Electric lighting stimulates the birth of practical electrical engineering

Electric lighting stimulates the birth of practical electrical engineering Electrical devices do not go beyond the laboratory, until it was sufficiently powerful and cost-effective source of electrical energy and the mass consumer. By 1870, this source was created. Follow this date have been 15-20 years as the years of origin of the main mass of electrical devices for industrial and domestic use, as the formation of a new branch of technology. It was the "heroic" period of the history of electrical engineering.

The first truly massive consumer of electrical energy was electric lighting system. Electric lamp and to this day remains the most common electrical device.

During the first half of the XIX century. the dominant position occupied gas lighting, which had significant advantages over lamps with liquid fuel: the centralization of illuminating gas supply systems, comparative cheapness of fuel, gas burners simplicity and ease of maintenance.

But with the development of production, the growth of towns, the construction of large industrial buildings, hotels, shops and entertainment facilities is becoming less satisfied the requirements of the practice, because it was a fire hazard, it is harmful to health, and the power of a separate torch light was low. Particularly gas lighting deficiencies began to affect large enterprises with a large number of workers employed in the production of 12 - 14 hours a day, causing a sharp decline in productivity.

Therefore, it is timely, responsive to social order of society have been attempts to create electric light sources, soon firmly supplanted all other sources. As an example of reckless and short-sighted statements point to the statement of one of the largest electricians, chief engineer of the company Gram Hippolytus Fong, who published the book "Electric lighting". There we find the following words: "For residential gas lighting is the most enjoyable, convenient and cheap. Electric lighting may find use for certain large rooms and apartments in the state, but it is so rare exceptions, that too pay attention to them ... Never electric light will not damage the gas, oil lamps and candles. "

Fontaine made a mistake. And just as a reminder of those times have survived in some western European cities, gas lanterns, creating a kind of urban comfort and the atmosphere of the historical museum.

The development of electric light went on two fronts: the construction of arc lamps and incandescent lamps.

It is natural to start with the history of electric lighting mention of experiments VV Petrov in 1802, which (as noted above) it was found that using an electric arc "dark tranquility quite clearly illuminated perhaps." Then, in 1802, Davy in England showed the intensity of the current conductor.

Electric or "voltaic" arc is a literally a vivid manifestation of the electric current in the first payuvine of the XIX century it is often demonstrated in laboratories and lectures on electricity. The principal source of the arc disadvantages are: open flames (and hence - the danger of fire), a great luminous intensity and the need to regulate the arc gap as coal combustion.

In 1844, French physicist Jean Bernard Foucault (1819-1868 gg.), Whose name is called he discovered eddy currents replace the electrodes of retort charcoal from coal electrodes, increasing the lamp burning time. Regulation was still manual. These lamps can get the application only when needed for a short time, but intense light, such as illumination microscope slide, with alarm device in lighthouses or theatrical effects. It is easy to imagine the excitement (and perhaps fear) auditorium, when the Paris Opera in 1847 in the course of the play (and gave Meyerbeer opera "The Prophet"), the sunrise was simulated using the arc lamp!

The subsequent history of the arc of electric lighting associated with the inventions of various mechanical and electromagnetic controllers.

The idea of ​​the differential regulator Chikoleva, widely used in prozhektorostroenii, has been used by other designers, in particular, the German industrialist 3. Schuckert. Large-scale release of arc lamps with a differential regulator began producing in the late 70-ies of the Siemens factories (which merged Schuckert factories), and such a lamp was sold under the name "Siemens arc lamp".

Since the 80s, differential arc lamps were the only type of arc light sources that have been used for lighting streets, squares, harbors, as well as for illuminating large areas of industrial or public use, they have become conventional light sources in the searchlight and svetoproektsionnoy technology.

A special place among arc light sources takes "electric candle" Pavel Nikolayevich Yablochkov (1847- 1894). The invention, which will be discussed, has not led to a massive and sustainable use of this particular light source, but it deserves a special assessment, and a separate story, because it is the "electric candle" was the detonator that caused the rapid growth of the electrical industry.

PN Yablochkov PN Yablochkov was a military engineer, graduate engineering school in St. Petersburg. Leaving them but the school coincided with the emergence dinamomashiiy and young oftstser became interested in electrical engineering, soon entered the Technical plating facility, which trains military electronics. Wanting to devote himself entirely works in electrical engineering, Yablochkov retiring and doing research in Moscow, he created in the workshop of physical prkooroz.

