Electricity for the farm: Light, heat and power by inexpensive methods from the water wheel or farm engine — John Shaqi
Electricity for the farm: Light, heat and power by inexpensive methods from the water wheel or farm engineAnderson, Frederick Irving
Science
Electricity for the farm: Light, heat and power by inexpensive methods from the water wheel or farm engine
Anderson, Frederick Irving
Electricity in agriculture
We have seen that the voltage depends on the number of lines of
magnetic force cut by the armature conductors in a given time. If the
speed remains constant then, and the magnets grow stronger and
stronger, the voltage will rise in a straight line. When no current is
drawn, it is 0; at full load, it may be 100 volts, or 500, or 1,000
according to the machine. This type of machine is used only in street
lighting, in cities, with the lights connected in "series," or one
after another on the same wire, the last lamp finally returning the
wire to the machine to complete the circuit. This type of dynamo has
gained the name for itself of "mankiller," as its voltage becomes
enormous at full load. It is unsuitable, in every respect, for the
farm plant. Its field coils consist of a few turns of very heavy wire,
enough to carry all the current of the external circuit, without
heating.
[Illustration: Connections of a series dynamo]
_The Shunt Dynamo_
The shunt dynamo, on the other hand, has field coils connected
directly _across_ the circuit, from one wire to another, instead of in
"series." These coils consist of a great many turns of very fine wire,
thus introducing _resistance_ into the circuit, which limits the
amount of current (amperes) that can be forced through them at any
given voltage. As a shunt dynamo is brought up to its rated speed, its
voltage gradually rises until a condition of balance occurs between
the field coils and the armature. There it remains constant. When
resistance on the external circuit is lowered, by means of turning on
lamps or other devices, the current from the armature increases in
working power, by increasing its amperes. Its voltage remains
stationary; and, since the resistance of its field coils never
changes, the magnets do not vary in strength.
[Illustration: Connections of a shunt dynamo]
The objection to this type of machine for a farm plant is that, in
practice, the armature begins to exercise a de-magnetizing effect on
the field magnets after a certain point is reached--weakens them;
consequently the voltage begins to fall. The voltage of a shunt dynamo
begins to fall after half-load is reached; and at full load, it has
fallen possibly 20 per cent. A rheostat, or resistance box on the
switchboard, makes it possible to cut out or switch in additional
resistance in the field coils, thus varying the strength of the field
coils, within a limit of say 15 per cent, to keep the voltage
constant. This, however, requires a constant attendance on the
machine. If the voltage were set right for 10 lights, the lights would
grow dim when 50 lights were turned on; and if it were adjusted for 50
lights, the voltage would be too high for only ten lights--would cause
them to "burn out."
Shunt dynamos are used for charging storage batteries, and are
satisfactory for direct service only when an attendant is constantly
at hand to regulate them.
_The Compound Dynamo_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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