Automatic reversible battery boosters

A brief mention is made of the object and scope of the paper, and this is followed by a short account of the uses and advantages of battery-booster plant, and the savings likely to be effected by its employment. Boosters are classified in three leading divisions, (A), (B), and (C). Under Class (A) are described the plain differential, Pirani, Cromptonand Lancashire systems, with a discussion of their prominent features. Those described under Class (B) are the Highfield and E.C.C. systems. A short discussion follows of the effect of main generator compounding, the action of line diverters, and of some causes of inaccurate working of diverter boosters in general. The advantages of boosters controlled by external regulators over those of the diverter type, and the leading principle of their operation, are briefly mentioned. Such boosters belong to the next class (C), and those described are Entz, B.T.H., Taylor-Scotson, Tilney, Thury, and Brown-Boveri, while the systems of Lincoln and Bijur are also referred to. Rate of rise of field flux is dealt with, and the practical necessity of the provision of a checking control on quick-acting booster regulators. Some methods of using battery-booster plant are then considered more fully, and several methods of adapting such plant to the control of winding gear are described. The question of the employment of batteries on alternating-current systems is next treated, and some of the necessary plant described including regulator solenoids, the split-pole converter, and a special form of automatic exciter responsive to variations in alternating-current generator load. Some figures are given relating to the plant at the Gary Steel Works, Indiana, U.S.A., and a short description is given of the Hucknall Colliery plant. Practical results obtained by different boosters are given, and a short summary of conclusions finishes the paper.