Bombproof Power Plants for Europe's Chemical Industries C. H . S. T u p h o l m e , Runcton Cottage. Lower Bourne, F a r n h a m , Surrey. England
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BOMBPROOF VELOX POWER STATION TO PRODUCE 20.000
Α Ν INTERESTING illustration of some
European countries' preparedness for war is the fact that designs have been pre pared for underground bombproof power plante. These have been undertaken principally for the explosives-producing and allied chemical industries, so that
order to keep cost low and reduce target surface for bombs and shells. Figure 1 is a typical example of the design of a bomb proof Velox power station for 20,000-kw. output. It is designed to be lodged in a tunnel excavated in the rock and having a section similar to that of a two-track rail-
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KILOWATTS
way tunnel. The small space require ments of the Velox make it very suitable for bombproof stations, as building costs are lower and the station offers a smaller target to enemy projectiles. This plant comprises a Velox steam generator to pro duce 16,000 lb. per hour of steam, a steam turbine with its condenser, a 20,000kw. generator, all accessories, and the switch-gear plant. There are oil tanks in this bombproof chamber and the capacity of the tanks allows of generating 2,000,000 kw-hr., which is sufficient for six to seven days' service. Figure 4 is a design for an underground bombproof Velox steam-generating plant for producing 26,000 lb. per hour of steam. This is intended as a stand-by boiler plant for a works dangerously situated in case of hostilities. The possibility of existing power plants being put out of operation by hostile action 130 kg/cm'abs 360°C
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UlAGJiAMOFA QWCR-ACTINO STAND-BY HoWEB F L A N T WITH VELOX STEAM GENERATOR
1. Velox combustion chamber 2. Chareingeet Λ. bteain separator
4. Steam turbine 5. Condenser 6. Generator
power service to such a plant will be unin terrupted. The designs being considered mostly employ the Velox steam generator, which has considerable advantages where economy in space is essential, as it is in a bombproof power plant. Sucn plants are covered by massive con crete arches or hollowed out of the rock. Space saving is of primary importance in
24 Icg/cm'abs 450°C FZOUBB 3 . DlAOBAU OF AW INSTANTANEOUS-ACTION STAND-BY POWER PLANT WITH VBLOX STEAM GENERATOR AND HIGH-PRESSURE BRIDGING ACCUMULATOR
i* Velox eteam eenerator 2. Bndginç accumulator 3. Oil heating t o charge accumulator 386
4. Turbogenerator 5. Throttle valve
NEWS EDITION
SEPTEMBER 10, 1937 is also being considered, and as a result designs are being prepared for stand-by plants which can be placed in as safe positions as possible, preferably in bombproof shelters. Two such designs are being investigated for such stand-by plants: 1. The stand-by power station to act as a quick-acting stand-by plant and be started after the disturbance of ordinary service has occurred; it must be able to take over load within a few minutes. 2. The stand-by power station to act as an instantaneous-action stand-by plant and prevent any interruption of power delivery. Generally, the first type of stand-by plant should suffice for ordinary industrial service, while the second type is desirable for big plants. A diagrammatic illustration of the quick-acting reserve plant is shown in Figure 2. This is a standard Velox and turboset plant which is started up very rapidly and, if so desired, automatically. It can take over full load in about 6 to 8 minutes. Figure 3 shows the instantaneous-action reserve plant, composed of a Velox, a turboset, and a so-termed bridging highpressure steam accumulator, which takes over load immediately when trouble occurs on the distribution system and prevents any interruption in current distribution. The turboset runs continuously as a phase advancer. In case of trouble it is fed from the steam accumulator, until the automatically started Velox takes over the load. Velox and turbine are built for 360 pounds per square inch. The accumulator is charged up to 1850 pounds by means of a small oil-firing equipment or
similar gear and delivers steam through a throttle valve to the 360-pound steam system. During the waiting period the turbine runs at full speed with open admission valve but dosed governor valves, and it is driven by the generator running as a phase advancer. The condenser is working (with reduced cooling water volume) so that the turbine can run on vacuum, with lower losses. As soon as the failure of other sources of power causes the generator to take over power delivery, the governing valves of the turbine open, according to the action of the turbine governing system, and the turbine delivers power. The accumulator supplies steam until the Velox steam generator takes over from it. The Velox is started automatically by making the valves of the gas turbine of the Velox open at the same time as the governing valves of the main turbine, and by making the charging and pump set run on steam from the accumulator. In this way the Velox can be brought t o full delivery in approximately 3 t o 4 minutes, especially when the accumulator keeps it under pressure; thus the high-pressure steam accumulator can be of small dimensions and inexpen-
M. I. DORFAN, former manager of the Blaw-Knox Dust Division, has been reemployed by the Pangborn Corp., which has taken over the Dust Collecting interests of the Blaw-Knox Co., to act as general field representative under the title of Dust Control Specialist with offices in the Chamber of Commerce Building, Pittsburgh, Pa.
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Spanish Potash Industry "Collectivized" PANISH potash properties, including mines and warehouses, nave been taken over by former employees and are being operated on a "collectivized" basis, according to a report made public by the Commerce Department's Chemical Division. Spain's most important mines are located near Barcelona, now under control of the Valencia Government. While Spain's potash industry is of comparatively recent development, mining having begun in 1925, it had, prior to the outbreak of the revolution, become an important factor in world markets. In 1935 the Spanish industry associated itself with the European potash cartel and was given a quota of from 14 to 16 per cent of the syndicate's export business. Growth of the Spanish industry and its importance in world potash markets are indicated by its export trade which increased from less than 26,000 tons of potash materials in 1931 to more than 248,000 tons in 1935, statistics show.
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J a p a n P l a n s P r o d u c t i o n of Synthetic Camphor SUCCESSFUL process for the manufacture of synthetic camphor has been developed in the research laboratories of the Japanese Department of Finance, according to reports reaching the Commerce Department's Chemical Division. Details relative to the process have not been made public. Japan has a world monopoly in natural camphor.
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BOMBPROOF VBLOX STBAJC-GINXBATINO PLANT
