ing common. But an electrolytic plant may consist of one or of thousands of cells. Plants producing as low as 500 cu. ft. per day are being operated satisfactorily. As a consumer of energy the oxygen-hydrogen cell has commendable features. It may be operated continuously or off-peak, and at overloads up to 50 per cent. The load is free from fluctuations. Opening the cell circuits is not destructive to the diaphragms or other parts of the cell, as in diaphragm type chlorine caustic soda cells. The theoretical decomposition voltage is 1.48 volts and cell operating pressures are usually under two volts. The theoretical energy requirement is 4500 kw. hr. per ton of oxygen; the actual average is about 5300; that is, the energy efficiency is about 85 per cent. The water used per ton of oxygen in theory would amount to 270 gallons at 62° F., while the amount actually supplied is somewhat greater. Two hundred dollars per ton is considered a low price for oxygen. With each ton of oxygen, one-eighth ton, or 44,800 cu. ft., of hydrogen of approximately equal value is produced. A rough estimate of cell installation costs may be made upon the basis of 97 per cent ampere-hour efficiency, assuming 5800 amperes cell capacity per 1000 cu. ft. of oxygen per day. Estimate would be as follows: Scrap Yards Cutting of all kinds of s heavy steel of all k beams, channels, etc., I Welding Tubing The manufacture tubing for auton field with almost process its own oxygen and piping it throughout the works. The money spent on freight alone increased the cost of the oxygen by at least 25 per cent. A large number of plants are in operation where the hydrogen is the main product. These plants are steadily increasing both in number and in size. The oxygen produced by these plants is used locally. The practice of supplying oxygen directly in the pipe line from a central oxygen distributing station is growing in favor very rapidly. In some cities central oxygen plants are piping gas to users for a radius of several blocks. It would seem that opportunities of this kind would be an ideal proposition for a central power plant, as almost all the necessary oxygen could be made on off-peak loads. Appendix I to Report of Power Sales Bureau Bibliography of Addresses, Papers and Committee Reports, Power Sales Bureau (Page numbers refer to Commercial Section Volumes, except for years 1918 and 1920, in which years only one volume was published) 1920 Paper: Electric Power in the Oil Fields, by W. G. TAYLOR...... 432 Newer Types of Steam Engines. 512 443 man Discussion of Investment Charges.. Cost of Isolated Plant Operation (Table) Data on Isolated Plant Prime Movers... 1917 Report of Subcommittee on Internal Combustion Engine Plants, by R. H. BURDICK and J. B. STEWART... 1917 Report of Subcommittee on Data on Department Stores, Office Buildings and Hotels-E. F. TWEEDY, Chairman..... 748 750 751 750 753 754 759 1920 Report of Division on Power Contracts- THE CHAIRMAN: This completes the Power Sales Bureau's report. I wish to call your attention to the appendix to our report, which was prepared by Mr. John Meyer. It gives, practically divided by subjects, the scope of the work covered by the Power Sales Bureau since its organization in 1914, which we thought would be helpful because it will help the power salesmen to find out quickly what has been done and how these subjects have been treated heretofore. Mr. Mansfield, chairman of the Vehicle Bureau, is with us and will talk to us a few moments upon "The Power of Transportation." "The Power of Transportation" By E. S. E. S. MANSFIELD: "A rolling stone gathers no moss" is an old adage which expresses some degree of truth, but, although moss is very appropriate on tombstones and other monuments of a dead and almost forgotten past, it adds but little value to a stone which fills its place in a modern structure, and unless it does some rolling on its own account, is rolled by some external force or changes its position by means of some rolling agency, it still remains commercially useless and continues to gather moss. Almost every natural or manufactured product before it can realize its maximum usefulness must be moved or transported to the location where it can best perform its function. Unless we have stopped to consider the matter we but vaguely appreciate what a large part transportation has played in the history of the world. Transportation is indeed a power in itself and it has in turn added to the power of the nations. In Mansfield the earlier days burdens were carried from place to place by means of human beings, then beasts were impressed into service and crude wheeled contrivances were devised to more efficiently meet their requirements. As civilization progressed and the requirements of commerce asserted themselves, vehicles on land and ships on seas were developed to keep pace with the times. The various centres of civilization were however practically isolated one from another and commerce was still in a primitive state until the steam engine was invented and became the power of transportation. Steam brought the continents into close relationship and the railroads defied time and space and distributed the population of the earth throughout. the length and breadth of the land creating new centres along their lines. Steam held full sway until the dawn of the electric era, when it began to share its power with this new and more flexible agency. Electric motor transpor tation on the streets and railroads has added its part to the system and electricity some day probably will become the sole power for our railroads. Electric trackless transportation is still undeveloped while gasoline motor transportation has had such a remarkable