In the autumn of 1875 he spent Yablochkov experience electrolysis of salt. Two carbon electrodes were arranged in parallel, and one day, when the electrodes are momentarily touched each other in the lower parts of their own, there was an electric arc between them. Yablochkov together with his assistant spellbound watched through the thick glass of the glass vessel vivid literally phenomenon "given the coals burn until the end, and the vessel to crack." Seeing the long arcing between the parallel bars, the inventor said, referring to his colleague: "See, and do not need any controller!".

The invention has been important, but brilliantly simple: get rid of the traffic regulators simply turn the coals of the counter in a parallel position. It was necessary a few days to finalize the technical invention. But PN Yablochkov whole life was a poor businessman; his Moscow studio suffered a financial collapse, and he threatened to debtor's prison. Saving his invention, he quickly moved to Paris.

In Paris Yablochkov acquainted with his idea of ​​a great scientist and owner of the plant for the production of precision instruments, Breguet, and already March 23, 1876 he received a patent on the now famous "electric candle".

Электрическая свеча Яблочкова
Electrical plug Yablochkov carbon electrodes 1 and 2 - the insulating layer 3 - terminals for connection to a power source

Exterior electric candle is shown in the figure, which shows that the holder with the current leads are strengthened two parallel carbon rods separated from each other by a layer of kaolin. At the top of the lamp has a thin conductive bridge - the fuse when the lamp included the burned bridge, in its place arose the arc and coals burnt out, decreasing in size as stearic candle.

Electrical street lighting in Berlin 1884 PN Yablochkov became a very famous man, in his work an expression of recognition of the "Russian world". Also in 1876 he organized a company for the production of lighting systems, which has been working as a technical manager. The first step was the lighting company "Louvre" department store in Paris, then the Hippodrome and perhaps most spectacular - coverage of the Opera Street.

The inventor has now become a rich man. His invention makes a triumphal march around the world: in Paris, followed by the lighting of Waterloo Bridge in London, Le Havre harbor, barracks and ships, the Bolshoi Theatre in St. Petersburg.

In order to implement its system in St. Petersburg Yablochkov he left Paris by paying companies are saving for the right to exploit their inventions in Russia. But the activity of the new company was not successful, and while the electric spark of triumph quickly come to an end, there were more than comfortable incandescent. Yablochkov endured great hardships, accompanied by moral feelings, and died at his home, in Saratov, at the age of 47 years, leaving his family penniless.

But let us return to the inventions Yablochkov. One electric candle could burn for about 2 hours. When you install a few candles in a special lantern equipped with a switch to turn on the next candle could provide continuous coverage for a longer time.

The invention of electric candles contributed to the implementation in practice of the AC. Electrical equipment of the previous period was based exclusively on a direct current (telegraph, electroplating, mine thing). Arc lamps with regulators and DC powered. This positive electrode was burning faster than negative, so it had to take a larger diameter.

PN Yablochkov found that for food candle is better to apply an alternating current, in this case, the same diameter electrode was obtained quite stable arc. Due to the fact that the lighting systems at Yablochkov system began to connect to the AC, significantly increased the demand for alternators sources that had not found practical application.

The significance of electric candles in expanding production of AC power generators can be seen in the following example: if the electric spark until Gram plant produced during 1870-1875 gg. a few dozen cars per year, for the 1876 edition of the generators has increased to nearly 1000 pieces. Factories produced electric generators specifically designed for electric lighting systems and even power vehicles designated by the number of fueled electrical spark (for example, "shestisvechnaya machine").

Significant development of electrical engineering and also contributed to the development of several highly effective Yablochkov "crushing of electric energy" system that provides the possibility of including in the circuit fed by a generator, multiple arc lamps.

Among the methods of "crushing" proposed Yablochkov two received practical application: partitioning the generator armature windings (the result was several independent chains, which included candles) and the use of induction coils.

The scheme of distribution of electric energy via the induction coil

The scheme of distribution of electric energy via the induction coils 1 - chopper 2 - Induction coil 3 - elektrosvechi

The primary windings of coils in series are included, and in the secondary winding depending on the parameters can connect one, two or more spark. If the primary circuit is fed by a constant current is provided for the inclusion of a specific circuit breaker to restore the EMF in the secondary windings of the coil.

The figure shows that Yablochkov uses an induction coil as a transformer. The circuit is interesting and the fact that it received its first registration an electrical network with her, but the value of the electric spark is not exhausted.

The invention is a cheap receiver electrical energy available to general consumers, require solutions Another major electrical problems - the centralization of production of electric energy and its distribution. Yablochkov first pointed to the fact that electric power should be distributed just as delivered to the consumer gas and water.

Further progress of the electric lighting has been associated with the invention of incandescent lamp, which was more convenient light source having the best economic performance and light.

Veselovsky O. Shneiberg A. I "Essays on the History of Electrical Engineering"

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