Royal W. Sorensen

Vacuum Switching Experiments at California Institute of Technology

Successful experiments in switching or breaking a circuit in a high vacuum have been made at the California Institute of Technology. This paper is a report on three sets of these experiments, which extended over a period of three years. The conclusions drawn from the experiments may be summed up in the statement that vacuum breakers of laboratory type have been successful in breaking circuits and offer a possible solution of the circuit-breaker problem. The results show that switching in vacuum affords the advantages of no pitting of contacts, quick break, the arc always going out on the first half-cycle, small voltage rise across the switch, and small distance of travel necessary for the switch blades. Making the vacuum switch practical calls for a solution of the problem of making commercial apparatus with vacuum-tight joints, and the elimination of the use of liquid air with the vacuum pump.

Registered professional engineers

Written primarily for the Student membership and the younger members, this article presents a picture of registration as it affects the engineer today, as well as how it is likely to affect him in the future. It reviews the requirements necessary for registration as an engineer and indicates some of the procedures involved in attaining such certification.

Lightning Protection for Oil Storage Tanks and Reservoirs

This paper outlines work done in connection with planning a protection scheme for the oil storage tank farms of the General Petroleum Corporation of California. The work shows that the average annual number of storms at a given location is a constant. The dielectric property of oil has no influence in causing lightning or inducing it to strike oil in storage. Tests show that excellent protection can be obtained by towers properly installed, but they do no indicate absolute immunity against hits. The work done also shows that an extensive field program, supplemented by such laboratory work as required for understanding and assisting the field program, should be carried out to extend our knowledge of lightning phenomena and protection.

The power Application vacuum switch

Vacuum switching, which has attracted considerable attention recently in the public utility field, is actually far from a new concept. Much of the work done over the past 35 years in the development of the vacuum switch is reviewed.

The Influence of Towers and Conductor Sag on Transmission-Line Shielding

THIS paper is the third of a sequence of papers intended to present data which may be used in determining the degree of protection from lightning obtainable by shielding transmission lines and structures with grounded overhead wires and masts. The first two papers of the sequence are: “Shielding of Transmission Lines,”¹ and “Shielding of Substations.”²

Development and characteristics of a 1,000,000-volt cascade transformer at california institute of technology

This paper is presented to describe the cascade connection for transformers, and show the standard characteristics of such equipment, but it does not give building-plans for the 1,000,000-volt laboratory, as they have been presented in other publications.

Professional engineering in California

In popular usage, the word “engineer” has come to include many men who are merely technicians or mechanics. In order to set a professional standard for engineers, many states now have passed registration laws defining the qualifications of a Professional Engineer. This article describes the provisions for registration in the State of California.

Electrical engineering graduate studies: Program of the California Institute of Technology

The California Institute of Technology has been indicated as a leader in the field of graduate work in electrical engineering, and thus a consideration of its pattern for such studies should be of profit. Some phases of the institutes program are presented, not because they are considered wholly unique, but because they are of considerable merit and did help to pioneer the way to a high standard of graduate work.

Institute activities: A wish for a merry christmas and a happy new year

“A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year” is an old, old greeting but it is the very best wish your president can think of to send all Institute members as we approach that part of the year so interwoven with sacred American tradition. Indeed he would like to show his appreciation of the effective work all of you are doing for the Institute and our national defense program by sending every member a greeting card voicing the above message, supplemented by words of appreciation not only for that work, but also for the many things done to make his term of office so interesting and enjoyable. There are, however, so many of you (17,916) he must forego that desire and be content with the hope that every member will learn of his good intentions by reading this part of Electrical Engineering.

Should engineers join a union

Pointing out that engineers should have the right to join unions or not as their own consciences dictate, this author believes that by doing so they are likely to impair their claims to professional status, and suggests that they are competent to find other ways of correcting unfair situations.