growth that it has carried everything by storm. The gas motor has and will continue to hold a large place in transportation for the carrying of merchandise and persons over our highways and we all glory in its achievements and would not seek to stay its progress, but there is a place in city transportation and the shorter hauls of modern commerce where the electric vehicle should rule supreme. The large fleets of electrics already in use, the rapid increase in the sale of electrics in certain centres, and the marked change in popular attitude in favor of electrics in these sections prove what the result will be if the electric vehicle interests universally educate the public to its advantages and use the same energy and persistence as have been exercised by their gasoline brothers. Steam, gasoline and electricity are the three great mechanical powers of transportation, each has its field, and in its field each one should not fear competition. The electric vehicle also has a field all its own and although limited in its sphere of operation it is practically unlimited within that sphere, where it should be the dominant power of transportation. In this gathering it is not necessary to rehearse the advantages and economics of the electric or to present figures and arguments for they are well known to you all, but apparently it is necessary to arouse your interest in the electric as a power device which should be earning handsome revenues for the companies which you represent. The Power Sales Bureau is vitally interested in increasing the amount and methods of power use, from which the utilities enjoy a large part of their income and this bureau has done most excellent work in that direction. Various methods for the use of electric motors have been developed, ways for using electric power in furnaces have been studied and recommended, electro-chemical processes have been brought to the attention of the industries and new ways of utilizing electric power are being originated and developed at all times, but the electric vehicle is looked upon as hardly worth while or as an experiment not worth the time it takes to promote. The Electric Vehicle Bureau is a sister division of the Commercial Section and is interested in its growth and development, even as you, and has a strong desire to help make its work a success as well as your part of its work a success, and it feels that it has a right to enjoy a like interest from you in return. The success of the Electric Vehicle Bureau means a substantial increase in the power load of the companies you represent and in working for our own success we are also working for yours. At first thought it is hard to understand why the Power Sales Bureau has not taken a more active interest in the electric vehicle but a closer study of the situation reveals one of the chief reasons. The electric vehicle proposition is more or less complex, it is necessary to study the various mechanical, electrical and chemical theories, upon which its operation is based, the characteristics of the battery must be determined, the sphere of action must be known and the salesman must know something about transportation engineering. No wonder the power salesman who has not had the opportunity to absorb this information shuns the electric vehicle prospect and would rather spend his time on other classes of power business which are less complicated and more generally understood. The complexity of the proposition, however, should not be used as an excuse for depriving the utility company of an attractive revenue which rightly belongs to it. Assuming that a five-ton truck consumes 50 k. w. hours per day for twenty-five days per month and the average rate for current is four cents per k. w. hour, the income to the central station would amount to $50 per month and for a two-ton truck under similar conditions using 30 k. w. hours per day would be $30 per month. When we consider that battery charging is usually an off-peak load, and one truck properly applied and efficiently operated generally leads to the installation of additional units, also that a satisfied electric vehicle user becomes a good prospect for other classes of power, it would seem that this class of power business is worthy of at least a limited amount of time and attention. I strongly recommend that the head of each utility sales department appoint one of his power salesmen as an electric vehicle representative to become familiar with the details of this department of the business so that he may be in a position to advise intelligently his customers in transportation problems and to assist the vehicle salesman in placing electrics on the lines of the Company. If an attitude of business co-operation is established in this manner it will be found that the vehicles and battery salesmen will assist in furnishing information and data and will also use their influence to assist the power salesmen in their endeavor to introduce other classes of power in their customers' premises. We are all interested in increasing the power load each in his own department and by working together in a closer relationship we can more effectively accomplish the common end. In conclusion the Electric Vehicle Bureau desires to urge the Power Sales Bureau while reaching out for power in the already established lines not to neglect the power of transportation. THE CHAIRMAN: Gentlemen, I wish to thank you for the patience you have shown in sitting out this long session. I am sure you were interested or you would not have stayed. Do not forget Mr. Insull's talk tomorrow morning and the Prime Movers' report on Thursday at four o'clock, in which Mr. Ricketts gives further information about the costs. (Adjourned.) |