed everyone present yesterday.

Mayor’s Address.

In his address the mayor said that he was there to start up the plant, but thought it was the p.Vper time and place to make some reference to its erection. In 1920 it had been decided by the council that there be a good stand-by plant; but by 1935 that plant had proved to be quite inadequate to the growing needs of tlie cjty. It was then decided that the plant should be brought completely up-to-date in order that ti should take the whole load of the city when necessary, and steps were taken to secure the Diesel engine (supplied by Beliss and Morcom), the turbines and generators (from Sir Charles Parsons), and the boilers from Brown, Boveri and Co. (of Baden, Switzerland), whose representatives were all present. In the case of Beliss and Morcom, their representative, Mr. P. J. Holliday, had come all the way from Fiji to be present. Messrs. J. A. C. Allan and Donaldson represented the Brown, Boveri and Company, with Messrs. H. Deitler and H. Heiniger as their supervisory engineers. Mr. W- Ai Simpson was the Persons representative. Mr. Hislop said lie wished to congratulate these men on the excellent way in which they had carried out their work. All had carried out their contracts to the entire satisfaction of the corporation. In the case of Brown, Boveri and Co., they had done a good deal of work outsidS thejr actual contract to ensure that the installation would be quite up to date, and for that he thanked them.

Tbe mayor also mentioned Preece, Cardew and Dytler, the council’s consulting engineers in London, for what they had done, and especially mentioned the part Mr. R. S. Maunder had played in the work, and all the corporation employees, including the city engineer's staff, who bad built the heavy concrete foundations of the new extension and plant, having to du the latter in one day. Reliable Plant. They now had a plant in operation suitable to the needs of the city, a plant which could take the whole load in a few minutes "from cold,’’ and also one which would not cause any nuisance as regards smoke. All would agree that they had a plant on which they could rely completely. The mayor's remarks were followed by the throwing into activity of the latest adjunct to the city’s stand-by plant at‘Evans Bay, a plant on which considerable demands will no doubt be made in the year of the centenary. At the conclusion of the demonstration those present adjourned to the Aero Club rooms at the aerodrome, where they had afternoon tea as the guests of Mr. J. A. C. Allan (Brown? Boveri and Co.’s representative in New Zealand). After tea, Mr. Allan thanked the mayor for the pleasant things said about his firm and other contractors. He also referred to the sterling work done by Mr Maunder, and the courage shown by Mr. Cable as head of the department, in recommending to his council this entirely new type of boiler. Mr. Cable expressed the pleasure it had been to be associated with Brown, Boveri and Co., and said what an inspiration. it had been to be associated with the young Swiss engineers, Messrs. Dietier and Heiniger, who had been sent out to supervise the erection of the new boilers. Mr. Cable also mentioned the good offices of Mr. G. E. Breeze, the inspector of machinery. To him, as to them all, the boilers were an entirely new type, and, moreover, they were a welded job, and welded boilers had not been altogether accepted in all quarters with enthusiasm; but Mr. Breeze had taken great pains to study and understand them, and through Lloyd’s had secured a test of the boilers at Baden, which was so successful that they were listed on Lloyd's Register. He was so satisfied that he had given them a free certificate. Mr. Cable also mentioned the good work which had been done Mr.'Bell and his staff, who had all worked well "together.