Hi. We've just started work on a new series, to be presented by Jim Al Khalili, charting mankind's relationship with electricity from ancient times to the present day. We'll be mixing the historical with the scientific.

We're very keen to hear about good visual demonstrations of electrical properties and phenomena which we might not have come across before.

Also particularly good personal stories from history (and the present day!) - people whose work or contributions you think are often overlooked, or little known facts about some of the famous names.

Alternatively, any really good books that you think we should read that either explain the key principles very well and clearly, or give a good insight into the historical context of some of the scientific breakthroughs...

Thank you!

If you are going back to some history this person work may have been overlooked inventor of the Scott T Transformer (it can convert two phases into three phases and three phases into two phases)


This article describes the first "polyphase" (more than one phase) system developed for the distribution of alternating current (ac) power. This two-phase system was subsequently rendered obsolete, however, by the superior three-phase system that is now universally used throughout the world.

http://www.3phasepower.org/2phasesystems.htm

or

http://books.google.co.uk/book...g#v=onepage&q&f=false

As well as this forum recommend you put this topic question on to the Wiring and the regulations forum.

Regards

A demonstration showing the growth of electrical trees in insulating materials up until the breakdown of the material could be unusual and novel for a television programme. It uses high voltage, doesn't have take too long, has been important in improving insulating materials for electrical equipment and is somewhat similar to what happens immediately before a lightning strike in air - only different.

(The book "Electrical degradation and breakdown in polymers" by Dissado and Fothergill is interesting on the the subject.)

Regards,
Ian.

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irevans

Thanks Ian - are those Lichtenberg Figures, or are they slightly different? Hadn't thought of the link with developing good insulators, so that's great - thank you!

Thanks jcm256. Any idea if any devices ran on AC power before Tesla's two-phase motor? If I've got my history right, Westinghouse was selling AC power before he met Tesla but who could use it? Arc lights?

As JCM has suggested, please post on Wiring and regulations.
Its the most viewed, most updated and has many very knowledgeable contributors in this field.

P

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Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine....

Every man has to know his limitations- Dirty Harry

Yes that is correct, Lichtenberg Figures are electrical trees.

Cheers,
Ian.

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irevans

It might be worth mentioning that as Professional Electrical Engineers, we make every attempt to make safe electrical systems. Then the Doctor's go and 'invent' electric shock treatment and claim it's a safe treatment. Doh!

The skin effect is quite interesting, which involves AC distributing the current density at the surface of the conductor at high frequency.

Arc Rectifiers, would be my shout, a solution to the AC to DC conversion that was more efficient that rotating convertors at the time. Not used now as their role has generally been replaced by power electronics.

Best thing about them is they look damm cool, I think they still have a glass bulb type that is operational at Chappelcross. You can watch the arc tracing up the bulb.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_arc_rectifier

Still used to provide DC for the Blackpool Tramway!

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David Parr BSc.CEng MIET
PRA

If you want to see (and film) mercury arc rectifiers in operation, we have a pair at Kempton Steam Museum (at the London end of the M3 http://www.kemptonsteam.org/mercury.html )on public display, they are quite impresive to see. The inventer of the mercury arc rectifier, Peter Cooper Hewitt might also be worth a mention.

David Walker

Edited: 26 January 2011 at 05:32 PM by davidwalker2

Although, if I understand the plans correctly, they are in the process of being (or have already been) replaced, in the current tramway upgrade that's due to be completed later this year.

We're having new high-speed trams and many years of being near the sea has taken its toll on a lot of the electrical infrastructure. But the traditional trams will still run at times during the season, with more at special times such as the Illuminations.

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Eur Ing Graham Kenyon CEng MIET

Contributors to this thread may be interested to know that the IET Archives have been in correspondence with a number of BBC researchers who contacted us directly for help with this, and that we are working towards contributing information and material from the IET's historical resources towards what will surely be a fascinating series.

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Sarah Hale
IET Assistant Archivist