[BC] Power distribution

[Harold Hallikainen]

>
>> I seem to remember an old movie that showed a power plant going on line.
>> They had light bulbs connected between the line and the generator.
>> They'd
>> adjust the generator until the lightbulbs flashed as slowly as possible,
>> then closed the switch when the lights were out.
>
> Yep;  a primitive phase detector!
>
> The generators today are all at   *exactly*   the same
> frequency.   Hence my statement of phaselock.
>
> The windmill generators have their fields electronically
> rotated so that they deliver power at exactly 60 Hz.
> Should the things run a bit slow then the field is rotated
> so the output is still 60 Hz. Should it run at full blast the
> field will rotate in the other direction for the same reason.
> Should the wind drop so they can't keep up then they
> are taken off line.  If the wind is so fast that it can't keep
> up then the machine is taken off line and the blades are
> feathered.
>
> - Jim Tonne
>

On windmills, it SEEMS they could operate with fixed frequency induction
fields (a typical induction motor) and have variable pitch blades to
"impedance match" the wind to the electric. Maybe a variable frequency
field is simpler than variable pitch... I dunno.

Harold



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