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Transmission lines in Lund, SwedenElectric power, often known as power or electricity, involves the production and delivery of electrical energy in sufficient quantities to operate domestic appliances, office equipment, industrial machinery and provide sufficient energy for both domestic and commercial lighting, heating, cooking and industrial processes.
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1 History
Although electricity had been known to be produced as a result of the chemical reactions that take place in an electrolytic cell since Alessandro Volta developed the voltaic pile in 1800, its production by this means was, and still is, expensive. In 1831, Michael Faraday devised a machine that generated electricity from rotary motion, but it took almost 50 years for the technology to reach a commercially viable stage. In 1878, Thomas Edison developed and sold a commercially viable replacement for gas lighting and heating using locally generated and distributed direct current electricity. The reason generation close to or on the consumer's premises was necessary was that Edison had no means of voltage conversion. The voltage chosen for any electrical system is a compromise. Increasing the voltage reduces the current and therefore reduces resistive losses in the cable. Unfortunately it increases the danger from direct contact and also increases the required insulationThis page refers to thermal insulation. For electrical insulation see insulators, and for sound insulation see sound proofing. Often the same techniques used for thermal insulation can be used for sound insulation as well. Insulation is sometimes confused thickness. Furthermore some load types were difficult or impossible to make for higher voltages.
Nikola TeslaNikola Tesla ( July 10, 1856 January 7, 1943) (Baptism name: ; Nikolaj; Name in Cyrillic alphabet: ) was a Serbian- American physicist, inventor, and electrical engineer. Tesla's most famous contribution was the theory of polyphase alternating current ele, who had worked for Edison for a short time and appreciated the electrical theory in a way that Edison did not, devised an alternative system using alternating currentAn alternating current AC is an electrical current, where the magnitude of the current varies in a cyclical form, as opposed to direct current, where the polarity of the current stays constant. The usual waveform of an AC circuit is generally that of a pe. Tesla realised that while doubling the voltage would halve the current and reduce losses by three-quarters, only an alternating current system allowed the transformationThe word Transformer can also mean: The Transformers toys, and the related comics and animated television series which have run from the 1980s onwards. A glam rock album by Lou Reed, named Transformer . Transformers ''Typical electrical configurations See between voltage levels in different parts of the system. This allowed efficient high voltages for distribution where their risks could easily be mitigated by good design whilst still allowing fairly safe voltages to be supplied to the loads. He went on to develop the overall theory of his system, devising theoretical and practical alternatives for all of the direct current appliances then in use, and patented his novel ideas in 18871887 is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar). Events January 20 The United States Senate allows the Navy to lease Pearl Harbor as a naval base. January 21 The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is formed January 26 Battle of Dogali: A, in thirty separate patents.
In 18881888 is a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). In Germany, 1888 is known as the 1888 Year of Three Emperors. Events January 3 91cm telescope first used at Lick Observatory January 12 ? Blizzards in Dakota and Montana, Minnesota, Nebr, Tesla's work came to the attention of George WestinghouseGeorge Westinghouse Industrial entrepreneur George Westinghouse ( October 6, 1846 March 12 1914) was a conscientious employer and fair entrepreneur. The name of Westinghouse is as or more familiar as that of Edison, but only as a trademark and company nam, who owned a patent for a type of transformer that could deal with high power and was easy to make. Westinghouse had been operating an alternating current lighting plant in Great Barrington, MassachusettsGreat Barrington is a mountain town located in rural Berkshire County, Massachusetts. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 7,527. It is the home of Simon's Rock College of Bard. For geographic and demographic information on specific p since 1886. While Westinghouse's system could use Edison's lights and had heaters, it did not have a motor. With Tesla and his patents, Westinghouse built a power system for a gold mine in Telluride, Colorado in 1891, with a water driven 100 horsepower (75 kW) generator powering a 100 horsepower (75 kW) motor over a 2.5 mile (4 km) power line. Almarian Decker finally invented the whole system of three-phase power generating in Redlands, California in 1893. Then, in a deal with General Electric, which Edison had been forced to sell, Westinghouse's company went on to construct a power station at the Niagara Falls, with three 5,000 horsepower Tesla generators supplying electricity to an aluminium smelter at Niagara and the town of Buffalo 22 miles (35 km) away. The Niagara power station commenced operation on April 20 1895. Its opening set the scene for the electric power industry for over a hundred years.
